The wonderful world of English place-names.

[Robbie]

In Enfield where I lived for some time was a place called World's End, and little further down the road Botany Bay, so called because it was supposedly one of the last places prisoners stayed before they were shipped off the Australia (I don't know if that's true though).

There was a 'World's End' in Chelsea too.
Land's End?

LR, I know Paddock Wood quite well. That area is less than 30 miles from Bromley, been there often. You can get a nice pub lunch.

[bluehillside Retd.]

Not sure how wonderful it is, but it wasn't so long ago that just off Cheapside in London was (ahem) a Gropec*** Lane. It was where the ladies of ill-repute would ply their trade. 

[Free Willy]

As a cyclist I tend to notice the odd ones. All the following are fairly near me: Chigmal Smealy, Good Easter, Abbess Roding, Furneaux Pelham, Wendens Ambo, Shudy Camps, Bardfield Saling, Beauchamp Roding. And of course who could forget the timeless Shellow Bowells?

What was that last one?

[Rhiannon]

Ad-o will be familiar with the part of London known as 'the Boleyn' (as in, 'I'm just going round the Boleyn'); where Green St meets Barking Rd is the Boleyn tavern, and just off Green St used to be the Boleyn Ground. It gets its name from the story (probably false) that Anne Boleyn lived in Green St House. Green St and other local roads probably have a pre-Roman layout that could go back to the Iron Age.

[ad_orientem]

Ad-o will be familiar with the part of London known as 'the Boleyn' (as in, 'I'm just going round the Boleyn'); where Green St meets Barking Rd is the Boleyn tavern, and just off Green St used to be the Boleyn Ground. It gets its name from the story (probably false) that Anne Boleyn lived in Green St House. Green St and other local roads probably have a pre-Roman layout that could go back to the Iron Age.

Indeed. Had many a prematch pint there.

[Steve H]

As a cyclist I tend to notice the odd ones. All the following are fairly near me: Chigmal Smealy, Good Easter, Abbess Roding, Furneaux Pelham, Wendens Ambo, Shudy Camps, Bardfield Saling, Beauchamp Roding. And of course who could forget the timeless Shellow Bowells?

You can't be all that far from me, then, those being in East Herts and West Essex - I've cycled through Furneaux Pelham. Wasn't there a notorious murder there some years ago, or am I thinking of somewhere else? An elderly retired gentleman got bumped off in his home, by someone he answered the door to, if memory serves. I'm in Hemel Hempstead, in West Hertfordshire.
Yes, it was in Furneaux Pelham - an elderly retired army officer. I cycled past his house, which I recognised from the photos in the news reports. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/nov/05/convicted-murderer-jailed-army-officer

[bluehillside Retd.]

Seve H,

You can't be all that far from me, then, those being in East Herts and West Essex - I've cycled through Furneaux Pelham. Wasn't there a notorious murder there some years ago, or am I thinking of somewhere else? An elderly retired gentleman got bumped off in his home, by someone he answered the door to, if memory serves. I'm in Hemel Hempstead, in West Hertfordshire.
Yes, it was in Furneaux Pelham - an elderly retired army officer. I cycled past his house, which I recognised from the photos in the news reports. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/nov/05/convicted-murderer-jailed-army-officer

Yup, I'm in god's own country - North West Essex.

Yes, that was Furneaux Pelham - awful story. Also Dame Shirley Williams lives there - I see her fairly often as it happens.

[Dicky Underpants]

A lot of those places are in Dorset, including Lytchett Matravers.

But allow me to lower the tone with a few more choice place names from my home county of Dorsetshire...

Scratchy Bottom
Shitterton
Wancombe Hill (which is conveniently right next to Dickley Hill)
Wancombe Bottom
Smacam Down
Pound Bottom

To raise the tone, there is Paradise Bottom at Abbott's Lea nr. Bristol - approached by what was once the great country seat of the Miles family.

[bluehillside Retd.]

I know it's off topic, but we once were sent some details for a lovely old house (Tudor I think) in the very pretty village of Thaxted in Essex (where Gustav Holst lived while composing the Planets Suite since you ask).

Anyway, I was reading the details and saw a section titled "Ground Rent". "Oh-oh" I thought, that's the last thing we want. But you know what the ground rent was? I'll quote exactly: "One red rose every midsummer's eve".

How lovely is that, and what I wonder was the story?

[Free Willy]

I know it's off topic, but we once were sent some details for a lovely old house (Tudor I think) in the very pretty village of Thaxted in Essex (where Gustav Holst lived while composing the Planet Suite since you ask).

Anyway, I was reading the details and saw a section titled "Ground Rent". "Oh-oh" I thought, that's the last thing we want. But you know what the ground rent was? I'll quote exactly: "One red rose every midsummer's eve".

How lovely is that, and what I wonder was the story?

Perhaps the Milk Tray advert was filmed there?

[Walter]

Scunthorpe !

whoever put it in there had a great sense of humour