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Monday 7 August 2006

Funny place names






Read in the 5 August 2006 New Scientist, in an item about a place called Whorehouse Meadow (for entirely accurate historical reasons), that there's a fishing village near St John's, Newfoundland, Canada called Dildo, whose residents fought hard (geddit? Ahem that was me, not New Scientist!) to keep its name despite a campaign to change it to something more tasteful.

And I only recently heard that there was a village in (some might say "Where else?" but of course I shan't) Essex, called Ugley, which had its own "Ugley Women's Institute" - until they changed its name to "The Women's Institute (Ugley branch)".

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

There’s also a little village in Kent by the interesting name of Thong.

Anonymous said...

My Dad had an LP when I was a kid, & on the cover was a pic of the artist standing next to a road sign for Shitterton...

Anonymous said...

I've always enjoyed my stay in French Lick, Indiana

Improbulus said...

I'm sure you have, Kirk, I'm sure you have..!

Wouldn't it be great if there was a village called Thong Shitterton?

I've also heard of places called Great Bottom, and Piddle Hinton. There's even a Little Piddle Down!

Anonymous said...

Muff Diving School:
http://www.muffdivingclub.ie/