How did British towns get their names?

Ancient origins The ancient names which Celtic peoples gave to places would have been in simple descriptive terms: ‘the tribe who live on the hill’, ‘the settlement in the wood’, ‘the people of the valley’, and so on. Towns like Penrith, Pendle and Penzance come from ‘pen’, the ancient British word for a hill.

Why do British towns have weird names?

Roman contributions to British place names come mainly through their Latinisation of pre-Roman names. A Celtic name that had been rendered by earlier Greek visitors as Pretanniké became the Roman Britannia; an ancient name of obscure meaning became Londinium.

What does burgh mean in place names?

A burgh /ˈbʌrə/ is an autonomous municipal corporation in Scotland and Northern England, usually a city, town, or toun in Scots. This type of administrative division existed from the 12th century, when King David I created the first royal burghs.

Why do place names end in mouth?

When the town name ends in Mouth, it is often because it’s also the mouth of the local river. Plymouth is the mouth of the river Plym. Bournemouth has the mouth of the river Bourne, etc. Portsmouth, however, doesn’t have a river port.

Why do we name places?

Place-names are an important part of our geographical and cultural environment. They identify geographical entities of different kinds and represent irreplaceable cultural values of vital significance to people’s sense of well-being and feeling at home.

What does Chester mean in Old English?

Cestre (1086), from Old English Legacæstir (735) “City of the Legions,” from Old English ceaster “Roman town or city,” from Latin castrum “fortified place” (see castle (n.)).

What does Aston mean in a place name?

as a boys’ name (also used less commonly as girls’ name Aston) is of Old English origin, and the meaning of Aston is “east town; ash tree settlement”. Place name. Also possibly related to a Middle English personal name Astanus. Famous for an English sports car, the Aston Martin. Also form of Ashton.

What does the word Chester mean?

The English place-name Chester, and the suffixes -chester, -caster and -cester (old -ceaster), are commonly indications that the place is the site of a Roman castrum, meaning a military camp or fort (cf. Welsh caer), but it can also apply to the site of a pre-historic fort.

What does Shire mean in Old English?

The word shire derives from the Old English sćir, from the Proto-Germanic *skizo (Old High German: sćira), denoting an ‘official charge’ a ‘district under a governor’, and a ‘care’.

What is the history of Kingston upon Thames?

The Coronation Stone in the grounds of the guildhall. Kingston was called Cyninges tun in AD 838, Chingestune in 1086, Kingeston in 1164, Kyngeston super Tamisiam in 1321 and Kingestowne upon Thames in 1589. The name means ‘the king’s manor or estate’ from the Old English words cyning and tun.

Why is Kingston a Royal Borough?

One of only 5 royal boroughs in England and Wales, our medieval market town is steeped in history and heritage. The name of Kingston itself is derived from a royal connection as it comes from the phrase Kinges Tun, meaning a royal farm or estate.

Was Kingston’s ancient name moreford?

Some writers (fn. 2) assert, that its ancient name was Moreford. Situation. Kingston is a market and corporation town; it is about eleven miles from Westminster-bridge, and gives name to the hundred in which it lies.

What is Kingston England famous for?

History & Heritage. First recorded in a Royal Charter in 838, Kingston is known as the coronation site of as many as 7 Saxon Kings and the birthplace of England.