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Quiz about Origins of British Place Names 1

Origins of British Place Names 1 Quiz

I'll give you the county and the location's original meaning, you choose the modern name from the list. All information is taken from the 'Oxford Dictionary of Place Names'. Good Luck!

A multiple-choice quiz by woboogie. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
woboogie

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
281,882

Updated
Jul 23 22

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
614

Last 3 plays: Philip_Eno (5/10), turtle52 (2/10), frozennugget (3/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Nottinghamshire. From the Old English (Anglo-Saxon) 'Homestead of the family or followers of a man called Snot'. What city, famous in literature and legend, is this? Hint

St. Neot's

Notting Hill

Nottingham

Snodsbury

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Question 2 of 10

2. Kent. A combination of an ancient Celtic name and Old English, "Stronghold or fortified town of the people of Kent." Can you name this city? Hint

Canewdon

Cantwood

Kentwood

Canterbury

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Question 3 of 10

3. Yorkshire. Which northern city bears an ancient Celtic name meaning 'estate of a man named Eburos' or 'yew-tree estate'. Hint

Easby

Youlton

Elloughton

York

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Question 4 of 10

4. Conwy. "Chapel in the wood'. Which Welsh town is this? Hint

Betws-y-coed

Denbigh

Betws Cedewain

Merthyr

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Question 5 of 10

5. County Down. This Northern Ireland location means 'Townland of the horse enclosure'--but which one? Hint

Ballycroghan

Ballyalton

Ballyaghlis

Ballisk

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Question 6 of 10

6. Highlands. 'Noisy water'. What town bears this Scots Gaelic name? Hint

Uig

Uisge Labhair

Mallaig

Ullapool

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Question 7 of 10

7. Somerset. '(Place at) the trap or snare for animals'. Where is this 'trap'? Hint

Wookey

Luxborough

Wrantage

Lyng

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Question 8 of 10

8. Yorkshire. By what name is the 'Outlying farmstead of a man called Herleifr or Herlaugr' known today? Hint

Harlton

Harlthorpe

East Harlsey

Harmby

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Question 9 of 10

9. Devon. This town, modern in comparison to most British names, commemorates a novel of the same name by Charles Kingsley, published in 1855. What's the name of the book/city? Hint

Westwood

Westward Ho!

Westleigh

Welcombe

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Question 10 of 10

10. Herefordshire. Probably 'insignificant, or louse-infested farmstead'. Not a very pleasant place originally, but by what name is it known today? Hint

Luston

Ledbury

Lyde

Bodenham

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Nottinghamshire. From the Old English (Anglo-Saxon) 'Homestead of the family or followers of a man called Snot'. What city, famous in literature and legend, is this?

Answer: Nottingham

The original 9th century name 'Snotingeham' lost the initial 'S' in the 12th century due to Norman influence. Can you imagine being the Sheriff of Snottingham?

2. Kent. A combination of an ancient Celtic name and Old English, "Stronghold or fortified town of the people of Kent." Can you name this city?

Answer: Canterbury

From AD 805-10, Canterbury was 'Cantuarabyrg'. The common suffix -bury comes from the Old English 'burh' meaning town or settlement.

3. Yorkshire. Which northern city bears an ancient Celtic name meaning 'estate of a man named Eburos' or 'yew-tree estate'.

Answer: York

An ancient city, the Romans called York 'Eboracum'. Later, Anglo-Saxons called it 'Eoforwic' and the Vikings 'Jorvik'. York is a beautiful city, long established as an important political and religious center.

4. Conwy. "Chapel in the wood'. Which Welsh town is this?

Answer: Betws-y-coed

The Welsh word 'betws' is borrowed from the Old English 'bed-hus' meaning 'oratory' (literal translation 'bead house').

5. County Down. This Northern Ireland location means 'Townland of the horse enclosure'--but which one?

Answer: Ballyaghlis

Gaelic: 'Baile na hEachlaisce'. Numerous Northern Ireland place names begin with 'bal' or 'bally' usually meaning 'townland'.

6. Highlands. 'Noisy water'. What town bears this Scots Gaelic name?

Answer: Uisge Labhair

'Uisge' is Scots Gaelic for 'water' and from which we get the word 'whisky', from 'uisge beatha' or 'water of life'. I say that calls for a wee dram!

7. Somerset. '(Place at) the trap or snare for animals'. Where is this 'trap'?

Answer: Wookey

Probably a shortening of the original Old English name 'Wookey Hole' (-hol, meaning 'ravine'). Nothing to do with 'Star Wars'. Sorry!

8. Yorkshire. By what name is the 'Outlying farmstead of a man called Herleifr or Herlaugr' known today?

Answer: Harlthorpe

Many locations in Yorkshire, and throughout parts of Britain once ruled by Vikings, end in the Old Scandinavian suffixes -by or -thorp, designating a farmstead or other landholding.

9. Devon. This town, modern in comparison to most British names, commemorates a novel of the same name by Charles Kingsley, published in 1855. What's the name of the book/city?

Answer: Westward Ho!

Except for dashes (-), this is the only city in the UK I could find containing other punctuation.

10. Herefordshire. Probably 'insignificant, or louse-infested farmstead'. Not a very pleasant place originally, but by what name is it known today?

Answer: Luston

From Old English '-lus' plus '-tun'. Pity the owner of the original owner of the farmstead...

Source: Author woboogie

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