London Underground (Part 4)

I still find I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue, now broadcasting series fifty-something, one of the most amusing of radio programmes. Astonishingly, one of the rounds which continues to endure is the delightfully entitled Mornington Crescent. For those who are unaware, the teams spoof strategy games as they alternately name London Underground Stations, the object of the game being to end with Mornington Crescent.
While listening to the list of names, my toponymist's mind began to contemplate the origins of the place names. Here is the result of a little 'digging', the final part of a list given in alphabetical order and which is certainly not complete.

Ravenscourt Park - when the manor house of the estate was rebuilt after being purchased by Thomas Corbett in 1747, it was renamed Ravenscourt, probably to reflect the raven appearing in the new owner's coat of arms.

Rayners Lane - is on land purchased by the Rayner family in the early years of the nineteenth century.

Redbridge - named for an old bridge across the River Roding, recorded as such for the first time in 1777.

Regents Park - named after the Prince Regent, later George IV.

Richmond - a transferred name, brought here by Henry VIII when he built his palace here. The original Richmond is in Yorkshire, an Old French name meaning 'the strong hill'.

Rickmansworth - 'the enclosure of a man called Ricmaer'.

Roding Valley - is not strictly named from the River Roding, for that was named by a process known as back-formation from the place names, of which there are several, telling of 'the settlement of the family or followers of a man called Hrotha'.

Rotherhithe - 'the landing place for cattle'.

Royal Albert - the dock was named after Queen Victoria's consort.

Royal Oak - takes the second most common pub name in the land, derived from a famous episode in English history when Charles II and his aide Colonel Carless hid in the Boscobel Oak to evade Parliamentarian soldiers following defeat at the Battle of Worcester.

Royal Victoria - as with the Royal Albert, is named after the monarchy of the day.

Ruislip, Ruislip Gardens, South Ruislip, West Ruislip and Ruislip Manor - an unusual place name describing 'the leaping place where the rushes grow', that place being the river here.

Russell Square - the Russell family, dukes of Bedford, held land here.

Seven Sisters - named from the seven elms which were planted in a cirlce on what was previously known as Page Green.

Shadwell - 'the shallow stream' was previously known as Shadfleet 'the shallow tidal stream'.

Shepherds Bush - exactly what it says 'the bush marking the place of the shepherd'.

Shoreditch - a place name meaning 'the ditch by a bank or slope'.

South Ealing - the 'southern settlement of the family or followers of a man called Gilla'.

South Harrow - from hearg 'the southern heathen place of worship'.

South Kensington - the 'southern place associated with a man called Cynesige'.

South Kenton - 'the southern estate associated with a man called Cena'.

South Quay - is self-explanatory

South Wimbledon - a basic name meaning 'the hill of a man called Wynnmanmn'

South Woodford - 'the ford by a wood'.

Southfields - is 'the southern open lands'.

Southgate - refers to the way to Enfield Chase in 'the southern entranceway'.

Southwark - the 'southern defensive feature'.

St. Johns Wood - was named for it was held by the Knights of St John of Jerusalem.

St. Pauls - is named after the famous cathedral, one of London's best known landmarks.

Stamford Brook - is 'the hill by the sandy ford'.

Stanmore - refers to its location at 'the stony pool'.

Stepney Green - began life as 'the landing place of a man called Stybba'.

Stockwell - tells us it was 'the spring marked by a tree stump'.

Stonebridge Park - is self-explanatory.

Stratford - a common place name always from straet ford 'the ford on a Roman road'.

Sudbury Hill and Sudbury Town - share a name which describes 'the southern fortified place'.

Swiss Cottage - is named from a nearby pub built in 1803, originally called the Swiss Tavern and later the Swiss Cottage.

Temple - the name comes from the Knights Templar, who once held this land.

Theydon Bois - from 'the valley where thatching materials are obtained', with the addition of the de Bosco or de Boys family, lords of this manor by the twelfth century.

Tooting Bec - what began as the 'settlement of the family or followers of a man called Tota' saw the later addition of the landholders, the Norman Abbey of Bec-Hellouin.

Tottenham Court Road - 'the nook of land of a man called Tota'.

Totteridge & Whetstone - respectively 'the ridge of land of a man called Tata' and 'the place where whetstones are obtained'.

Tower Gateway and Tower Hill - both refer to the nearby Tower of London.

Tufnell Park - named after William Tufnell, lord of the manor of Barnsbury by 1753.

Upminster Bridge - refers to 'the higher minster or church'.

Upton Park - 'the higher farmstead', here 'higher' is probably used to indicate it was of greater importance.

Uxbridge - 'the bridge of the tribe called Wixan'.

Vauxhall - 'the manor of a man called Falkes'.

Victoria - officially it is named after Victoria Street, although the latter was named after the nation's longest reiging monarch.

Walthamstow Central - a place name where the meaning has never been agreed - suggestions include 'the place where guests are welcome' and 'the holy place of a woman called Wilcume'.

Wanstead - a name meaning 'the place by the tumour-shaped hill'.

Wapping - tells of 'the settlement of the family or followers of a man called Wappa'.

Waterloo - named from the mainline station, itself after the famous battle.

Watford - is found in several places, always referring to 'the ford used when hunting'.

Wembley Central and Wembley Park - share a name coming from 'the woodland clearing of a man called Wemba'.

West Acton - the 'westerly farmstead by the oak trees'.

West Brompton - the westerly farmstead where broom trees grow'.

West Finchley - which tells of 'the westerly woodland clearing frequented by finches'.

West Ham - 'the westerly homestead'.

West Hampstead - despite the difference from the previous name is also 'the westerly homestead'.

West Harrow - from hearg 'the western heathen place of worship'.

West India Quay - was named after the dock which was almost exclusively used to berth vessels from the West Indies.

West Kensington - 'the western place associated with a man called Cynesige'.

Westbourne Park - 'the western stream'.

Westferry - speaks for itself.

Westminster - again, a self-explanatory name.

White City - takes the name given to the stadium and exhibition centre built in 1908.

Whitechapel - 'the white church', indicating it was built of stone rather than the usual wood thus appearing bright in colour.

Willesden Green and Willesden Junction - is 'the hill with a spring'.

Wimbledon and Wimbledon Park - 'the hill of a man called Wynnmanmn'.

Wood Green - not 'the green wood' but 'the wood by a village green'.

Woodford - speaks for itself as 'the ford by the woodland'.

Incidentally, Mornington Crescent was originally to be called Seymour Street (the surname of William Portman's grandmother, Portman having developed the area) would make a terrible name for a round of I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue.

London Underground (Part 3)

I still find I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue, now broadcasting series fifty-something, one of the most amusing of radio programmes. Astonishingly, one of the rounds which continues to endure is the delightfully entitled Mornington Crescent. For those who are unaware, the teams spoof strategy games as they alternately name London Underground Stations, the object of the game being to end with Mornington Crescent.
While listening to the list of names, my toponymist's mind began to contemplate the origins of the place names. Here is the result of a little 'digging', the third of four parts of a list given in alphabetical order and which is certainly not complete.

Ladbroke Grove - is named after the 18th century landowner Richard Ladbroke, a farmer.

Lambeth North - is from lamb hyth 'the landing place for lambs', we must assume they were being taken to graze rather than for sale or slaughter as it would have to be a fairly common occurrence for the place name to develop and stick.

Lancaster Gate - named after the gates to Kensington Gardens, commemorating Queen Victoria as Duke of Lancaster.

Latimer Road - is named after the Latymer family.

Leicester Square - named after Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester purchased the land here in the seventeenth century.

Leyton and Leytonstone take the name of 'the farmstead on the River Lee', itself a Celtic river name describing 'the light river'.

Limehouse - refers to the lime kilns or 'lime oast' located by the river here which were associated with the potteries. This is not a recent name, the first reference of the name dates from 1356.

London Bridge - is self-explanatory.

Loughton - is 'the farmstead associated with a man called Luca'.

Maida Vale - took its name from an inn, itself named after John Stuart, Count of Maida named after the 1806 Battle of Maida.

Manor House - is named after the Manor House public house. It stood at a turnpike and was named for it being in sight of Copt Hall, the Manor House of the Manor of Brownswood.

Marble Arch - is named after the nearby Marble Arch, designed by John Nash.

Marylebone - this name means 'the place by St Mary's stream', itself taking the dedication of of the fifteenth century church.

Mile End - tells us it was 'a mile away', specifically from Aldgate in the city.

Mill Hill East - unusually for a place name this is not a watermill, this is 'the hill with a windmill'.

Monument - named after the Monument to the Great Fire of London.

Moor Park - self-explanatory, although the addition of Park is quite recent.

Moorgate - is 'the way to the moorland' from Old English mor geat.

Morden - probably 'the farmstead on the moor', although 'the great farmstead' cannot be discounted.

Mornington Crescent - the name which started it all off, the Earl of Mornington was the brother of the Duke of Wellington.

Mudchute - saw the spoil from the dock constructed at Millwall brought here by means of a conveyor belt, literally 'a mud chute'.

Neasden - describes 'the nose-shaped hill'.

North Acton - 'the northern farmstead by the oak trees'.

North Ealing - the 'northern settlement of the family or followers of a man called Gilla'.

North Greenwich - the 'green port or harbour'.

North Harrow - from hearg 'the northern heathen place of worship'.

North Wembley 'the northern woodland clearing of a man called Wemba'.

Northfields - exactly what it seems 'the northern open land'.

Northolt - 'the northern woodland'.

Northwick Park - 'the northern dairy farm'.

Northwood and Northwood Hills - share a name meaning 'the northern wood'.

Notting Hill Gate - 'the place associated with a man called Cnotta'.

Oakwood - self-explanatory,

Old Street - was referred to as 'old' in the fourteenth century and may pre-date the Roman occupation.

Osterley - means 'the woodland clearing with a sheepfold'.

Oval - takes the name of Surrey's cricket ground, itself describing its shape.

Oxford Circus - from Oxford Street, itself recalling the fields around were purchased by the Earl of Oxford.

Paddington - 'the farmstead associated with a man called Padda'.

Park Royal - named for the showgrounds opened in 1903 by the Royal Agricultural Society as a permanent exhibition.

Parsons Green - named after the village green near Parsons Park, where the vicar of Fulham had his home.

Perivale - still can be seen as 'the valley of the pear trees'.

Piccadilly Circus - the 'circus' is a Latin term for a circle, while the name is first documented in 1626 in Pickadilly Hall. This was the home of one Robert Baker, named for he was a tailor known for selling piccadills, a kind of collar.

Pimlico - is traditionally held to be named after Ben Pimlico, proprietor of nut-brown ale aat his tea garden.

Pinner - 'the peg-shaped, pointed ridge'.

Plaistow - a fairly common field or minor place name describing 'the place of play or sport'.

Poplar - not surprising to find 'the place at the poplar tree'.

Preston Road - a common place name describing 'the farmstead associated with the priests'.

Pudding Mill Lane - comes from Pudding Mill River, itself held to be named from St Thomas' Mill, the water mill said to appear to be shaped like a pudding. It was certainly recorded by the alternative name of Pudding Mill.

Putney Bridge - 'the landing place of a man called Putta'.

Queens Park - a region developed by Solomon Barnett and named shortly after the Dimond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.

Queensway - is named for Queen Victoria, on the throne when the area was developed.

London Underground (Part 2)

I still find I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue, now broadcasting series fifty-something, one of the most amusing of radio programmes. Astonishingly, one of the rounds which continues to endure is the delightfully entitled Mornington Crescent. For those who are unaware, the teams spoof strategy games as they alternately name London Underground Stations, the object of the game being to end with Mornington Crescent.
While listening to the list of names, my toponymist's mind began to contemplate the origins of the place names. Here is the result of a little 'digging', the second of four parts of a list given in alphabetical order and which is certainly not complete.

Ealing Broadway and Ealing Common - both share the 'settlement of the family or followers of a man called Gilla'. Note it is named after those associated with Gilla and not the man himself, telling us it was named posthumously.

Earls Court - named for it being held by the Vere family, earls of Oxford.

East Acton - 'the eastern farmstead by the oak trees'.

East Finchley. Finchley Central and Finchley Road - all from finc leah 'the woodland clearing frequented by finches'.

East India - is named for the associated with the East India Company's trade when this was London's busy docklands.

East Putney - 'the eastern landing place of a man called Putta'.

Eastcote - 'the eastern cottages'.

Edgwareand Edgware Road - both share an origin of 'the weir or fishing enclosure of a man called Ecgi'.

Elephant & Castle - is named after a famous coaching inn which once stood here, itself named after the coat of arms of the Worshipful Company of Cutlers. The image of an elephant with a castle on its back linked to the cutlers through the use of elephant ivory for the cutlery handles.

Elm Park - is as simpleas it sounds, the area had numerous elm trees.

Embankment - another simple name, the embankment shoring up the natural bank of the River Thames.

Epping - a quite ahort name considering earlier forms show this was 'the settlement of the people of the ridge which was used as a look-out point'.

Euston and Euston Square - share a name from Euston Hall, the Suffolk home of the Fitzroy family who held this area by 1852.

Farringdon - began life as 'the fern-covered hill'.

Finsbury Park - was 'the manor of a man called Finn' by 1235.

Fulham Broadway - 'the hemmed-in land of a man called Fulla'.

Gants Hill - takes the name of landholder Richard le Gant and his family, here by 1285.

Golders Green - named from the Godyere family, here before the fourteenth century.

Goodge Street - named after the landholder from the early eighteenth century, a carpenter by the name of John Goodge.

Great Portland Street - named after the dukes of Portland, who owned much of this area in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Greenford - is indeed 'the place at the green ford', here green being used to suggest the approaches were overgrown.

Hainault - a name first recorded in the thirteenth century, this describes the 'monastic woodland'.

Hammersmith - really does refer to 'the place of the forge or blacksmith'.

Hampstead - 'the homestead'.

Hanger Lane - is nothing sinister, this is from hangra 'the wooded slope'.

Harlesden - 'the farmstead of a man called Heoruwulf or Herewulf'.

Harrow-on-the-Hill - comes from hearg 'a heathen place of worship'.

Hatton Cross - began as 'the farmstead on the heath'.

Heathrow - began as 'the row of houses by the heath'.

Hendon Central - 'the place at the high hill'.

High Barnet - is from baernet 'the place cleared by burning'.

High Street Kensington - 'the place associated with a man called Cynesige'.

Highbury & Islington - two places meaning 'the high stronghold' where 'high' is probably used as 'important' rather than elevetion, and 'the hill of a man called Gisla', respectively.

Highgate - 'high' as in important and Old English geat 'way, entrance'.

Hillingdon - 'the hill of a man called Hilda'.

Holborn - tells of 'the stream in or of a hollow'.

Holland Park - after Henry Rich, 1st Earl of Holland who inherited Holland House, although the house and grounds were not named such until 1719, some years after his death.

Holloway Road - there are roads of this name in many towns and cities around the country, all are ancient routes and all tell us they were very busy as they had been worn away by the constant passage of wheels, hooves and feet - quite literally 'a hollow way'.

Hornchurch - describes 'the church with horn-like gables'.

Hounslow Central, Hounslow East and Hounslow West - share a name meaning either 'the mound or tumulus of the hound' or, should the first element be a personal name, '.... of a man called Hund'.

Hyde Park Corner - is at a corner of Hyde Park, itself named from a 'hide', a Saxon piece of land which is not really a measurement of area as it is defined as 'the land required to support on family for one year', where there are clearly a number of variables.

Ickenham - 'the homestead of a man called Icca'.

Kennington - 'the tun or farmstead associated with a man called Cena'.

Kensal Green - is 'the king's wood'.

Kensington (Olympia) - began as a settlement known as 'the farmstead associated with a man called Cynesige'.

Kentish Town - is a surname, the Kentish family recorded here by 1208.

Kenton - 'the estate associated with a man called Cena'.

Kew Gardens - is a combination of Old French kai 'quay, landing place' and Old English hoh 'spur of land'.

Kilburn and Kilburn Park - from cu burna 'the stream frequented by cows'.

Kings Cross St. Pancras - remembers the memorail cross erected to George IV and a church dedicated to St Pancras.

Kingsbury - here burh is used in the later sense and tells of 'the kings manor'.

Knightsbridge - from cniht brycg 'the bridge of the young men'.

London Underground

I still find I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue, now broadcasting series fifty-something, one of the most amusing of radio programmes. One of the rounds which continues to endure is the delightfully entitled Mornington Crescent. For those who are unaware, the teams spoof strategy games as they alternately name London Underground Stations, the object of the game being to end with Mornington Crescent.
While listening to the list of names, my toponymist's mind began to contemplate the origins of the place names. Here is the result of a little 'digging', the first of four parts of a list given in alphabetical order and which is certainly not complete.

Acton Town - 'the farmstead marked by oak trees'.

Aldgate - 'the older geat or way'.

Aldgate East - 'the old way to the east'.

Alperton - 'the farmstead associated with a man called Ealhbeorht'.

Amersham - 'the homestead of a man called Egmonde'.

Angel - named after the Angel Inn, which dates from around 1638.

Archway - is named after the Archway Tower, a 195 feet high architectural misdemeanour from 1963.

Arnos Grove - an area associated with the fourteenth century family of Margery Arnold who lived nearby.

Arsenal - the Woolwich Arsenal gave its name to the famous football club who have, in turn, given a name to the station.

Baker Street - after builder William Baker who laid the street out in the eighteenth century.

Balham - 'the smooth or rounded enclosure'.

Bank - exit to street level and facing is the Bank of England.

Barbican - comes from Latin barbecana 'a fortified gateway'.

Barking - 'the settlement of the family or followers of a man called Berica'.

Barons Court - not after Earl's Court but inspired by the Baronscourt estate in Ireland, connected with Sir William Palliser developed thus area. Palliser Road and many of the side roads are named after members of the family.

Bayswater - 'the watering place for horses'.

Becontree - 'the tree of a man called Beohha'.

Belsize Park - 'the beautiful seat or residence'.

Bermondsey - 'the dry ground in a marsh of a man called Beornmund'.

Bethnal Green - 'the nook of land of a man called Blitha'.

Blackfriars - is named after the Blackfriars Bridge, itself taking the colour of the habits worn by those who lived at the former Dominican Priory here.

Blackhorse Road - is named after a former inn, the Black Horse.

Bond Street - was developed by Sir Thomas Bond.

Boston Manor - is the manor house built in the seventeenth century on an area already known as 'the tun or farmstead of a man called Bord'.

Bow Church and Bow Road - named for the road and the district, it ultimately takes its name from a bridge. Tradition has it that in 1110 the River Lee was being crossed on horseback by Queen Matilda, wife of Henry I, when she took a tumble. Immediately she ordered the building of a bow-shaped bridge with three arches. Whether the tumble is true or not, the distinctive shape of the bridge is undoubtedly the origin of the place name.

Brent Cross - named after the River Brent, itself a Celtic river name meaning 'the holy one'.

Brixton - 'the stone of a man called Beorhtsige', the stone is probably a marker showing the meeting place of the local Hundred.

Bromley-by-Bow - while 'Bow' is explained above, Bromley is a common name describing 'the woodland clearing by the broom trees'.

Buckhurst Hill - either 'the wooded hill where he-goats graze' or 'the wooded hill associated with a man called Bucca'.

Burnt Oak - is a marker, a large tree would stand out for a very long time if burned so as to kill the outer living portion but keeping the central heartwood intact.

Caledonian Road - named after the Royal Caledonion Asylum, built for the children of poor Scots families.

Camden Town - the place is named after Earl Camden, who held the manor before his death in 1794.

Canada Water - takes its name from the lake, a section of the former docklands where almost every vessel that berthed here came from Canada.

Canary Wharf - again taking its name from the former docklands, itself taking the name from berth number 32 of the West Wood Quay. This was operated by a Fruit Lines Ltd, a subsidiary of Fred Olsen Lines for the Mediterranean and Canary Island fruit trade.

Canning Town - was after Charles John Canning, the first Viceroy of India who ended the Indian Mutiny, thus in the news around the time this area saw major development.

Cannon Street - nothing to do with gunfire or the church, this is a corruption of 'candle wright', hence where candles were produced and/or sold from at least the twelfth century.

Canons Park - this refers to the canons of the Augustinian Priory of St Bartholomew in Smithfield, London.

Chalfont & Latimer - from the four villages it serves, Chalfont St Giles, Chalfont St Peter and Little Chalfont, all sharing an origin of 'the spring frequented by calves'; while Latimer has a manorial origin, the Latymer family being here by the fourteenth century.

Chalk Farm - may seem to refer to chalky soil, however the name is a corruption of its Saxon name referring to 'cold cottages'.

Chancery Lane - comes from the road being home to the office of the Master of the Rolls of the Chancery from 1290.

Charing Cross - named after the cierring or 'bend' (here in the River Thames) with the addition of the Queen Eleanour Cross erected here in the fourteenth century.

Chesham - comes from ceastel hamm 'the hemmed in land marked by a heap of stones'.

Chigwell - 'the spring or stream of a man called Cicca'.

Chiswick Park - from Old English ciese wic, the suffix should correctly be defined as 'specialised farm' even though it is almost always a reference to a dairy farm. Here the first element simply confirms it, for this is 'the farm where cheese is produced'.

Chorleywood - 'the clearing of the freemen or peasants'.

Clapham Common, Clapham North and Clapham South - all share a name speaking of 'the homestead near the hills'.

Cockfosters - which began life known for being 'the home or estate of the chief forester'.

Colindale - takes the name of a family who were here by the sixteenth century.

Colliers Wood - no surprise to find it is named from a wood, itself nothing to do with coalminers but referring to charcoal burners.

Covent Garden - was named for it being walled off to isolate arable lands for Westminster Abbey from around 1200, when it was known as 'the Gardens of the Abbey and the Convent'.

Croxley - was 'the woodland clearing of a man called Krokr', a Scandinavian personal name.

Dagenham East and Dagenham Heathway - share a name coming from 'the homestead of a man called Daecca'.

Debden - from Old English deop denu 'the deep valley'.