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.
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