The Book of English Place Names: How Our Towns and Villages Got Their Names - Hardcover

Taggart, Caroline

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0091940435 ISBN 13: 9780091940430

Publisher: Ebury Press, 2011

Synopsis

Take a journey down winding lanes and Roman roads in this witty and informative guide to the meanings behind the names of England’s towns and villages. From Celtic farmers to Norman conquerors, right up to the Industrial Revolution, deciphering place names reveals how previous generations lived, worked, traveled, and worshipped, and how their influence has shaped the landscape. From the most ancient sacred sites to towns that take their names from stories of giants and knights, learn how Roman garrisons became great cities, and discover how a meeting of the roads could become a thriving market town. Region by region, Caroline Taggart uncovers hidden meanings to reveal a patchwork of tall tales and ancient legends that collectively tells the story of how England was made.

About this title

About the Author:

Caroline Taggart worked in publishing as an editor of popular non-fiction for 30 years before writing I Used to Know That. Her later books include My Grammar and I (or should that be ‘Me’?) and Her Ladyship’s Guide to the Queen’s English. As a result, she has appeared frequently on BBC Breakfast and on national and regional radio, talking about language, grammar, and Pythagoras' theorem.

Review:

"Will enliven a journey through even the dullest parts of the country." * Lonely Planet * "Taggart has researched hidden meanings to reveal a patchwork of tall tales and legends that reveal the history of England's often oddly named towns and villages...If you want to know your wick from your ham and your ton from your bury, this quirky little hardback is worth picking up." * Manchester Evening News * "Caroline Taggart...has carved out a niche for herself in user-friendly, wittily-written factual books." * Yorkshire Post *

About this edition

• Publisher: Ebury Press
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0091940435
• ISBN 13: 9780091940430
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 304