A History of English Place Names and Where They Came From

An enlightening journey into the languages, meanings, and history behind the names on England's map.

The origins of the names of many English towns, hamlets, and villages date as far back as Saxon times, when kings like Alfred the Great established fortified borough towns to defend against the Danes. A number of settlements were established and named by French Normans following the Conquest. Many are even older and are derived from Roman place names. Some hark back to the Vikings who inva...