List of places in England with counterintuitive pronunciations: A–L

This is a sublist of List of names in English with counterintuitive pronunciations.

Pronunciations for the following common suffixes are regular pronunciations, despite being counterintuitive at first glance:

• -b(o)rough and -burgh – /bʌrə/, /brə/
• -bury – /bʌri/, /bri/
• -cester – /stə/, /stər/^[1]
• -combe, -coombe, -comb and -cambe – /kəm/ (often). As standalone words always /kuːm/ (including in place names such as Castle Combe and Coombe Bissett)
• -gh – silent (usually, as 'f' in a considerable minority of northern English place names and in Woughton, Milton Keynes)
• -ham – /əm/
• -holm(e) – /hoʊm/, /əm/
• -on as first syllable is usually as in London, Coningsby or Tonbridge (see Middle English handwriting preventing 'un' and 'um'); excludes a few such as intuitive Lonsdale
• -shire – /ʃɪər/ occ. /ʃər/ (rhotic or semi-rhotic r in 'er' as final syllable non-existent in a minority of English dialects such as Kentish and Cockney), /ʃaɪər/(esp. in Yorkshire and Scotland)
• -wich - /ɪtʃ/, /ɪdʒ/^[2]
• -wick – /ɪk/^{[3][n 1]}
• -mouth – /mᵿθ/

Pronunciation of the following common prefix is variable depending on dialect:

• Al- /ˈɒl/; /ˈɔːl/

Place names in England

A

• Aigburth, Liverpool – /ˈɛɡbərθ/
• Aldeburgh, Suffolk – /ˈɔːlbrə/
• Alnwick, Northumberland – /ˈænɪk/,^[4] but nearby Alnmouth is usually /ˈælənməθ/
• Althorp, Northamptonshire – /ˈɔːltrəp/ beside intuitive /ˈɔːlθɔərp/ ^[4]
• Altrincham, Greater Manchester – /ˈɔːltrɪŋəm/ ^[4]
• Alresford, Hampshire - /ˈɒlzfərd/ or /ˈɔːlzfərd/
• Alverdiscott, Devon – /ˈɒlskɒt/ or /ˈɔːlskɒt/
• Ardingly, West Sussex - /ˈɑːrdɪŋlaɪ/
• Aslackby, Lincolnshire – /ˈeɪzəlbi/
• Averham, Nottinghamshire – /ˈɛərəm/
• Aveton Gifford, Devon – /ˈɔːtən ˈdʒɪfərd/^{[n 2]}
• Ayscoughfee Hall, Lincolnshire – /ˈæskəfiː/

B

• Barham, Kent – /ˈbærəm/^[4]
• Barholm, Lincolnshire – /ˈbærəm/
• Barnoldswick, Lancashire - local pronunciation is /ˈbɑːrlɪk/
• Barugh, South Yorkshire – /ˈbɑːrk/
• Great Barugh and Little Barugh, North Yorkshire – /bɑːrf/^[4]
• Basford (including New Basford and Old Basford), Nottingham – /ˈbeɪsfəd/
• Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire - ⁱ/ˈbɛkənzfiːld/
• Beauchamp Roding, Essex – /ˈbiːtʃəm/^{[n 3]}
• Hatch Beauchamp, Somerset - /ˈbiːtʃəm/^[5]
• Beauchief, Sheffield – /ˈbiːtʃɪf/
• Beaudesert, Warwickshire – commonly until recently /ˈbɛlzər/^[6][7]
• Beaulieu, Hampshire – /ˈbjuːli/^[4]
• Beaminster, Dorset – /ˈbɛmᵻnstər/
• Bellingham, Northumberland – /ˈbɛlɪndʒəm/^{[4][n 4]}
• Belvoir: Belvoir Castle and village, and Vale of Belvoir, Leicestershire – /ˈbiːvər/ ^{[n 5]}
• Berkeley (all English towns) – /ˈbɑːrkli/^{[4][n 6]}
• Berkshire – /ˈbɑːrkʃər/^[4]
• Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland – /ˈbɛrɪk/^[4]
• Bicester, Oxfordshire – /ˈbɪstər/^[4]
• Bideford, Devon – /ˈbɪdɪfərd/
• Billericay, Essex – /ˌbɪləˈrɪki/^[4]
• Blackley, Greater Manchester – /ˈbleɪkli/^[4]
• Blidworth, Nottinghamshire – /ˈblɪdəθ/
• Bosham, West Sussex - /ˈbɒzəm/
• Bozeat, Northamptonshire – /ˈboʊʒət/
• Bradley, West Midlands – /ˈbreɪdli/^[4]
• Brant Broughton, Lincolnshire – /ˈbrænt ˈbruːtən/
• Brewood, Staffordshire – /bruːd/
• Bridestowe, West Devon – /ˈbrɪdɪstoʊ/
• Brougham, Cumbria – /bruːm/
• Brough, East Riding of Yorkshire – /ˈbrʌf/
• Bungay, Suffolk – /ˈbʌŋɡi/
• Burgh le Marsh, Lincolnshire – /bʌrə/
• Burgh by Sands, Cumbria – /brʌf/^[4]
• Bylaugh, Norfolk - /ˈbiːlə/

C

• Caldmore, West Midlands – /ˈkɑːmər/
• Cambois, Northumberland – /ˈkæməs/
• Cambridge – /ˈkeɪmbrɪdʒ/^{[4][n 7]}
• River Cherwell, river – /ˈtʃɑːrwɛl/^[4][8]
• Cheshunt, Hertfordshire – /ˈtʃɛzənt/
• Cheylesmore, Coventry – /ˈtʃɑːlzmɔːr/
• Chideock, Dorset – /ˈtʃɪdək/^[9]
• Cholmondeley, Cheshire – /ˈtʃʌmli/^[4]
• Cholmondeston, Cheshire – /ˈtʃʌmstən/
• Chop Gate, North Yorkshire - /ˈtʃɒp ˈjæt/^[10]
• Cirencester, Gloucestershire – now usually /ˈsaɪrənˌsɛstər/ but traditionally /ˈsɪsᵻtər/^[4]
• Claughton, Lancashire – /ˈklæftən/^[4]
• Claughton on Brock, Lancashire – /ˈklaɪtən/^[4]
• Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire – /ˈklɪbəri/^[4]
• Cley-next-the-Sea, Norfolk – /ˈklaɪ/ alongside intuitive /ˈkleɪ/
• Cogenhoe, Northamptonshire – /ˈkʊknoʊ/
• Colerne, Wiltshire - /ˈkʌlərn/
• Coleshill, Warwickshire – /ˈkoʊzəl/ or /ˈkoʊzɪl/
• Colney Hatch, Greater London – /ˈkoʊnɪ/
• Congresbury, Somerset – /ˈkɒŋzbri/
• Costessey, Norfolk – /ˈkɒsi/^[4]
• Cowbit, Lincolnshire – /ˈkʌbᵻt/ ^[11]
• Cowden, Kent - /kaʊˈdɛn/ - unusual secondary stress
• Cowpen, Northumberland – /ˈkuːpɛn/
• Croxton Kerrial, Leicestershire - /ˈkroʊsən ˈkɛrᵻl/
• Cruwys Morchard, Devon – /ˈkruːz/
• Cuckfield, Sussex – /ˈkʊkfiːld/^{[4][n 8]}
• Cudworth, South Yorkshire – /ˈkʊd.ərθ/

D

• Darwen and Blackburn with Darwen, Lancashire – /ˈdɑːwɪn/^[12]
• Daventry, Northamptonshire – now usually /ˈdævəntri/ but traditionally /ˈdeɪntri/
• De Beauvoir Town, London - /də ˈbiːvər/^{[n 9]}
• Derby, Derbyshire – /ˈdɑːrbi/
• Devon (county) – /ˈdɛvən/; but Devon (river in Nottinghamshire) – /ˈdiːvən/^[13]
• Didcot, Oxfordshire – /ˈdɪdkət/^[12]
• Dodworth, South Yorkshire – /ˈdɒd.ərθ/
• Durham – /ˈdʌrəm/

E

• Edensor, Derbyshire – /ˈɛnzər/
• Edenham, Lincolnshire – /ˈɛdnəm/
• Elham, Kent – /ˈiːləm/
• Elsecar, South Yorkshire – /ɛlsɪˈkɑːr/
• Ely, Cambridgeshire – /ˈiːli/
• Esher, Surrey – /ˈiːʃər/^[12]
• Eton, Berkshire – /ˈiːtən/
• Euxton, Lancashire – /ˈɛkstən/^[4]
• Ewell, Surrey – /juːl/
• Eyam, Derbyshire – /iːm/^[4]
• Eynsham, Oxfordshire – /ˈɛnʃəm/

F

• Farcet, Huntingdonshire/Cambridgeshire – /ˈfæsət/
• Flitwick, Bedfordshire – /ˈflɪtᵻk/
• Foleshill, Coventry – /ˈfoʊzəl/ or /ˈfoʊzɪl/
• Folkingham, Lincolnshire – /ˈfɒkɪŋəm/
• Fowey, Cornwall – /ˈfɔɪ/^[4][12]
• Frithsden, Hertfordshire – /ˈfrɪzdən/
• Frome, Somerset and the rivers Frome in Dorset, Somerset and South Gloucestershire – /ˈfruːm/^[4]

G

• Gateacre, Liverpool – /ˈɡætəkər/ ^[4]
• Gillingham, Dorset – /ˈɡɪlɪŋəm/; but Gillingham, Kent – /ˈdʒɪlɪŋəm/)^[14]
• Gloucester – /ˈɡlɒstər/
• Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire – /ˈɡʌmstər/^[15]
• Gotham, Nottinghamshire – /ˈɡoʊtəm/^[4]
• Greenwich, Greater London – /ɡrɛnᵻtʃ/^[4][16]
• Greysouthen, Cumbria – /ˈɡreɪsuːn/
• Groby, Leicestershire – /ˈɡruːbi/
• Guildford, Surrey – /ˈɡɪlfərd/^[4]
• Guisborough, Redcar and Cleveland - /ˈɡɪzbrə/

H

• Happisburgh, Norfolk – /ˈheɪzbrə/^[4]
• Lower Hardres and Upper Hardres, Kent – /ˈhɑːdz/
• Harewood House, West Yorkshire, – /ˈhɑːrwʊd/ ^{[n 10]}
• Haverholme, Lincolnshire – /ˈhævrəm/
• Little Hautbois, Norfolk – /ˈhɒbɪs/
• Haverhill, Suffolk – /ˈhævrɪl/
• Heather, Leicestershire – /ˈhiːðər/^[4]
• Herstmonceux, East Sussex – /ˌhɜːrsmənˈzuː/ or /ˈsuː/^[17]
• Hessle, East Riding of Yorkshire – /ˈhɛzəl/^[4]
• High Wycombe see Wycombe below.
• Holborn, London – /ˈhoʊbən/ ^[4] (intuitive also heard)
• Holnicote, Somerset – /ˈhʌnᵻkɒt/
• Holywell, Lincolnshire – /ˈhɒliwɛl/
• Hough-on-the-Hill, Lincolnshire – /hɒf/
• Hougham, Lincolnshire – /ˈhɒfəm/
• Houghton-le-Spring – /ˈhoʊtən lᵻ ˈsprɪŋ/
• Hunstanton, Norfolk – /ˈhʌnstən/ (intuitive also heard)^[4]

I

• Ide, Devon – /iːd/
• Isleworth, Greater London – /ˈaɪzəlwərθ/
• Islip, Northamptonshire - /ˈaɪzlɪp/^{[n 11]}
• Iwerne Minster, Dorset – /ˈjuːɜːrn/

J

• Jervaulx as in Jervaulx Abbey, North Yorkshire – /ˈʒɜːrvoʊ/

K

• Keadby, Lincolnshire – /ˈkɪdbi/
• Keighley, West Yorkshire – /ˈkiːθli/^[4]
• Keynsham, Wiltshire – /ˈkeɪnʃəm/ ^[12]
• Kirkby, Merseyside – /ˈkɜːrbi/^[4]

L

• Laughton, Lincolnshire – /ˈlaʊtən/
• Launceston, Cornwall – /ˈlɔːnsən/, missing intuitive t or /ˈlɑːnsən/ ^{[n 12][4]}
• Leamington Spa, Warwickshire – ⁱ/ˈlɛmɪŋtən/
• Leasingham, Lincolnshire – /ˈlɛzɪŋəm/
• Leicester – /ˈlɛstər/^[4]
• Leigh, Kent and Surrey – /laɪ/^[4]
• Leominster, Herefordshire – /ˈlɛmstər/^{[4][n 13]}
• Liskeard, Cornwall – /lɪˈskɑːrd/^[4]
• Loose, Kent – /luːz/
• Lostwithiel, Cornwall – /lɒsˈwɪθiːəl/^[4]
• Loughborough, Leicestershire – /ˈlʌfbrə/
• Lover, Wiltshire – /ˈloʊvər/
• Ludgvan, Cornwall – /ˈlʌdʒən/
• Luxulyan, Cornwall – /lʌkˈsɪljən/ alongside intuitive /lʌkˈsʌljən/
• Lympne, Kent – /ˈlɪm/^[4]

Map of counterintuitive places within London

Colney COney Hatch

De Beauvoir BEAver Town (usu.)

Marylebone MARlyb'n (alt.)

Plaistow PLAHsto

Ruislip RYslip

Greenwich GRENidge

Southwark SU-ðərK

Vauxhall VOK-sawl

Dulwich DULLidge

Counterintuitive pronunciations

See also

• List of places in England with counterintuitive pronunciations: M–Z
• Grapheme
• English spelling
• Pronunciation of Chinese names in English - counterintuitive Q, X, C, Zh, etc. in words romanised in Pinyin.

Notes and references

Notes

1. Accordingly: Southwick, Hampshire - /ˈsʌðᵻk/
   Anomalies: Southwick, West Sussex is pronounced /ˈsaʊθwᵻk/, like Painswick, Gloucestershire, Prestwick and Hardwick as well as Pickwick a former village in Wiltshire through which the novel The Pickwick Papers got its title, but these by population represent a very small minority.
2. This is doubly counter-intuitive if adopting an exception re: G from the other place names named Gifford, the forename and the surname.
3. Also a surname.
4. c.f. Bellingham, Washington, U.S.A., which is intuitive (/ˈbɛlɪŋhæm/
5. Also an area of Belfast, Northern Ireland, and see Belvoir Park Golf Club^[4]
6. Mirrors British "clerk", which is also irregular.
7. The River Cam and sometimes Cambridge, Gloucestershire are pronounced with /kæm/; however, locals now pronounce the latter like the city.
8. C.f. nearby intuitive Uckfield
9. Intuitive also heard, like Holborn, especially in relatively new residents.
10. The adjacent village, Harewood, is pronounced intuitively. The other main stately home of broad architectural and historical note with an unusual pronunciation is: Cliveden
11. c.f. Islip, Oxfordshire identical but for the r with: Ruislip
12. cf. Launceston, Tasmania, pronounced /ˈlɒnsəstən/)
13. cf. Leominster, Massachusetts

References

1. e.g. City of Leicester which follows e.g. Towcester, Rocester and Alcester – /ˈɒlstər/ or /ˈɔːlstər/
2. Well-known, large examples are Woolwich and West Bromwich cf. Nantwich and Droitwich Spa
3. e.g. Smethwick, Chiswick and Flitwick
4. Wells, John C. (2000). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary. 2nd ed. Longman. ISBN 0-582-36468-X.
5. http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/Bristol_and_Somerset/2000-01/0949053929
6. Reflecting original "Beldesert" "Beaudesert and Henley-in-Arden Website | Warwickshire | Our Town|History|". Henley-in-Arden. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
7. Bill Bryson (1991-09-01). The Mother Tongue. HarperCollins. p. 197. ISBN 978-0-380-71543-5.
8. In south Oxfordshire; pronunciation varies in north Oxfordshire, see BBC Oxford How do you pronounce Cherwell?
9. Wells, John (6 May 2010). "Chideock". John Wells's phoetic blog. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
10. "Chop Gate". yorkshiremoors.co.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
11. "History of Cowbit - Cowbit Village". cowbitvillage.co.uk. 2 April 2014. Archived from the original on 2 April 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
12. Pronouncing British Placenames at BBC's Edited Guide Entry h2g2 site
13. Lycett Green, Candida. Unwrecked England. Oldie. p. 30.
14. Pointon, G.E. (1983). BBC Pronouncing Dictionary of British Names. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-212976-7.
15. "Oliver Cromwell's home; fields amid which his boyhood was passed. Villages in the neighborhood- where other great men were born-the boy Oliver saved.". nY Times. 1888-12-30. Retrieved 2013-03-10.
16. (as in Greenwich Mean Time and as in the US namesakes) or the more old-fashioned /ɡrɪnᵻtʃ/
17. Roach & Hartman, eds (1997) English Pronouncing Dictionary, 15th edition. (Cambridge University Press). p. 234

Further reading

• G. M. Miller (editor) (1971). BBC pronouncing dictionary of British names. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-431125-2.
• Ordnance Survey of Ireland (1989). Gazetteer of Ireland. Government Publications Office. ISBN 0-7076-0076-6.

External links

• h2g2 guide to Pronouncing British Placenames
• How Do You Pronounce That Name? on genealogymagazine.com
• A Pronunciation Guide to Names of Public Figures
• Debrett's Pronunciation of English surnames.