List of irregularly spelt places in the United Kingdom explained
This is a sublist of List of irregularly spelled English names.
These common suffixes have these regular pronunciations, yet would be counterintuitive (irregular) in normal English. This means that their modern pronunciation might be regarded as counter-intuitive to their spelling, which is not counterintuitive as it is historic, regular, well-established, and etymologically consistent.
- -b(o)rough and -burgh –
- -bury –
- -cester –
- -combe, -coombe, -comb and -cambe – . When stand-alone: always (including in place names such as Castle Combe and Coombe Bissett)
- -ford –
- -gh – silent (usually as 'f' in a considerable minority of northern English place names and in Woughton, Milton Keynes)
- -ham –
- -holm(e) –,
- -mouth –
- -shire –,, (esp. in Scotland)
- -wich -,
- -wick –
Prefixes:
- Al- –, ; with very few exceptions such as Alba, Alperton.
- Saint- –, for most speakers.
Other:
- -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 Lonsdale
List
Subdivision! rowspan="2" | Place | Pronunciation | Notes |
|---|
| Respelling | IPA |
|---|
| England | Acomb, North Yorkshire | | [1] | Historic; now regular |
| England | Acomb, Northumberland | | | Historic; now regular |
| Northern Ireland | Ahoghill | | /æˈhɒxɪl/ | |
| England | Aigburth | | | |
| England | Aike | | | |
| England | Aldeburgh | | | |
| England | Allerton, West Yorkshire | | | Not for Allerton, Liverpool – |
| England | Almeley | | | |
| England | Alnmouth | | | |
| England | Alnwick | | | |
| England | Althorp | | [2] | |
| England | Altrincham | | | |
| England | Alresford, Essex | | | Variant of one name |
| England | Alresford, Essex | | | Variant of one name |
| England | Alresford, Hampshire | | | |
| England | Alsager | | | |
| England | Alverdiscott | | | |
| Scotland | Anstruther | | | Also regular |
| England | Apethorpe | | | |
| England | Ardingly | | | |
| England | Ashtead | | | |
| England | Ashby-de-la-Zouch | | | |
| England | Aslackby | | | |
| Scotland | Athelstaneford | | | Also regular |
| Scotland | Auchinleck | like Affleck | | Also regular |
| England | Aughton, Lancaster | | | |
| England | Averham | | | |
| England | Aveton Gifford | | | |
| Scotland | Avoch | | | |
| England | Ayscoughfee Hall | | | |
| England | Balliol College | | | |
| England | Barham | | | |
| England | Barholm | | | |
| England | Barnoldswick | | | |
| England | Barugh, North Yorkshire | | | |
| England | Barugh, South Yorkshire | | | |
| England | Basford | | | |
| England | Beaconsfield | | | |
| England | Beaminster | | | |
| England | Beauchamp Roding | | | |
| England | Beauchief | | | |
| England | Beaudesert[3] [4] | like Belzer | | |
| England | Beaulieu | | | |
| England | Bellingham, Northumberland | | | |
| England | Belvoir Castle | like beaver | | |
| England | Berkeley | like Barkley | | All UK placenames |
| England | Berwick-upon-Tweed | | | |
| England | Bicester | | | |
| England | Bideford | | | |
| England | Billericay | | | |
| England | Blackley | like Blakely | | |
| England | Blidworth | | | |
| England | Blyth | like blithe | | |
| England | Bosham | | | |
| England | Bovey Tracey | | | |
| England | Bozeat | | | |
| England | Bradley | | | |
| England | Brant Broughton | | | |
| England | Breaston | | | |
| England | Brewood | like brood | | |
| England | Bridestowe | | | |
| England | Brough | | | |
| England | Brougham | like broom | | |
| Northern Ireland | Broughshane | | | |
| England | Browsholme Hall | | | |
| England | Bungay | | | |
| England | Burgh le Marsh | | | |
| England | Burgh by Sands | | | |
| England | Bylaugh | | | |
| England | Caius College | like keys | | |
| England | Caldmore | | | |
| England | Cambois | | | |
| England | Cambridge | | | Cambridge, Gloucestershire is often regular |
| England | Caterham | | | |
| England | Carlisle | | | |
| England | Cheltenham | | | |
| England | Cheshunt | | | |
| England | Cheviot Hills | | | |
| England | Cheylesmore | | | |
| England | Chideock[5] | | | |
| England | Chiswick[6] | | | |
| England | Cholmondeley | | | |
| England | Cholmondeston | | | |
| England | Chop Gate[7] | | | |
| England | Cirencester | | | Also regular |
| England | Claughton, Lancaster | | | |
| England | Claughton, Merseyside | | | |
| England | Claughton-on-Brock | | | |
| England | Clapham | | |
| England | Cleobury Mortimer | | | |
| England | Cley-next-the-Sea | | | |
| England | Cogenhoe | | | |
| England | Colerne | | | |
| England | Coleshill | | | |
| England | Colne | | | |
| England | Colney Hatch | | | |
| Northern Ireland | Comber | | | |
| England | Combeinteignhead | | | |
| England | Congresbury | | | |
| England | Cononley | | | |
| England | Costessey | | | |
| England | Cowbit[8] | | | |
| England | Cowden | | | |
| England | Cowpen | | | |
| England | Cradley | | | |
| England | Croxton Kerrial | | | |
| England | Cruwys Morchard | | | |
| England | Cuckfield | | | |
| England | Cudworth | | | |
| Scotland | Culross | | | |
| Northern Ireland | Cultra | | | |
| Scotland | Culzean Castle | | | |
| England | Darwen[9] | like Darwin | | |
| England | Daventry | | | Also regular |
| England | De Beauvoir Town | | | Also regular |
| Wales | Denbigh | | /dɛnbi/ | |
| England | Derby | like Darby | | |
| England | Didcot | | | |
| England | Dodworth | | | |
| England | Doublebois | | | |
| Scotland | Dounreay[10] | | | |
| England | Dunchideock | | | |
| England | Durham | | | |
| England | Edensor | | | |
| England | Edenham | | | |
| England | Elham | | | |
| England | Eling | like Ealing | | |
| England | Elsecar | | | Also regular |
| England | Ely | | | |
| England | Elmsall | | | |
| England | Esher | | | |
| England | Eton College | | | |
| England | Euxton | | | |
| England | Eyam | | | |
| England | Eynsham | | | |
| England | Farcet | | | |
| Scotland | Findochty | | | |
| England | Flitwick | | | |
| England | Foleshill | | | |
| England | Folkingham | | | |
| England | Folkstone | | | |
| England | Fowey | like Foy | | |
| Scotland | Freuchie | | /ˈfreɪxi/ | |
| Scotland | Friockheim | | | |
| England | Frithsden | | | |
| England | Frome | | | |
| Scotland | Garioch | | | |
| England | Gateacre | | | |
| England | Gillingham | | | Not Gillingham, Kent[11] |
| Scotland | Glamis | | | |
| Scotland | Glenzier | | | |
| England | Gloucester | | | |
| England | Godmanchester[12] | | | Now superceeded by [13] |
| Wales | Goodwick | | /ˈɡʊdɪk/ | |
| England | Gotham | | | |
| Scotland | Grandtully | | | |
| England | Greenwich | | | |
| England | Greysouthen | | | |
| England | Groby | | | |
| England | Guildford | | | |
| Scotland | Gullane | | | |
| England | Guisborough | | | |
| England | Happisburgh | | | |
| England | Hardres | | | |
| England | Harewood House | | | Namesake Harewood is regular |
| England | Harwich | | | |
| England | Hatch Beauchamp[14] | | | |
| England | Haverholme | | | |
| England | Haverhill | | | |
| Wales | Hawarden | like harden | /ˈhɑːrdən/ | |
| Scotland | Hawick | | | Also regular |
| England | Heather | | | |
| England | Hednesford | | | |
| England | Herstmonceux[15] | , - | , | |
| England | Hertford | | | |
| England | Hessle | | | |
| England | Holborn | | | |
| England | Holnicote Estate | | | |
| Wales | Holyhead | | /ˈhɒlihɛd/ | |
| England | Holywell | | | |
| England | Hough-on-the-Hill | | | |
| England | Hougham | | | |
| England | Houghton | | | |
| England | Hunstanton | | | |
| England | Ide | | | |
| England | Ifield | | | |
| England | Ilfracombe | | | |
| England | Ireshopeburn | | | |
| Scotland | Isle of Gigha | | | |
| England | Isleworth | | | |
| England | Islip | | | |
| England | Iwerne Minster | | | |
| Scotland | Jarlshof | | | |
| England | Jervaulx Abbey | | | |
| England | Keadby | | | |
| England | Keighley | | | |
| England | Keswick | | | |
| England | Keynsham | | | |
| Scotland | Kilchurn Castle | | | |
| Scotland | Kilconquhar | | | |
| Scotland | Kilncadzow | | | |
| Scotland | Kingussie | | | |
| England | Kingston Bagpuize[16] | Kingston | | |
| England | Kirkby | like Kirby | | Not for Kirkby-in-Ashfield. |
| England | Kirkbymoorside | like Kirby-moor-side | | |
| Scotland | Kirkcaldy | | | |
| Scotland | Kirkcudbright | | | |
| Wales | Laugharne | | /ˈlɑːrn/ | |
| England | Laughton | | | |
| England | Launceston, Cornwall | | | |
| England | Leamington Spa | | | |
| England | Leasingham | | | |
| England | Leicester | like Lester | | |
| England | Leigh | like lye | | All British Leighs; except Leigh, Greater Manchester and Leigh-on-Sea |
| England | Leominster | | | |
| England | Lilleshall | | | |
| England | Lincoln | | /ˈlɪŋkən/ | |
| England | Liskeard, Cornwall | | | |
| England | Little Hautbois | | | |
| Scotland | Loch Muick | | | |
| England | London | | | |
| England | Looe | | | |
| England | Loose | | | |
| England | Lostwithiel | | | |
| Northern Ireland | Lough Neagh | | | |
| England | Loughborough | | | |
| England | Lover | | | |
| England | Ludgershall | | | |
| England | Ludgvan, Cornwall | | | |
| England | Luxulyan, Cornwall | | | |
| England | Lydgate Lane, Crosspool | | | Also regular |
| England | Lympne | | | |
| England | Magdalen(e) College | | /ˈmɔːdlɪn/ | For both Magdalen College, Oxford and Magdalene College, Cambridge |
| England | Magdalen Hall | | /mɔːn/ | |
| Northern Ireland | Maghera | | | |
| Northern Ireland | Magherafelt | | | |
| England | Manea | | /ˈmeɪni/ | |
| England | Marholm | | /ˈmærəm/ | |
| England | Market Weighton | | /ˈwiːtən/ | |
| England | Marlborough | | /ˈmɔːrlbərə/ | |
| England | Marske-by-the-Sea | | /ˈmæsk/ | |
| England | Marylebone | | /ˈmɑːrlɪbən/ | |
| England | Masham | | /ˈmæsəm/ | |
| England | Meaux | | /mjuːs/ | |
| England | Meols | | /mɛlz/ | |
| England | Meols Cop | | /miːlz/ | |
| England | Meopham | | | |
| England | Mildenhall, Suffolk | | /ˈmʌldənhɔːl/ | |
| England | Mildenhall, Wiltshire | | /ˈmaɪnəl/ | |
| Scotland | Milngavie | | | |
| Scotland | Moray | like Murry | | |
| England | Mossley | | /ˈmɒzli/ | |
| England | Mousehole | | /ˈmaʊzəl/ | |
| England | Mow Cop | | /ˈmaʊ/ | |
| England | Mudeford | | /ˈmʌdɪfərd/ | |
| England | Muswell Hill | | /ˈmʌzəl/ | Also regular |
| England | Mytholmroyd | | /ˌmaɪðəmˈrɔɪd/ | |
| England | Norwich | | /ˈnɒrɪdʒ/ | |
| England | Olney | | /ˈɔːni/ | Variant of one name |
| England | Olney | | /ˈoʊlni/ | Variant of one name |
| England | Osbournby | | /ˈɒzənbi/ | |
| England | Oswaldtwistle | | /ˈɒzəltwɪzəl/ | |
| England | Oving | | /ˈuːvɪŋ/ | |
| England | Ovingham | | /ˈɒvɪndʒəm/ | |
| England | Pall Mall | | | |
| England | Peascod Street, Windsor | | /ˈpɛskəd/ | |
| Scotland | Penicuik | like "penny cook" | | |
| Scotland | Peterculter | | | |
| England | Plaistow | | | |
| England | Plymouth | | /ˈplɪməθ/ | |
| England | Pontefract | | /ˈpʌmfrɪt/ | Also regular |
| England | Ponteland | | /pɒnˈtiːlənd/ | |
| England | Portesham | like possum | /ˈpɒsəm/ | |
| England | Postwick with Witton | | /ˈpɔːzɪk/ | |
| England | Poxwell | | /ˈpoʊkswɛl/ | |
| England | Prideaux | | /ˈprɪdəks/ | |
| England | Prinknash Abbey | | /ˈprɪnəʃ/ | |
| England | Prudhoe | | /ˈprʌdə/ | |
| England | Puncknowle | | /ˈpʌnəl/ | |
| England | Quadring | | /ˈkweɪdrɪŋ/ | |
| England | Quernmore | | /ˈkwɔːrmər/ | |
| England | Rainworth | | /ˈrɛnərθ/ | |
| England | Rampisham | like ransom | /ˈrænsəm/ | |
| England | Ratlinghope | | /ˈrætʃʌp/ | |
| England | Rawtenstall | | /ˈrɒtənstɔːl/ | |
| England | Reading | | /ˈrɛdɪŋ/ | |
| England | Redruth | | | |
| England | Rievaulx | | | |
| Scotland | Ravenstruther | | | |
| Scotland | Ravenstruther | | | |
| Scotland | River Avon | | | Regular outside Scotland |
| England | River Cherwell | | /ˈtʃɑːrwɛl/ | |
| England | River Devon[17] | | | |
| England | River Nene | | /nɛn/ | Also regular |
| England | River Teign | like tin | /tɪn/ | |
| Scotland | River Teviot | | | |
| England | River Thame | | /ˈteɪm/ | |
| England | | | | Also for all derived names |
| England | Rocester | like roaster | /ˈroʊstər/ | |
| England | Roughton | | /ˈruːtən/ | |
| England | Ruislip | | /ˈraɪslɪp/ | |
| Scotland | Ruthven | like riven | | |
| England | St Briavels | | /ˈbrɛvəlz/ | |
| England | St Ive, Cornwall | | /ˈiːv/ | |
| England | St Teath, Cornwall | | /tɛθ/ | |
| England | Salisbury | | /ˈsɔːlzb(ə)ri/ | |
| England | Salle | | /ˈsɔːl/ | |
| England | Sandwich | | /sændwɪdʒ/ | Also regular |
| Scotland | Sanquhar | | | |
| Scotland | Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow | | | |
| England | Scafell Pike | | | |
| England | Scartho | | | Also regular |
| Scotland | Scone | | | |
| England | Seighford | | /ˈsaɪfərd/ | |
| England | Shepton Beauchamp | | | |
| England | Shrewsbury | | /ˈʃroʊzbəri/ | Also regular. Mainly for Shrewsbury School |
| England | Shaftesbury | | /ˈʃɑːftsbəri, ˈʃæfts-/ | |
| England | Slaithwaite | | /ˈslæwɪt/ | |
| England | Slaugham | | /ˈslæfəm/ | |
| England | Snowshill | | /ˈsnɒzəl/ | Variant of one name |
| England | Snowshill | | /ˈsnoʊzəl/ | Variant of one name |
| England | Southwark | | | |
| England | Southwell | | /ˈsʌðəl/ | Also regular |
| England | Sowerby, West Yorkshire | | /ˈsɔːrbi/ | Also regular |
| England | Sproxton | | /ˈsproʊsən/ | |
| England | Staithes | like Steers | /stɪərz/ | |
| England | Stawell | | /stɒl/ | |
| England | Steyning | | /ˈstɛnɪŋ/ | |
| England | Stiffkey | | /ˈstjuːkiː/ | Also regular |
| England | Stivichall | | /ˈstaɪtʃəl/ | |
| England | Stockingford | | | |
| England | Stokenham | | | |
| England | Stokeinteignhead | | | |
| Northern Ireland | Strabane | | |
| Scotland | Strathaven | | | |
| England | Streatham | | /ˈstrɛtəm/ | |
| England | Stroxton | | /ˈstrɔːsən/ | |
| Wales | Swansea | | | |
| England | Sydenham | | /ˈsɪdənəm/ | |
| England | Tacolneston | | /ˈtækəlstən/ | |
| England | Teigngrace | | /tɪŋ'greɪs/ | |
| England | Teignmouth | | /ˈtɪnməθ/ | |
| England | Teston | | /ˈtiːsən/ | |
| England | Thame | like tame | /ˈteɪm/ | |
| England | The Cheviot | | | |
| England | Theobald's Road | | /ˈtɪbəldz/ | Often regular |
| England | Threekingham | | /ˈθrɛkɪŋɡəm/ | |
| England | Thriplow | | | |
| Scotland | Thurso | | | |
| England | Tideswell | | /ˈtɪdsəl/ | |
| Scotland | Tillicoultry | | /ˌtɪlɪˈkuːtri/ | |
| England | Tintwistle | like tinsel | /ˈtɪnsəl/ | |
| England | Todmorden | | /ˈtɒdmərdən/ | |
| England | Torpenhow | | /trəˈpɛnə/ | Often regular |
| England | Towcester | like toaster | /ˈtoʊstər/ | |
| England | Tow Law | | /taʊ/ | |
| England | Trewoon, Cornwall | | /ˈtruːən/ | |
| England | Trottiscliffe | | /ˈtrɒzli/ | |
| Scotland | Udny Green | | /ˈwɪdni/ | |
| Scotland | Udny Station | | /ˈwɪdni/ | |
| England | Ulgham | | /ˈʌfəm/ | |
| England | Uttoxeter | | | Variant of one name |
| England | Uttoxeter | | | Variant of one name |
| England | Vauxhall | | /ˈvɒks.ɔːl/ | |
| England | Warwick | | | |
| England | Wavertree | | /ˈwɔːrtri/ | Mostly obsolete |
| England | Wednesbury | | /ˈwɛnzbəri/ | |
| Scotland | Wemyss Bay | | /ˈwiːmz/ | |
| England | Welwyn | | | |
| England | Wesham | | /ˈwɛsəm/ | |
| England | Whittingham, Northumberland | | /ˈwɪtɪndʒəm/ | |
| England | Widecombe in the Moor | | /ˈwɪdɪkəm/ | |
| England | Wisbech | | /ˈwɪzbiːtʃ/ | |
| England | Witham | | /ˈwɪtəm/ | |
| England | Wombwell | | /ˈwʊmwɛl/ | |
| England | Woodhay | like woody | /ˈwʊdi/ | |
| England | Woolfardisworthy | | /ˈwʊlzi/ | Variant of one name |
| England | Woolfardisworthy | | /ˈwʊlzəri/ | Variant of one name |
| England | Worcester | | /ˈwʊstər/ | |
| England | Worstead | | /ˈwʊstəd/ | |
| England | Woughton | | /ˈwʊftən/ | |
| England | Wressle | | /ˈrɛzəl/ | |
| England | Wrotham | | /ˈruːtəm/ | |
| England | Wroughton | | /ˈrɔːtən/ | |
| England | Wybunbury | | /ˈwɪmbri/ | Variant of one name |
| England | Wybunbury | | /ˈwɪnbəri/ | Variant of one name |
| England | Wycombe | | /ˈwɪkəm/ | |
| England | Wymondham | | /ˈwɪndəm/ | |
| England | Yeading | | /ˈjɛdɪŋ/ | |
| England | Yeaton | | /ˈjɛtən/ | |
| England | Yeavering | | /ˈjɛvərɪŋ/ | |
| England | Yeovil | | | |
| England | Zouch | | /zɒtʃ/ | | |
See also
Further reading
Notes and References
- Book: P. H. Reaney. The Origin of English Place Names. 1969. Routledge and Kegan Paul. 0-7100-2010-4. 44–5.
- Book: Wells, John C.. Longman Pronunciation Dictionary. 2nd ed. Longman. 2000. 0-582-36468-X. John C. Wells. registration.
- Reflecting original "Beldesert" Web site: Beaudesert and Henley-in-Arden Website | Warwickshire | Our Town|History| . 2012-10-09 . Henley-in-Arden.
- Book: Bill Bryson . The Mother Tongue . 1991-09-01 . HarperCollins . 978-0-380-71543-5 . 197.
- Web site: Wells . John . 6 May 2010 . Chideock . 6 May 2010 . John Wells's phoetic blog.
- Web site: 17 October 2011 . How Do You Pronounce Theydon Bois? . 17 August 2017 . Londonist.
- Web site: Chop Gate . 11 March 2014 . yorkshiremoors.co.uk.
- Web site: 2 April 2014 . History of Cowbit - Cowbit Village . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20140403042320/http://www.cowbitvillage.co.uk/history-of-cowbit . 3 April 2014 . 2 April 2014 . cowbitvillage.co.uk.
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A19773499 Pronouncing British Placenames
- Web site: Moray - Pronunciation . 4 January 2015 . Rootsweb at ancestry.com.
- Book: Pointon, G.E. . BBC Pronouncing Dictionary of British Names . Oxford University Press . 1983 . 0-19-212976-7.
- Web site: 1888-12-30 . 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. . 2013-03-10 . nY Times.
- Web site: 17 September 2016 . Guide wrongly corrects the pronunciation of Godmanchester to Gumster | Cambridge News . https://web.archive.org/web/20160917142328/http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/guide-wrongly-corrects-the-pronunciation-of-godmanchester-to-gumster/story-29722906-detail/story.html . 17 September 2016 . 15 July 2023.
- http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/Bristol_and_Somerset/2000-01/0949053929
- Roach & Hartman, eds (1997) English Pronouncing Dictionary, 15th edition. (Cambridge University Press). p. 234
- Web site: A Snippet of Village History. . 2020-12-22 . www.kingston-bagpuize.com.
- Book: Lycett Green, Candida . Unwrecked England . Oldie . 30.
