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De Beauvoir BEAver Town (usu.)
Marylebone MARlyb'n (alt.)
A map of irregularly spelled places in London
This is a sublist of List of irregularly spelled English names .
Pronunciations for the following common suffixes are regular pronunciations, despite being counterintuitive at first glance:
-b(o)rough and -burgh – ,
-bury –
-cester – [n 1]
-combe, -coombe, -comb and -cambe – (often). As stand-alone words 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 –
-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 – , (rhotic or semi-rhotic r in 'er' as final syllable non-existent in some English dialects such as Kentish and Cockney), (esp. in Yorkshire and Scotland)
-wich - , [n 2]
-wick – [n 3] [n 4]
Pronunciation of the following common prefix is variable depending on dialect:
List
Place
IPA
Note
Acomb, North Yorkshire
[1]
Acomb, Northumberland
[1]
Aigburth
Aike
[1]
Aldeburgh
Allerton
Almeley
,
Alnmouth
Alnwick
Althorp
[2]
Altrincham
[2]
Alresford, Essex
Alresford, Hampshire
Alsager
Alverdiscott
Ashtead
Ardingly
Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Aslackby
Averham
Aveton Gifford
This is doubly counter-intuitive not adopting the hard G that features in Gifford (the forename, surname and part of a more populous place name).
Ayscoughfee Hall
Balliol College
/ˈbeɪliəl [2]
Barham
[2]
Barholm
Barnoldswick
Barugh, North Yorkshire
[2]
Barugh, South Yorkshire
Basford
Beaconsfield
Beaminster
Beauchamp Roding
Also a surname.
Beauchief
Beaudesert
[3] [4]
Reflecting original "Beldesert"
Beaulieu
[2]
Bellingham
[2]
cf. Bellingham, Washington , U.S.A., which is intuitive (
Belvoir Castle
Berkeley
[2]
All towns in England. Mirrors British "clerk", which is also irregular.
Berwick -upon-Tweed
[2]
Bicester
[2]
Bideford
Billericay
[2]
Blackley
[2]
Blidworth
Bosham
Bozeat
Bradley
[2]
Brant Broughton
Breaston
Brewood
Bridestowe
Brough
Brougham
Browshome
Bungay
Burgh le Marsh
Burgh by Sands
[2]
Bylaugh
Caius College
/ˈkiːz/ [2]
Caldmore
Cambois
Cambridge
[2]
The River Cam and sometimes Cambridge, Gloucestershire are pronounced with ; however, locals now pronounce the latter like the city.
Caterham
Cheshunt
Cheviot Hills
Also includes The Cheviot .
Cheylesmore
Chideock
[5]
Chiswick
[6]
Cholmondeley
[2]
Cholmondeston
Chop Gate
[7]
Cirencester
[2]
Claughton
[2]
Cleobury Mortimer
[2]
Cley -next-the-Sea
Cogenhoe
Colerne
Coleshill
Colney Hatch
Congresbury
Cononley
Costessey
[2]
Cowbit
[8]
Cowden
Cowpen
Cradley
Croxton Kerrial
Cruwys Morchard
Cuckfield
[2]
cf. nearby intuitive Uckfield
Cudworth
Darwen
[9]
Daventry
De Beauvoir Town
Intuitive also heard, like Holborn, especially in relatively new residents.
Derby
Devon
Devon (river)
[10]
Didcot
[9]
Dodworth
Dunchideock
/ˈdʌntʃɪdək/
Durham
Also pronounced regularly
Edensor
Edenham
Elham
Elsecar
Ely
Esher
[9]
Eton College
Euxton
[2]
Eyam
[2]
Eynsham
Farcet
Flitwick
Foleshill
Folkingham
Fowey
[2] [9]
Frithsden
Frome
[2]
Gateacre
[2]
Gillingham
[11]
Gloucester
Godmanchester
[12]
Usually pronounced regularly
Gotham
[2]
Greenwich
[2] or the more old-fashioned
As in Greenwich Mean Time and as in the U.S. namesakes
Greysouthen
Groby
Guildford
[2]
Guisborough
Happisburgh
[2]
Hardes, Kent
Harewood House
The adjacent village, Harewood , is pronounced intuitively. The other main stately home of broad architectural and historical note with an unusual pronunciation is: Cliveden
Hatch Beauchamp
[13]
Haverholme
Haverhill
Heather
[2]
Hereford
/ˈharfərd/
Herstmonceux
, [14]
Hessle
[2]
Holborn
[2]
Holnicote Estate
Holywell
Hough-on-the-Hill
Hougham
Houghton-le-Spring
Hunstanton
[2]
Ide
Isleworth
Islip
cf. Islip, Oxfordshire identical but for the r with: Ruislip
Iwerne Minster
Jervaulx Abbey
Keadby
Keighley
[2]
Keynsham
[9]
Kinder Scout
Also includes River Kinder , Kinder Downfall and Kinder Reservoir.
Kirkby
[2]
Pronounced intuitively in Kirkby-in-Ashfield .
Laughton
Launceston , Cornwall
[2]
cf. Launceston, Tasmania , pronounced )
Leamington Spa
Leasingham
Leicester
[2]
Leigh
[2]
Leigh, Manchester is regular
Leominster
[2]
cf. Leominster, Massachusetts
Lilleshall
Lincoln
/ˈlɪŋkən/
Liskeard , Cornwall
[2]
Little Hautbois
Loose
Lostwithiel
[2]
Loughborough
Lover
Ludgershall
Ludgvan , Cornwall
Luxulyan , Cornwall
Lympne
[2]
Magdalen Hall
/mɔːn/
Magdalene College
/ˈmɔːdlɪn/
Manea
/ˈmeɪni/
Marholm
/ˈmærəm/
Marlborough
/ˈmɔːrlbərə/
Marske -by-the-Sea
/ˈmæsk/
Marylebone
/ˈmɑːrlɪbən/
Masham
/ˈmæsəm/
Meaux
/mjuːs/
Meols
/mɛlz/
Meols Cop
/miːlz/
Meopham
Mildenhall
/ˈmʌldənhɔːl/
Mossley
/ˈmɒzli/
Mousehole
/ˈmaʊzəl/
Mow Cop
/ˈmaʊkɒp/
Muswell Hill
/ˈmʌzəl/
Mytholmroyd
/ˌmaɪðəmˈrɔɪd/
Norwich
/ˈnɒrɪdʒ/
Olney
/ˈɔːni/
/ˈoʊlni/
Osbournby
/ˈɒzənbi/
Oswaldtwistle
/ˈɒzəltwɪzəl/
Ovingham
/ˈɒvɪndʒəm/
Pall Mall
Peascod Street, Windsor
/ˈpɛskəd/
Plaistow
Plymouth
/ˈplɪməθ/
Pontefract
/ˈpʌmfrɪt/
Also pronounced regularly.
Ponteland
/pɒntˈiːlənd/
Portesham
/ˈpɒsəm/
Postwick with Witton
/ˈpɔːzɪk/
Poxwell
/ˈpoʊkswɛl/
Prideaux
/ˈprɪdəks/
Prinknash Abbey
/ˈprɪnəʃ/
Prudhoe
/ˈprʌdə/
Puncknowle
/ˈpʌnəl/
Quadring
/ˈkweɪdrɪŋ/
Quernmore
/ˈkwɔːrmər/
Rainworth
/ˈrɛnəθ/
Rampisham
/ˈrænsəm/
Ratlinghope
/ˈrætʃʌp/
Reading
/ˈrɛdɪŋ/ (listen)
Rievaulx
/riːvoʊ/
River Cherwell
/ˈtʃɑːrwɛl/
River Dove, Central England [15]
Usually pronounced regularly.
River Nene
/nɛn/
River Thame
/ˈteɪm/
River Thames
Rocester
/ˈroʊstər/
Roughton
/ˈruːtən/
Ruislip
/ˈraɪslɪp/ (listen)
St. Albans
/sənt ˈɔːlbənz/
St. Briavels
/sənt ˈbrɛvəlz/
St. Ives, Cornwall
/sənt ˈiːv/
St. Teath, Cornwall
/tɛθ/
Salisbury
/ˈsɒlzbəri, ˈsɔːlz-/
Salle
/ˈsɔːl/
Sandwich
/sændwɪdʒ/
Also pronounced regularly
Seighford
/ˈsaɪfərd/
Shrewsbury
/ˈʃroʊzbəri, ˈʃruːz-/
Shaftesbury
/ˈʃɑːftsbəri, ˈʃæfts-/
Slaithwaite
/ˈslæθwɪt/ , /ˈslæwɪt/
Slaugham
/ˈslæfəm/
Snowshill
/ˈsnɒzəl/
/ˈsnoʊzəl/
South Elmsall
/saʊθ ˈɛmsəl/
Southwark
Southwell
/ˈsʌðəl/
Also pronounced regularly
Sowerby , West Yorkshire
/ˈsɔːrbi/
Also includes Sowerby Bridge , West Yorkshire.
Sproxton
/ˈsproʊsən/
Staithes
/stɪərz/
Stawell
/stɒl/
Steyning
/ˈstɛnɪŋ/
Stiffkey
/ˈstjuːkiː/
Also pronounced regularly
Stivichall
/ˈstaɪtʃəl/
Stockingford
/ˌstɒkɪŋˈfɔːrd/
Streatham
/ˈstrɛtəm/
Stroxton
/ˈstrɔːsən/
Sydenham
/ˈsɪdənəm/
Tacolneston
/ˈtækəlstən/
Teignmouth
/ˈtɪnməθ/
Teston
/ˈtiːsən/
Thame
/ˈteɪm/
Theobald's Road
/ˈtɪbəldz/
Threekingham
/ˈθrɛkɪŋɡəm/
Tideswell
/ˈtɪdsəl/
Tintwistle
/ˈtɪnsəl/
Todmorden
/ˈtɒdmərdən/
Torpenhow
/trəˈpɛnə/
Also pronounced regularly
Towcester
/ˈtoʊstər/
Tow Law
/taʊˈlɔː/
Trewoon , Cornwall
/ˈtruːən/
Trottiscliffe
/ˈtrɒzli/
Ulgham
/ˈʌfəm/
Uttoxeter
/juːˈtɒksɪtər/
/ˈʌtʃɪtər/
Vauxhall
/ˈvɒks.ɔːl/
Warwick
/ˈwɒrɪk/
Wavertree
/ˈwɔːrtri/
Mostly obsolete
Weighton
/ˈwiːtən/
Welwyn
Wesham
/ˈwɛsəm/
Whittingham
/ˈwɪtɪndʒəm/
Widecombe in the Moor
/ˈwɪdɪkəm/
Wisbech
/ˈwɪzbiːtʃ/
Witham
/ˈwɪtəm/
Wombwell
/ˈwʊmwɛl/
Woodhay
/ˈwʊdi/
Woolfardisworthy
/ˈwʊlzi/
/ˈwʊlzəri/
Worcester
/ˈwʊstər/
Worstead
/ˈwʊstəd/
Woughton
/ˈwʊftən/
Wressle
/ˈrɛzəl/
Wrotham
/ˈruːtəm/
Wroughton
/ˈrɔːtən/
Wybunbury
/ˈwɪmbri/
/ˈwɪnbəri/
Wycombe
/ˈwɪkəm/
Wymondham
/ˈwɪndəm/
Yeaton
/ˈjɛtən/
Yeavering
/ˈjɛvərɪŋ/
Zouch
/zɒtʃ/
Notes
^ e.g. City of Leicester, which follows e.g. Towcester, Rocester and Alcester – /ˈɒlstər/ or /ˈɔːlstər/
^ Well-known, large examples are Woolwich and West Bromwich cf. Nantwich and Droitwich Spa
^ e.g. Smethwick , Chiswick and Flitwick
^ Accordingly: Southwick , Hampshire -
Anomalies: Southwick , West Sussex is pronounced , 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.
References
Further reading