User:Crouch, Swale/England/Naming conventions

This page is for disambiguation of places in England. See w:WP:UKPLACE for more general info

1

Where there is no ambiguity use just the name, no matter how obscure for example Ramsholt and not Ramsholt, Suffolk or Ramsholt (village).
Usually this is the name of the settlement on the Ordnance Survey, not the CP or ward if it has a slightly different name for example Milford on Sea not Milford-on-Sea. When a CP or ward doesn't have a settlement or feature it is named after (or they are split) use the name per Ordnance Survey.

Where disambiguation is needed generally use the (ceremonial) county. For example Halling, Kent not Halling, Medway.
Places in County Durham use "County Durham" not "Durham" for example Stanley, County Durham not Stanley, Durham.
Places in the counties of Greater London and the City of London use "Placename, London.
If the place is unquestionably an area of a larger settlement then "Placename, Settlement" would be used like Beeston, Leeds.
If the place and county have variations of the same name and it is unquestionably unique in England, use "Placename, England" for example Worcester, England.

If there are 2 or more in a county use the district for example Higham, Babergh and Higham, Forest Heath. The use of the district's longer name is disputed, especially when there is a settlement with the name for example Ash, Dover or Ash, Dover District? Note that Buffalo, New York is not at Buffalo, New York State (or Buffalo, New York (state)). In the case of Newtown there are 2 in the Carlisle district.

If there are 2 or more in a district use the (civil) parish or (electronic) ward for example Rose Green, Lindsey and Rose Green, Assington or Broomhill, Frome Vale. Should a longer name be used as well here when it matches the name of a settlement (most of the time)? Places in Category:Cerkno municipality just use "Cerkno" to disambiguate.

The compass directions can be used when other forms are problematic for example Roborough might use Roborough, south Devon (small s because its not the name of an administrative district) because of being in multiple parishes and wards.

Natural disambiguation may be used instead of commas, for example Newnham on Severn instead of Newnham, Gloucestershire however only do so if the alternative name is reasonably common. Skelton-in-Cleveland instead of Skelton, Redcar and Cleveland.

Names are not shortened for example Stourport-on-Severn is not Stourport even though the latter would be unique and more concise. If desired the town would need to ask sources like the OS to change the name to Stourport, then we would follow suit.

If the settlement is a subsidiary meaning of some other topic use the type of settlement for example Corfe Castle (village).

The name can be checked at http://data.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/. If the name of a settlement or unit changes the Ordnance Survey map at Geograph may not be updated quickley so A-Z maps or Mapit for units may be worth checking but the OS linked data is best. Staines was renamed Staines-upon-Thames and A-Z now uses the new name but the maps at Geograph don't.

If a place has moved counties it doesn't generally need to be disambiguated from for example Melling, Lancashire and Melling, Merseyside even though the latter was in Lancashire.

Places that are unquestionably part of a larger settlement may be disambiguated by the settlement they are in but if not unquestionably like Topsham should still be so by county (unless district disambiguation is needed).

Buildings like settlements and other features are often disambiguated by county like Preston Tower, Northumberland but Old Town Hall, Oldham is by settlement as it would be usual to refer to it by settlement. However Ipswich Town Hall, Suffolk is by county to avoid tautological disambiguation (and because Ipswich would still be ambiguous anyway). Henley Town Hall, Oxfordshire is also preferable to Henley Town Hall, Henley-on-Thames. Oxford High School, Oxford, Derby High School, Derby are bad, Northampton High School, Northamptonshire is poor, Bedford High School, Bedfordshire is fine because of Bedford High School, Leigh also in England, even though its not great. Shrewsbury High School, Shropshire is fine considering the location of Lancaster, Lancashire.

Streets are disambiguated by their settlement, even if that is a village or hamlet.

Double disambiguation is not used unless needed, Cantley, Norfolk is not at Cantley, Norfolk, England even though Norfolk is ambiguous. St Peter's Church, Henley does not include Suffolk even though Henley is ambiguous and All Saints' Church, Preston, Gloucestershire is not disambiguated by district as the church in the other Gloucestershire Preston has a different name.

If one place is much better known than the other uses combined, it may be considered the primary topic, see Wikipedia:Disambiguation. Keep in mind that this is all uses, not just places in England. If you even have to think about which is primary or there is a large amount of dispute over primacy, its best to assume that there is no primary topic. If it does then the place is titled according to rule 1 (not disambiguated) and a hatnote is provided.