Take a journey down winding lanes and Roman roads in this witty and informative guide to the meanings behind the names of England's towns and villages. From Celtic farmers to Norman conquerors, right up to the Industrial Revolution, deciphering our place names reveals how generations of our ancestors lived, worked, travelled and worshipped, and how their influence has shaped our landscape.

From the most ancient sacred sites to towns that take their names from stories of giants and knights, learn how Roman garrisons became our great cities, and discover how a meeting of the roads could become a thriving market town. Region by region, Caroline Taggart uncovers hidden meanings to reveal a patchwork of tall tales and ancient legends that collectively tells the story of how we made England.

About the Author
Caroline Taggart worked in publishing as an editor of popular non-fiction for 30 years before being asked to write I Used to Know That, which became a Sunday Times bestseller. Her later books include My Grammar and I (or should that be 'Me'?) and Her Ladyship's Guide to the Queen's English. As a result, she has appeared frequently on BBC Breakfast and on national and regional radio, talking about language, grammar and Pythagoras' theorem. With her editorial hat on, she also visits writers' conferences around the country, advising would-be authors on how to get published and learning what their place names mean.

Reviews
Will enliven a journey through even the dullest parts of the country.-Lonely Planet

Taggart has researched hidden meanings to reveal a patchwork of tall tales and legends that reveal the history of England's often oddly named towns and villages...If you want to know your wick from your ham and your ton from your bury, this quirky little hardback is worth picking up.-Manchester Evening News

Caroline Taggart...has carved out a niche for herself in user-friendly, wittily-written factual books.-Yorkshire Post



Book Information
ISBN 9781529907759
Author Caroline Taggart
Format Paperback
Page Count 304
Imprint Ebury Press
Publisher Ebury Publishing
Weight(grams) 208g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 126mm * 18mm