Discover the quirky origins behind village and hamlet names in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. From Cow Roast to Ireland, find out more.
Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire have odd place names. Many will make you laugh or wonder why. Here are seven places with unusual names.
Cow Roast starts this list of strange names. The hamlet lies near Tring and Berkhamstead. “Cow Roast” might be a shortened “Cow Rest.” Cattle rested there on the way to market. The hamlet sat on an old drovers’ route to London. It was also a Roman industrial area. People found pottery, tools, and jewelry there.
Cold Christmas is a tiny hamlet near Ware. Deaths around Christmas might explain the name. Nigel Hawthorne, an actor, lived there. He died in Cold Christmas on December 26, 2001. Chris Lowe from the Pet Shop Boys also lives there.
Nasty sounds bad, but it’s a nice village. It sits near Stevenage and Bishop’s Stortford. People take photos with the village sign. Laura Hamilton made a “Nice” sign once. “Nasty” comes from an Anglo-Saxon term. It meant “at the eastern hedged enclosure.”
Beane is a small place in Stapleford. The name likely comes from the River Beane. This river flows into the River Lea. Some historic mills used to operate on the river. Sele Mill was mentioned in the Domesday Book.
Trowley Bottom is a funny place name. The hamlet neighbors Flamstead. It consists mostly of a few cottages. The show This Country filmed a scene there.
Ireland is a name taken from another place. The hamlet dates back to the 11th century. It appeared in the Domesday Book. Google Maps shows Ireland when you search for it. The map shows the actual country of Ireland.
Cockayne Hatley is in Central Bedfordshire. The Cokayne family owned the land in 1417. Poet W. E. Henley is buried there. He inspired Long John Silver in Treasure Island. Some say his daughter inspired Wendy in Peter Pan.