Dorset Place Names: Unlocking their Secrets

Have you ever wondered about some of the weird and wonderful place names in Dorset? How does a name like ‘Sixpenny Handley’ or ‘Ryme Intrinseca’ come about and what can the name tell us about the history of a place?

An event at the Dorset History Centre will reveal all! The English Place Name Society has recently completed its fifth and final volume for Dorset- a monumental effort which has taken academics nearly forty years complete. The survey is grounded in the collection of an enormous amount of evidence and linguistic expertise, providing explanations of the origin of many thousands of place-names including villages, woods, towns, lanes, fields, and even modern street names.

The event will feature two short talks on this endlessly entertaining topic. Beautiful and historic Dorset maps from the county’s archive collections will also be on display and delicious refreshments will be provided.

Tickets cost £8 and can be booked from Eventbrite.

We are publicising this event on behalf of Dorset History Centre as we think it will be of interest to our members. For more information, please contact Maria Gayton, archives@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk.