Fancy a Bit of Toponymy? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Beda, the name of a Saxon chief

As a surname, the "Bed" in Bedford derives from Bede or Beade, meaning a town crier (and a name popularised by the Venerable Bede); but the town of Bedford in Bedfordshire is more likely to be derived from the name of Beda, a Saxon Chief who once ruled the area around the River Ouse.

Answer: A dill meadow

Dulwich is located in the Greater London borough of Southwark and it was first recorded in the year 967 when it was granted by King Edgar to the Earl Aelfheah. It had various spellings over the centuries - Dilwihs, Dylways and Dullag - and Dulwich derives from two old English words, Dill (meaning a white flower), and wihs (meaning a meadow).

Answer: A king's town

Kennington is located in the Greater London borough of Lambeth and it first appears in the 1086 Domesday Book as Chenintune, owned by Teodric (Theodoric) the Goldsmith. Before then it was apparently known as a sacred place of assembly. In 1229 it was recorded as Kenintone and in 1263 it became Kenyngton. Various Old English derivations include "farmstead or estate associated with a man called Cena" and "farm of the family called Keen"; but in view of its location "place of the King", or "town of the King", seems to be a more acceptable explanation amongst the toponymy experts.

Answer: Lime-tree

Lindfield in West Sussex, high above the River Ouse, is a beautiful town that existed thousands of years before the Romans arrived. Its High Street was once part of an important north-south track from London to the coast. It was first recorded in a Saxon charter of 765 AD as "Linderfeldia", meaning "open land with lime trees".

In this charter King Ealdwulf granted land to the Church, and by the time of the 1086 Domesday Book Lindfield was held by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Today, the High Street remains lined with lime trees.

Answer: Cerdic

Chearsley is located in Buckinghamshire within the civil parish of Aylesbury Vale. Its name derives from Anglo Saxon and means "Cerdic's clearing" or "Cerdic's lea". In the 1086 Domesday Book it was recorded as Cerdeslai. It is very likely to be the Cerdicesleah mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle where King Cerdic fought and defeated the Britons in 527.

Answer: Dunking place for witches

Mortlake is located in the Greater London borough of Richmond and in the 1086 Domesday Book it was recorded as "Mortlage" meaning "a compulsive law" in the Saxon language. Held by the Archbishop of Canterbury until Henry VIII confiscated all church land, Mortlake was well known for its fine tapestries.

The origin of the name isn't completely settled, with the the other incorrect answers both being possible sources for Mortlake.

Answer: Marshland

Stroud in the county of Gloucestershire was originally part of Bisley and became a separate and district place when a church was built there in 1279. It was entrusted with parochial right by the rectors of Bisley in 1304. Its name derives from "La Strode" - i.e. the marshland at the juncture of the Slad Brook and the River Frome.

Answer: Tree

Trowbridge is located in Wiltshire and the most likely derivation of its name is "treow-brycg" meaning "Tree Bridge". It was the first bridge over the River Biss and was wooden (made from trees). In the 1086 Domesday Book it was recorded as the village of Straburg and the first time Trowbridge is mentioned by its modern name was in 1139 when Trowbridge Castle was besieged.

Answer: Hill with a heathen temple

Weedon is located in Buckinghamshire and its name derives from Old English "hill with a heathen temple". In 1066 it was recorded as Weodune. The town has been settled since the Early Bronze Age, and it is likely that the heathen temple was dedicated to Odin by settlers from Denmark.

Answer: Roman site of tribe called Wigoran

Any place ending in "cester" or "castor" means a Roman site, and the "Wor" in Worcester means the Wigoran tribe which originally inhabited the area. Interestingly, the bishop of Worcester's official signature continues to be his first name followed by Wigorn. Settled since Neolithic times, the City of Worcester (in Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England on the eastern bank of the River Severn) was used by the Romans to establish a vital fort (probably the first) from which they were able to push the empire further.