| Author |
Message |
Lillam
Joined 15-04-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, 19 July, 2007 - 07:11 pm: | |
I always took Honor Oak to be the traditional spelling - however Ive just been looking at some old maps and its spelled Honour! (look in the bottom left)
http://www.mappalondon.com/london/south-east/nunhead.jpg
Can anyone explain that?
if you want more, more maps here
http://www.mappalondon.com/ |
Nevermodern
Joined 09-02-2007
| | Posted on Friday, 20 July, 2007 - 09:31 am: | |
Spellings change over time. When most name places were coined, there was no standardised spelling, then that dictionary bloke came along and picked the most commonly used spelling (or randomly plucked one out of his olde-worlde hat, depending on your view) and things stuck. You might also have had differently named places depending upon who was in power at the time (the French, the Vikings, the Romans, the Britons), and then one of them eventually stuck.
Or something :) |
Stevegrindlay
Joined 24-10-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, 21 July, 2007 - 05:29 pm: | |
A good answer, Nevermodern, but I can add a couple of facts. On Mayday 1602 Queen Elizabeth "went amayenge to Sir Richard Buckley's at Lewisham". Sir Richard lived at the long-demolished Place House, near the junction of Perry Hill and Catford Hill. Tradition has it that the party went to One Tree Hill and the Queen sat beneath the tree on the summit. As early as 1609 the tree was referred to as "the Oke of Honor" although for over a century both spellings were used indiscriminately. Eventually the older spelling became approved, although the word is still occasionally misspelt. |
Baggydave
Joined 19-05-2004
| | Posted on Monday, 23 July, 2007 - 05:41 pm: | |
So Steve, why is the Ye Old Oke of Honor (aka St Germains pub) actually in Forest Hill? Or do the James/Jamies know something that we don't
And where does Blythe Hill come from? |
Dotcom
Joined 21-04-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, 24 July, 2007 - 09:42 am: | |
I read somewhere that Blythe means 'windy.' |
Pvp
Joined 17-03-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, 24 July, 2007 - 11:16 am: | |
I think this has been covered elsewhere. If I recall correctly, what is now Honour Oak was considered part of Forest Hill, and only later was a distinction made.
As for Blythe, it could mean joyous (as in she was a blithe spitit). Maybe some shenanigans went on there once upon a time. |
Johnc
Joined 09-01-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, 24 July, 2007 - 11:58 am: | |
I think Blyth may be from the old english blithe - the gentle or pleasnt one |
Stevegrindlay
Joined 24-10-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, 24 July, 2007 - 12:49 pm: | |
Blythe Hill Tavern was built and first licensed in 1866. It took its name from the lane which in turn was named after a house at the top of the lane. I have found no evidence that the hill was called Blythe Hill before the house appeared. I suspect, in view of the rather whimsical meanings suggested above, that the name originated from the house.
Blythe Close now covers the site of Blythe House, which was possibly built ca.1830 and demolished in the 1890s. In 1843 it was one of only four of five buildings along the whole length of Stanstead Road; the rest was fields.
Although at this time the lane was merely a drive leading to the house, it is actually much, much older. It had previously been part of a field path that continued on over the hill to Brockley. However, a book published in 1973 suggested that there was a Roman Road that branched off from the Old Kent Road (Watling Street) and "crossed Brockley Rise at St Hilda's Church and made straight for Blythe Hill … it then [continued] to the Pool River". |
Andy
Joined 23-02-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, 24 July, 2007 - 01:07 pm: | |
Apparently there was a lot of brick making going on in Blythe Hill Lane at some point. |
Stevegrindlay
Joined 24-10-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, 24 July, 2007 - 01:21 pm: | |
You're right, Andy, except the brickworks was actually on the field:
http://www.ideal-homes.org.uk/lewisham/brockley/brickmaking.htm
They made the bricks for many of the houses in the area. |
Brian
Joined 18-04-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, 24 July, 2007 - 01:21 pm: | |
There was brickmaking going on all over in Victorian era. Apparently nearly all Victorian houses built of local brick ( or so I have been informed ) . They knew about the environment in those days |
Nevermodern
Joined 09-02-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, 24 July, 2007 - 01:38 pm: | |
Yes, they knew so much about the environment that most of london was regularly engulfed in smog which meant you could hardly see and the thames was so full of effluent you could barely breathe! |
Johnc
Joined 09-01-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, 24 July, 2007 - 02:07 pm: | |
Ah well you've got to eat a peck of dirt before you die |
