Feb 2016 Partners Evening 7 for 7.30pm - Etymology

Tonight we particularly welcome our spouses and partners to share a relaxed social evening with us.  Lots of chat over a lovely meal in beautiful surroundings.

Our talk this evening was from John Baker on the subject of 'the Etymology of place names - particularly around the Cambridge area'.  He works from Nottingham University with the English Place Names Society.  This group was set up around 100 years ago with the aim to build an authoritative list of place-names across the country with the roots and origins of each one.  So much can be revealed about the life-styles and settings of the people who named things and places by studying the history of names.  There is still work to be done and John shared his fascination with the subject with us today.

He talked us through several name chains such as - "Nottingham".

Apparently this name has evolved in modern times from ancient roots - Nottinggame 1624, Notingaham 1145, Snotingeham 1086, Snotengaham 890 - this Old English origin literally means "homestead of the followers of a man named Snot" !!

We were particularly interested to find out that "Cambridge" has come through an unlikely and tortuous route - Caumbrigge 1348, Cantebrigie 1086, Grantanbrycge 920, Grantabricc 9th century, Grantacaestir in Old English meaning "roman fort on the Granta river".

But the name Grantchester comes from a different origin - Granta-saete meaning granta dwellers, with Granta meaning muddy river or fen river in ancient celtic times.

see www.nottingham.ac.uk for more details of books and exhibitions spinning off from this intriguing project.

Organiser Vicky Burman - do get in touch if you want more details or have particular dietary or parking requirements. Remember to book your guests in in good time.

FOOD BANK COLLECTION TODAY - Thank you everyone !