What's In A Name?

One of the many delights of an old map is studying how place names have changed over time. I have been looking into Bifrons House again recently (of which more later) and have come across the following map which serves as a good example. On this excerpt of the OS First Series of 1816 (based on data provided through www.VisionofBritain.org.uk using historical material which is copyright of the Great Britain Historical GIS Project and the University of Portsmouth) we can find Patricksbourn, Beakesbourn  and Bishopsbourn along with Byfrons and Renwell. Beaksbourn Street is also identified - not only is it now known as Bekesbourne Hill it is spelled differently on this map to Beakesbourn itself.

Standardised spelling was obviously a little way off, even when it came to official maps of the country. I assume that where place names were concerned, the coming of the railway network probably assisted with the standardisation process and the need to prepare accurate maps as a consequence.

One would imagine that nowadays name uncertainty wouldn’t exist. After all we all know what places are called, right? A couple of examples follow from Canterbury to show that this isn’t necessarily the case! 

I’m not sure when Northgate became singular but it was certainly known as Northgate Street in 1940 as it appears in the Kelly Directory in this form. However, is the road now Northgate or North Gate? as the street signs at either end of the thoroughfare give both forms.

When scaffolding on number 16 closed St. Radigund’s Street a couple of years ago, signs were put out on the Causeway to alert drivers to the hazard. How these signs were produced with two different spellings for the same street is a mystery!

Incidentally, St. Radigund’s Street is named for the former St. Radigund’s Hospice which was located behind number 16. Part of the building can be viewed from the garden of the Dolphin, which as we all know is still Canterbury’s only 1930s built pub named after a marine mammal.