Skimming through the UK travel blogs, I came across this gem of a post on the Guardian Travelog about how creative we Aussies are when it comes to the Queen's English. I had to share it with you, possums. Do you recognise 
yourselves? Anyway, it got me thinking. We may (or may not) have silly slang down under, but the British reign supreme when it comes to silly place-names. Really, REALLY silly place-names. Like Nether Wallop (Hampshire) and its neighbour, Over Wallop. Like Splatt, Splott and Twatt (Devon, Wales and Orkney). And Spital-in-the-Street (Lincolnshire). You think I’m joking, don’t you? Oh, I’m not.
Photo by mrpattersonsir
How about Great Fryupdale and Blubberhouses? You’ll find them both in North Yorkshire. Or Barton in Fabis (Nottinghamshire), formerly known as Barton in the Beans? Or Little Snoring, in Norfolk? And, of course, Great Snoring nearby.
Worcestershire has Wyre Piddle and North Piddle, while beautiful Dorset has Piddlehinton and Piddletrenthide. Presumably, there's an explanation behind them. There might also be explanations for Quaking Houses (Durham), Mid Yell (Shetlands), Queen Camel (Somerset), Mousehole (Devon) and Tonypandy (Wales).
Photo by Andyrob
The depressingly-named Slaughters (Upper and Lower) are two of the prettiest villages in the Cotswolds. People lucky enough to live there might take a certain pride in their address, but it's a struggle to believe that anyone could own up to being a resident of Maggot's End, Essex. Yet, apparently it exists. Or did. It may have met a sticky end.
For sheer barmy-ness, Bully Hole Bottom takes some beating. It’s a small village in Wales; you might care to go there – if only for a souvenir shot of the signpost. You might also like to drop in at Six Mile Bottom (Cambridgeshire), Pratts Bottom (Kent) and Bottom Flash (Cheshire). Bryant’s Puddle, Ashby-***-Fenby, Come-to-Good (Cornwall) and Melling-with-Wrayton (Lancashire) pale in comparison.
Then there’s the equally baffling place-name pronunciation. Like Belvoir (beaver), Keighley (keith-lee), Beaulieu 
(bew-lee), Towcester (toaster) and Bicester (rhymes with sister). Like Puncknowle (punnel) and Mousehole (mowzle). And should you ever end up in Oswaldtwistle or Woolfardisworthy, fear not. They’re called “ozzultwizzle” and “woolsree”. Cambridge has Magdelene college – easy, you think? Sorry. It’s “maudlin”, and Caius, its sister college is “keys”. Well, of course it is. What else? Likewise, when you're asking directions to Beauchamp Place in Knightsbridge, the place you want is “beach-em" – obviously. As if we Aussies didn't know that.
Photo by kaet44
The golden rule is, when it comes to British place-names and their pronunciation, there's absolutely no rhyme or reason. It's lots of good fun, though. And bully for everyone who lives in Bully Hole Bottom. I hope to visit you one day soon.