Fa – the Green Dragon

A Place for the Odd Musings of an Expat Bristolian


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Unusual U.K. place names 65. – Uttoxeter

UTTOXETER, Staffordshire

Varied history

Luttuc’s homestead on the heath

Roman garrison


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Unusual U.K. place names54. – Wyre Piddle

WYRE PIDDLE, Worcestershire

famous brewery

Brewed “Piddle in the Hole” beer

On Piddle Brook


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Obscure words explained 78. – gree

GREE

A step or rank earned

Prize given for victory.

from Latin gradus


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Obscure words explained 76. – sagacious

SAGACIOUS

Acute mental strength

Keen practical sense, shrewdness

Wise beyond belief

 


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Unusual U.K. place names 51. – Stow cum Quy

STOW CUM QUY, Cambridgeshire

Stow means a high place

Quy  from Cowey, cow island

cum Latin for with

 


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Unusual U.K. place names 50. – Sampford Brett

SAMPFORD BRETT, Somersetshire

Name from sandy ford

and Brett family Manor

later, the Courtney’s

 


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A departure

As a departure from my usual scribblings about unusual U.K. place names and Obscure words, I thought it might be useful to write something about my philosophical point of view.
I suppose my motive is to be better understood by the casual reader. For those of you who follow my blog, I am grateful and for those of you who add personal insight through your comments, I am uplifted and inspired.
A cynic or was is a psychotherapist recently wrote that the reason people blog is that they want, desire, crave attention. I am not sure that I can accept this; since I view blogging to be more of a means to communicate intelligent information and dare, I say spark interaction with random people in the blogging universe.
We are I believe living in desperate times.
As a citizen and resident of the United States I fear for the country. Of which I am a naturalized citizen, but I now have doubts.
I am living in what is referred to as “my Autumn years”. I had great expectations but, sadly I am disillusioned. I find myself living in a country teetering on the edge of collapse because of a narcissistic corrupt president who does not understand the necessity to follow the rule of law and to act in a dignified manner when representing his country.
My alternatives are many but, the most natural would be to return to my homeland The United Kingdom of Great Britain. However, there is political upheaval there too; for which I have no comment as I  am ignorant of all the facts.
Suffice it to say, I” m in pain. I feel saddened and frustrated by the state of world affairs for which I have no solution and see no speedy resolution.
What has happened to reason? Why is it that people no longer seem to be thinking rationally?
Well, I’ll leave that up to you to answer. Thank you


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Unusual U.K. place names 47. – Old Sarum

OLD SARUM, Wiltshire

Iron age hill fort

Hunters then farmers lived here

Settled since B.C.


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Unusual U.K. place names 45. – Purse Caundle

PURSE CAUNDLE, Dorset

A strange name for sure!

Pronounced  the same as candle

Branch of River Yeo


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Unusual U.K. place names 44. – Huish Episcopi

HUISH EPISCOPI, Somersetshire

Outskirts of langport

Belonged to bishop of Wells

Somerset Levels