Mouthy Ports

[Ships_Cat]

Why do so many ports and coastal towns in the South of England have names ending in "...mouth"? I assume it is something to do with rivers?

Seem very few further north - is Yarmouth the most northerly? If there are none/few heading North in England, is there a reason (I assume Scotland and Wales don't have them 'cos of language).

Thanks

John

 

[Neraida]

It's to do with their situation at the mouths of rivers normally i.e Yarmouth is at the mouth of the river Yar and Falmouth at the mouth of the river Fal.

Tynemouth is further north than Great Yarmouth (Newcastle area) for one.....I could go on!


Claire

 

[Poignard]

Cockermouth?

 

[ParaHandy]

wull north of the border there's Eyemouth, Lossiemouth ... umpteen of 'em

 

[Twister_Ken]

Even Grangemouth, Jewel of the Jocks

 

[Lakesailor]

[ QUOTE ]
Cockermouth?

[/ QUOTE ] Excellent toy museum.

 

[savageseadog]

All the Welsh Abers' are the mouth of ie Aberystwyth, Abergele etc

 

[BrendanS]

You got there before me. Ships cat just needs some language lessons

 

[Ships_Cat]

Wotch it or I'll launch into Strine again /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

OK on the Welsh "Aber's" and I now see there is a Barmouth at least too.

Thanks for the responses everyone.

John

 

[starboard]

Don't forget the Jocks!!....Lochinver, Lochindorb, Lochalsh.........

Paul.

 

[gandy]

Inverness is at the mouth of the Ness, but I think "inver" means "joining" rather than specifically the mouth. Inverurie for example is inland. "Aber" is a Scottish as well Welsh placename component.

Tony S

 

[starboard]

"Aber" or "Inver" - the mouth of a river as in Aberdeen (mouth of the Dee) and Inverness. It can also mean the confluence of two rivers as in Aberfoyle and Aberlour (meaning loud confluence).

Paul.

 

[dulcibella]

Don't forget the Bretons in the other direction - Aberwrac'h, Aberbenoit, Aberildut.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Never mind the confluence, Aberlour is nice Single Malt!

 

[starboard]

Yes would have to agree with that......got one through the post the other day from a helicopter pilot whom I helped out last week when he had to make an emergency landing due gearbox warning light. Thanks very much Costock 9.

Paul.

 

[Thistle]

Inversneckie!

(Or is that too close to the "fish" threads?? Bit onybudy fa's nae fra Aiberdeen'll nae ken fit wir oan aboot.)

 

[savageseadog]

[ QUOTE ]
Wotch it or I'll launch into Strine again /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

OK on the Welsh "Aber's" and I now see there is a Barmouth at least too.



[/ QUOTE ]
Barmouth = Abermawddach

 

[ShipsWoofy]

I saw a boat in Tenby I did not recognise the name of, I asked the skipper and was told it was Swansea which too was an Aber...... Does anyone know?


Also, heli is by the saltmarsh or something similar, any taffs confirm?

 

[BrendanS]

Abertawe

 

[Ships_Cat]

Very interesting responses, thanks all.

Must be an opportunity for a book about UK place names, language alternatives for them, how they came about, typical interesting stories behind them, etc. Don't mean a description for every name in a boring list but for some of the more interesting ones. Also about some of the common language roots, common themes for naming (eg after the mouth of river).

Maybe there is one already?

John