If you're familiar with London and its various boroughs and neighborhoods, you've probably never thought that some of the names are a bit unusual.
In this blog, we delve into history to uncover the origins of some of the capital's most famous place names, uncovering some cool facts along the way.
angel
Angel is one of London's most unique names, and although it clearly has religious connotations, its origins are actually far from spiritual. The area takes its name from the Angel Inn, a popular 17th century tavern. The property was eventually demolished and eventually replaced by the Angel Hotel, which is now used as office space.
blackfriars
Blackfriars is known today for its excellent river-straddling railway station and proximity to the city, but its name can be traced back almost 1,000 years. A Dominican monastery was founded in 1278. The monastery was frequented by pious friars, mostly dressed in black, and its name became synonymous with the area. If you're ever in the area, it's worth a visit to The Black Friar, a Grade II listed pub just outside the station.
chalk farm
Surprisingly, the Chalk Farm has nothing to do with chalk (the area is actually made of London clay). Rather, most historians agree that the name derives from the region's former Anglo-Saxon name, “Caldecott,” meaning “cold haven.” However, some believe that the name derives from the farmhouse (a building that still stands today), which in the 1770s was known colloquially as the “White House” and was probably painted with chalk-based chalk.
Inugashima
This has been debated by various historians, but is certainly worth highlighting, given the number of interesting explanations that exist. The first thing to note is that Inujima is not an island, but a peninsula, and has not been known to have a lot of dog activity. One of the most popular theories is that the area was actually known as Duck Island because it was a wetland for hundreds of years, and that the name was corrupted at some point in history. Another idea is that it was originally called Dykes Island, which makes sense given the many attempts over the centuries to minimize flooding. That's probably true. The third concept is that it is a shortened version of the word “dogger”, which the Dutch called their fishing boats.
Lambeth
While there is still much debate about the origins of the Isle of Dogs, there is no such confusion regarding Lambeth. Records dating back to 1062 refer to the area as Lambehita, meaning “Landing Place of the Lambs”, as it was the place where the lambs came and went.
oval
The area first became known as the Oval in the 17th century, when ambitious plans were drawn up to create an oval district. Although the design was never fully completed, the name stuck and was eventually adopted by the area's iconic cricket ground, which opened in 1845.
stoke newington
Stoke Newington is an urban haven for lovers of trendy coffee shops and quirky independent shops, but when it first got its name, the area was surrounded by greenery. The part Stoke comes from the word 'stock' meaning 'tree' and Newington is an evolution of the word 'Newton' which simply means 'new town'. Stoke Newington therefore means 'New Town in the Woods'.
tooting
Tooting's roots can be traced back to at least 1086, when it was referred to in the Domesday Book as 'Toting' after the local Saxon tribe. The 'Bec' part of Tooting Bec is thought to come from the Old German 'Bach', meaning stream.
