46,000 Amazing Place Names
PlaceNames.me
There are 46,000 place name locations of villages, towns and cities in the UK. On PlaceNames.me here you will find all 46,000.
These place names stretch through the dramatic Glens and Highlands of Scotland in the north to the stunning English Beaches of Cornwall in the south. From Kent, known as the Garden of England in the south east to the glorious Welsh hills, mountains and valleys in the west. Right across Northern Ireland these place names of exciting towns and villages that make it such a special place teeming with history are here.
You will also see over time a selection of fun, interesting, exciting, historical and geographical Place Name facts relating to each location. You will also see Articles added.
Index Site Navigation
Navigation of the site can be via the menu or a more easy and simple way for readers is via the colour coded INDEX page. This sets out individual pages including those of the various villages, towns and cities with place names in alphabetical order.
You can click the INDEX page link above or in the Menu or skip to the index link at the bottom of the page anytime.
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Business owners, whether Sole Traders or Limited Companies of any type of business are welcome to feature their company.
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The UK Economy & Business
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Join This Amazing Journey
Advertisers are invited to come with us on this amazing and exciting journey and join us as the site builds and develops.
Eventually with a fact for every place name it gives like minded businesses and clubs the opportunity to promote their goods, services, membership, ideals and ethics along the way.
Could We Create A Record Together?
Keeping the vision with maybe, or maybe not, this site having the possibility of a Guinness Book of Records entry being applicable at some future time. With your business or club being a part of it.
As you travel with us on this exciting journey, either as a reader or advertiser, keep in mind that not everything will be right all the time and that adjustments and tweaks will need to be made along the way.
In the words of Albert Einstein, “Anybody who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”
Here is what a PlaceName Fact might look like.
Banner Adverts
A popular form of advertising is banner advertising and here is a fact that you may not have known before.
The first banner ads published on the internet were on 27 October 1994 on the HotWired website, an early off-shoot of Wired magazine?
The first paid advert was purchased by AT&T in the US. Altogether a total of 14 clickable 468 x 60-pixel banner ads were published that same day promoting some well known major companies such as Volvo.
Here is what an Option One banner Advertisement might look like on PlaceNames.
PLACE NAMES
UK Family Businesses
Did you also know that in the UK approximately 75% of all businesses are family-run and employ over 50% of all UK workers?
Furthermore of the 1,551 largest companies in the UK, one in five (19.8pc) are family-owned – and most of these belong to UK families. (Daily Telegraph 3rd Nov 2024)
Henry Ford & Advertising
Even Henry Ford who started the Ford Motor Company recognized the importance of advertising. He once said, “A man who stops advertising to save money is like a man who stops a clock to save time.”
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PLACE NAMES
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We want you to notice because PlaceNames.me does not place any cookies. All information stays on our site making the form unnecessary.
This makes it easier for you and a great start for anyone looking at the site and your advert if you are an advertiser.
Place Names Fun Facts
Below are some fun, interesting and at times unusual facts about place names of each of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom. See others on the various pages of PlaceNames.
PLACE NAMES
Do You Have A Interesting Fact?
Share with us your interesting or unusual place names fact or fun fact about your town or village. A famous person born there, an unusual or historic building perhaps? For instance did you know that at one time the only Cork tree in England was in the Loose Valley just outside Maidstone in Kent.
PLACE NAMES
England
Famous for Royalty, history, tradition, Buckingham Palace, Houses of Parliament, Guy Fawkes.
Population
Figures from the 2021 census shows the population of England as 56,490,048.
Longest River
The River Thames is the longest river in England at 220 miles long (354 km). It is crossed by over 200 bridges and travels down 20 different tunnels.
The source of the Thames lies in Trewsbury Mead, Gloucestershire, and ends between Whitstable in Kent and Foulness Point, Essex.
By 1858 the Thames got the unenviable name of ‘The Big Stink’ due to the levels of raw sewage being dumped in the water.
Village Furthest From Sea
The village of Coton in the Elms in Derbyshire at 70 miles or 110km is believed furthest from the sea in the UK.
The London Eye
Once the tallest ferris wheel in the world the London Eye is the biggest in Europe.
It has an approximate height of 443 feet or 135 metres. The wheel is 394 feet in diameter or 120 metres.
Built to celebrate the 2000 millennium it was only intended to be in place for 5 years.
It is now one of the largest visitor attractions in the UK with 3.75 million visits a year.
Elevation
The UK is flatter in the south. The further north the higher the landscape. This includes the Peak District of Derbyshire, the Pennines of Lancashire and Yorkshire and Cumbria Lake District.
Centre Of England
The geographic centre of England is Meridan in the West Midlands.
Place Names
First Below Ground Rail In The World
Many cities in the world have underground rail systems but London UK was the very first city in the world to trial out an underground railway.
It first started operating in 1863 and the first electrified line was implemented in 1890.
Viking Invasion
York was the first place to be settled by the Vikings who called it Jorvik. There is Jorvik Viking Centre in York to celebrate the history.
Deepest Harbour
England has the deepest natural harbour in the UK at Falmouth in Cornwall at 34 metres.
It is the third deepest in the world after Sydney Harbour Australia and the Port of Mahon India.
Largest Natural Harbour
Poole Harbour in England is Europe’s largest natural harbour and has an approximate area of 14 square miles.
PLACE NAMES
WALES
Famous for stunning scenery, rain, mountain and lakes, rugby, castles, coal mining, slate, Welsh National Dress, Welsh language, bravery.
Also famous for twinning with Welsh communities around the world most notable Patagonia
Regiments
Bravery – Battle of Rorke’s Drift in 1879 and heroic actions during the Boer War. The regiment based at Brecon later to become the South Wales Borderers made famous in the film Zulu with Michael Caine when 11 VC’s were awarded holding off 4000 Zulu warriors. The headquarters of the Gurka Regiment is also in Wales.
Population
Population of Wales 2021 census 3,107,500
Patron Saint
St David. St David’s Day 1st March.
National Flower
With it’s bright yellow petals the daffodil is the national flower of Wales.
Daffodil. Before this the leek.
Place Names
How The Leek Became Popular
The story goes that the 7th century king of Gwynedd, Cadwaladr, ordered his men to strap a leek to their armour. This to more easily distinguish them from the enemy during battle. This was later reinforced when the Tudor royal household instructed their guards to wear leeks on St David’s Day.
Coastline of Wales
600 miles (970 km). Approximate.
Distances
North South Distance
130 miles (210 km)
East to West Distance
90 miles (145 km) East West in the North
40 miles (65 km) in the Centre
100 miles (160 km) across the Southern Portion
All distances approximate
Highest Mountain
Snowdon also named Yr Wyddfa is 1,085 metres (3,560 ft) in height.
Longest River
The River Towy is the longest river flowing entirely within Wales. Total length 120 km (75 mi).
Longest Place Name
Longest Place Name
Not only in Wales but the world. On Anglesey.
“Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch”
PLACE NAMES
SCOTLAND
Famous for Haggis, Bonnie Prince Charlie, Edinburgh Tattoo, kilt, Scottish regiments, salmon fishing and farming, highland cattle, red deer, golf, whisky, Caithness glass. Hub of the North Sea gas and oil exploration.
Population
Population Scotland 2022 was 5,439,842.
Most Northerly Point
Normally thought to be John O’Groats it is not the most northerly place on mainland UK.
The title goes to Dunnett Head 2 miles further north.
Scarfskerry in Caithness is the most northerly settlement located on a small peninsula northeast of Thurso and is further north than John O’Groats.
lslands
Apart from stunning scenery of mountains and lochs Scotland has approximately 720 islands. 130 being occupied.
Place Names
Highest Mountain
Ben Nevis (Beinn Nibheis) in the Grampian mountains is the highest mountain in Scotland and the UK at 4,413 feet (1,345 m)
Munro
There are 282 Scottish mountains over 3,000 feet (910 m) and these are referred to as a Munro.
Land Border
The border with England is 96 miles (154 km) long.
Norway
Parts of Scotland are closer to Norway than London.
Most Southern Point
The most southern point in Scotland is the Mull of Galloway.
Meaning of Mull
From the Gaelic word maol meaning headland, hill, mountain, promontory or peninsula. Mainly applicable to South West Scotland.
Oldest Harbour
Spanning almost 900 years and established in 1136 by King David I of Scotland the Port of Aberdeen is the oldest business in Britain. Note that according to the Guinness Book of Records not just the oldest harbour but the oldest business in the UK.
Britain’s Smallest Harbour
Seacliff, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland at 12 metres at its longest side and an entrance at a bare three metres across is considered the smallest. It is a single man, single boat harbour.
PLACE NAMES
NORTHERN IRELAND
Northern Ireland famous for golf, whisky, ship building, Titanic, Giants Causeway, Soda Bread
Population
Population 2021 census 1,903,175, About 3% of UK population.
Flag
Official flag of Northern Ireland is the Union Jack
Place Names
Old Bushmills Distillery
Bushmills established in 1608 is the oldest licensed distillery in the world.
Ulster American Folk Park
The Ulster American Folk Park in Co. Tyrone gives an insight into rural history of days gone by with small streets, farmhouses, and thatched cottages.
The Derry Walls, Derry
Constructed during the 17th century and approximately 1.5 km in circumference they are the only remaining complete city walls in Ireland.
North West 200
First held in 1929 this international motorcycle race is the biggest sporting event in Northern Ireland.
Held on an 8.9-mile triangular course on public roads between the towns of Portrush, Portstewart and Coleraine speeds can be in excess of 200mph.
Border
The border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is 499 km (310 mi) from Carlingford Lough in the north east to Lough Foyle in the north west.
Giants Causeway
The picture shown on the NI pages is of the Giants Causeway. This was made a
UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.
It consists of balsalt columns which are interlocking. There are approximately 40,000 of them formed from a volcanic fissure eruption which then cooled, a little like when mud dries and cracks. However in this case they formed almost perfect consistent shapes.
It is located in County Antrim a short distance (3 miles or 4.8km) from Bushmills, one of the most famous place names in the world. The oldest legal distillery in the world.
Send In Your Fun Fact
This is just a flavour of some fun facts about the UK. Use the Contact Form to send in your place names fun fact about a village, town or city you know.
Place Names