Great British place names ~ 8

Zouch, pronounced Zotch, is a hamlet of about 20 houses and a pub about 3 miles from where I live.

It isn't the most obscure, funny or strange name in the country, but it does have a claim to fame.

You see, in alphabetical terms it is the last place name in the British Isles!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zouch#Etymology

It is named after the Zouche family, who were large landowners in the area from the 12 and 1300s onwards. The family actually gave their name to Ashby de la Zouch as well, a small town about 20 miles away. Some of you may think that if pronounced Zoosh it has a French twang to it, and you would be right, as the original Zouche was a Breton who settled in the area in the mid 1100s.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zouche

Shot in the rain and the dark this evening. It has been a horrible wet day here!!

[Lisa]

I love your place name shots, there so cool! :)

[Sean O'Neill]

@lizzy_lu123 Thanks Lisa, I think there is a book there somewhere. I could finish my project with these...but I won't!!

[Sasha Berry]

Not only do I love the crazy names I love the information that you give us with the shot. Thank you Sean!

[Sean O'Neill]

@sashaberry That's such a great comment Sasha, inspiring me to find more!! Thanks so much.

[Susie]

Great place name! Maybe I should try it with some of the weird Scottish ones up here lol ....great info too Sean :D

[Mike]

Real ale pub?

[Valerie]

I agree with Sasha

[Ann Stenson]

Just love it!!

[ladyjane]

Funny name! I only wish it was pronounced to rhyme with "ouch".

[Reva]

LOL, this is great. The history of the names you give is neat. I also got a kick out of the hand-drawn exclamation point after "Zouch". :)

[Jeff Walker]

is there also a Zoiks ?

[*ShEiLaG*]

LOl, this is great!

[Sean O'Neill]

@sheg @jsw0109 @reva @ladyjane @annbo @valley @runningbk @susieb Thanks all. @susieb I think you should, the more the merrier for me. @runningbk sadly not, a canalside eatery that hasn't changed in the 25+ years since I proposed to my wife there!! @reva I never saw that Reva, it was raining too hard!! @jsw0109 Sadly no Jeff!

[Livia]

Ooh, very interesting! And now I know there's a place called Zouch, pronounced zotch! (In my head I was reading zouch as in couch.) Cool!

[Dana]

This is a great series Sean - this one is very funny !!

[Sean O'Neill]

@myautofocuslife Glad to be of such assistance 8D I used one of your made up emoticons, I assume it is a nice one?

[Sean O'Neill]

@danacarruthers Cheers Dana, several more to come, in fact maybe in the next few days.....

[Livia]

@seanoneill All emoticons are nice! That's why I abuse them. ;D

[Sean O'Neill]

@myautofocuslife Lol, and long may it continue. I would expect there to be a law against Emoticon Abuse in Europe. Some sort of European Court for Emoticon Abuse!! We've got one for everything else!!

[Audrey]

I was reading it like you @myautofocuslife ! Lol!!
Love the name sign Sean ;))

[Sean O'Neill]

@aud_c Thanks Audrey, we have some strange local ways of pronouncing things.....More to come in this series as people are enjoying it so much.

[Audrey]

@seanoneill : oooh good! Looking forward to seeing more :))

[Corinne]

love your "Zouch", it sounds, in French like "une mouche louche sur une souche" (= a shady fly on a stump).....it doesn't have any sense but it's funny !!!

[Sean O'Neill]

@cocobella Wonderful. My wife, who is a French teacher, will love that Corinne!! Thank you for telling me :) it is funny!