New book about Oxfordshire place names (Amended 11/05/09)

AUTHOR and publisher omitted from feature:
Author: Anthony Poulton-Smith
Publisher: Amberley Publishing

EVER wondered how our towns and villages got their names? Were they a deliberate creation by our ancestors or did they evolve naturally over time? Is there a feline cemetery on Cat?s Brain Hill? Which streets remember the revival of Morris Dancing? Was there really a crossing place for cattle at Oxford? And when did Gibraltar, California and New Zealand come to Oxfordshire?

Oxfordshire Place Names examines the origins of the names with which we are otherwise so familiar. Towns, villages, districts, hills, streams, woods, farms, fields, streets and even pubs are examined and explained. Some of the definitions give a glimpse of life in the earlier days of the settlement, and for the author there is nothing more satisfying than finding a name which gives such a snapshot.

The definitions are supported by anecdotal evidence, bringing to life the individuals and events which have influenced the places and the way these names have developed.

This is not just a dictionary but a history that will prove invaluable not only for those who live and work in the county but also visitors and tourists, historians and former inhabitants, indeed anyone with an interest in Oxfordshire.