The Book of London Place Names

A fascinating guide to the stories behind London's place names

Caroline Taggart worked in publishing as an editor of popular non-fiction for 30 years before being asked to write I Used to Know That, which became a Sunday Times bestseller. Her later books include My Grammar and I (or should that be 'Me'?) and Her Ladyship's Guide to the Queen's English. As a result, she has appeared frequently on BBC Breakfast and on national and regional radio, talking about language, grammar and Pythagoras' theorem. With her editorial hat on, she also visits writers' conferences around the country, advising would-be authors on how to get published and learning what their place names mean.

Ever wondered if Cheapside really is cheap, what you do in Threadneedle Street, or who the knights of Knightsbridge were? 
 
Did you know that Piccadilly is actually an insult? And that Euston Road was built because there were too many cows on Oxford Street? Or that the River Fleet was covered over partly because of a drunken butcher? 
 
Take a trip down narrow lanes, through cobbled streets and crowded markets to discover the meanings behind the city’s place names. Meet forgotten residents whose names survive in the places where they lived, such as Sir George Downing of Downing Street, and uncover tales from London’s murky past that have shaped the modern city. 
 
From famous landmarks to forgotten rivers, grand thoroughfares to lost palaces, and ancient villages swallowed up as the city grew, Sunday Times bestselling author Caroline Taggart explains the hidden meanings behind familiar places. If you have ever wanted to learn more about the history of London and discover the people, events and stories that shaped our capital city, then come on a journey that will show you London in a new light...

Caroline Taggart

How Our Towns and Villages Got Their Names

Take a journey down winding lanes and Roman roads in this witty and informative guide to the meanings behind the names of England's towns and villages. From Celtic farmers to Norman conquerors, right up to the Industrial Revolution, deciphering our place names reveals how generations of our ancestors lived, worked, travelled and worshipped, and how their influence has shaped our landscape. 
 
From the most ancient sacred sites to towns that take their names from stories of giants and knights, learn how Roman garrisons became our great cities, and discover how a meeting of the roads could become a thriving market town. Region by region, Caroline Taggart uncovers hidden meanings to reveal a patchwork of tall tales and ancient legends that collectively tells the story of how we made England.

Caroline Taggart

Books by Caroline Taggart

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