Description

Book Synopsis

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...

The Book of London Place Names

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    A Paperback / softback by Caroline Taggart

    £17.09

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    RRP £18.99 – you save £1.90 (10%)

    Order before 4pm today for delivery by Sat 29 Aug 2026.

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      Book details

      Publisher Penguin Random House Group
      Imprint Ebury Press
      Published 6 September 2018
      ISBN-13 9781529102451
      978-1529102451
      ISBN-10 1529102456
      Also in:
      Earth Sciences, Geography & Environment Place names and gazetteers

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      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...

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