Place Names of Stourbridge, The Black Country and their Environs: Origins, meaning and interpretation by Kevin James BSc(Hons), MSc, PhD, FIAP This is a short introduction, for non-specialists, to the subject of place names in the historical landscape. The article discusses the origin and interpretation of some of the commonest place-name elements and presents almost three hundred examples from the vicinity of the Black Country. Topics covered include: place-name chronology; ethnic, religious and cultural identity in place names; landscape terms; boundary perambulations; and place-name migration and mutation. Several place names around Stourbridge are examined in more depth. Brook Holloway; The Ham House and Ham Lane; Hungary Hill; Wynall Lane; Catherwell (Meadow, House, Terrace, Field and Saw Mill); Hanbury (Yearnebarrowe) Hill, Pepper Hill, and local stream names are discussed together with other topics of local importance such as the Hwiccan kingdom; Kinver Forest; the Ismere Diploma; the province of the Husmeræ; the Swinford charter, and the origin of Pedmore. Revision date: 18/08/17 Copyright Ó Kevin James 2017 Place names of Stourbridge... Kevin James BSc(Hons), MSc, PhD, FIAP An edited version of this article first appeared as a three-part serialization in the June, September and December 2016 issues of The Blackcountryman, the magazine of The Black Country Society. Text and illustrations copyright Ó Kevin James 2016-7 Author email:
[email protected] Questions, criticism, comments and corrections are all welcome. Online publications: http://www.local.kjwebs.co.uk Unless otherwise indicated, counties and county boundaries mentioned in the text refer to those existing prior to 1974, when the Black Country boroughs were transferred from Staffordshire and Worcestershire into the West Midlands.