That area of the duvet that stays warm when you get up to make a cup of tea in the morning. Climbing back into bed with the tea handy, it’s always good to find some residual ‘down ampney’. Somehow, if it has dissipated completely the day does not get off to a good start, and the tea seems less than satisfactory.

The area of Down Ampney is close to lakes and waterways. On a Spring morning, pockets of warm, damp air can cling to the land in a sort of mist. This dissipates after a relatively short time. Sometimes it lingers for a while, at others, when the sun gets on it it evaporates all too quickly. Just like under one’s duvet. If you prefer the old-fashioned sheets and warm blankets, they can last slightly longer.

For the uninitiated, I make a habit of giving Gloucestershire place names new meanings. Down Ampney is a small village just outside Cirencester.

I did a book of them a while ago, which sits mainly ignored on Amazon. Down Ampney was not in there, just thought of it. If you are familiar with “The Book of Liff” by John Lloyd and Douglas Adams ( yes, that Douglas Adams of Hitch Hiker’s fame ) , then you will also be familiar with this practice of giving meaning to place names, mine are strictly in Gloucestershire and are illustrated here and there. So you can blame them for my addiction.

I might add that, if you are bored, on a journey, or just looking at a map, it is a fine diversion, open to all.

Hawling: The habit of giving place names new meaning, a pastime for car journeys and evenings after much imbibing of fine drinks that seems hilarious at the time, but might be a tad embarrassing the next day.