It’s not a new book or even a new idea, but my own little book: Glossary is a diversion, hopefully not a contraflow. It’s available on Amazon, and briefly, it is a collection of Gloucestershire place names given new meanings by me.

I am publishing some selected pages here over the next few weeks. If you would like a copy of the entire collection, you can find it right on Amazon.

I suppose this is my version of sharing a joke. For the uninitiated, it is a great pastime when travelling: to give new meanings to place names. Try it!

Alstone
Not wood. Likely to be some other material, stone?

Ampney Crucis
A drop of unknown clear liquid that appears on the end of an old man’s nose and seems to be glued there. It will never go away even in a force 12 gale.

Arle
Short for the word ‘all’. 

Arlingham
The road to nowhere. A cul de sac. Can apply to a conversation without resolution, like with a politician.

Ashleworth
A sarcastic compliment made by one actor to another which has the recipient concerned that his or her performance was not really up to scratch. Difficult to detect, recipient is tempted to ask – “Is that an Ashleworth?” but this is considered very bad form.

Ashton Keynes
The way a small boat might sit in the water when waterlogged. An uncomfortable angle. Has developed from its first water association to mean slightly unhinged, so if someone is described as “ a bit Ashton Keynes”, they can be considered to be “lying at an odd angle in the water”. Barmy but not completely.