I understand that courier work can get somewhat dull and repetitive if you’re driving down endless stretches of road. To rescue you from boredom, here’s a fun challenge: keep your eyes peeled for hilarious names of cities, towns and streets. After the British public named a polar research vessel Boaty McBoatface, it’ll come as no surprise that place names in the UK range from bizarre to absurd. Here are a few of my favourites.
Matching Tye (Essex)
First up is Matching Tye. Situated in Essex, this small village is part of the trio of communities that make up Matching Parish. I like to imagine that people in this village actually coordinate their ties. Wouldn’t it be brilliant if they had matching jumpers, too?
Barton in the Beans (Leicestershire)
Who would have thought a hamlet could have such a brilliant name? Apparently, it’s a reference to nineteenth-century agriculture and the broad beans that were cultivated here. If I’m being honest, however, I like it because it led to the local expression “Shake a Leicestershire man by the collar and you may hear the beans rattle in his bellyâ€.
Ugley (Essex)
Believe it or not, this is a genuine place in Essex. Ironically, it’s a beautiful town with charming edifices from the sixteenth and seventeenth century. It also boasts the impressive thirteenth-century St. Peter’s Church. Of course, the town’s name shouldn’t stop you from taking a lunch break in the area – you could even get an “I’m with Ugley†selfie to post all over social media. The caption possibilities are endless!
Warninglid (Sussex)
If you’ve ever carried out courier work in the southeast, stay on the lookout for this small town in Mid Sussex. Sadly, it doesn’t have any flashing red warning lights to signal its position (which would be fantastic), but you won’t want to miss out on a nice meal in the town’s pub. Warninglid hasn’t been awarded the title of Best-Kept Village three times for nothing!
Scratchy Bottom (Dorset)
Scratchy Bottom, which refers to the valley’s rough hollow, has become famous thanks to its ludicrous name. A 2012 British poll recognised it as the second most silly-named place in Britain. Interesting fact about Scratchy Bottom: it was featured in the first scene of the 1967 film Far from the Madding Crowd. You’ll recognise it, nestled on a cliff between Durdle Door and Swyre Head, if you’ve ever carried out courier work in the area.
Great Snoring (Norfolk)
And finally, my favourite silly name place is… Great Snoring! Any driver completing courier work in Norfolk has laughed while driving through this hilariously named rural village. Want to know what the best thing about this town is? It’s neighboured by another village called Little Snoring. Doesn’t sound like you’d want to spend the night in their truck layover, does it?
I’ll close by saying that there are a few rude names to spot, too, but I’d best not mention those. Feel free to build your own lists of funny town names to keep yourself entertained when carrying out courier work.
Norman Dulwich is a correspondent for Courier Exchange, the world's largest neutral trading hub for same day courier work in the express freight exchange industry. Over 4,000 transport exchange businesses are networked together through their website, trading jobs and capacity in a safe 'wholesale' environment.
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