Most Londoners would think they’ve never changed Underground trains at Peasant Street or Bridge Over An Unfordable River, but it’s quite likely they have – at least when the meanings of those stations are scrutinised.
Mark Forsyth, an author and etymologist has created a new Tube map that renames each station with the meaning of the stations. The two most notable being Bond Street (London Bridge) and Bond Street (London Bridge).
Cynsige refers to the Kensington stations and is named after an Anglo-Saxon Subsistence Farmer. ‘Cynsige’ is portrayed as Kensi, ‘ing’ means ‘family of’ and ‘ton’ is for farm’ – overall giving the ‘farm of the family of Cynsige’.
Another person immortalized in the Tube map is a fisherman called Ecgi, who is mentioned in Edgware Road, which means the “road to Ecgi’s fishing weir” – while Putta, a boatman lends his name for the Putney stations.
Some of the more comical names are found on the east end of the District line. These include ‘Roadfrom Daecca’s House and the Waste Land’. This is Dagenham Heathway.
CENTRAL LONDON: Etymologist and author Mark Forsyth has produced a fascinating alternative London Underground map which relabels every station on the network with its meaning – such as ‘Bridge Over An Unfordable River’ for London Bridge
FULL MAP: Mr Forsyth’s map is a spin-off of designer Mark Noad’s geographically-accurate map, but relabels all the stations
Mr. Forsyth (44), a London-based author, released the Tube map alternative online last July. It is part of his latest book, ‘The Illustrated Etymologicon,’ published last week by Icon Books.
One of the many meanings of Kensington is still contested. On its website, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea claimed that Kensington “probably derives [from] Chenesitun (town] of Chenesi’s inhabitants”.
This conclusion is not supported by Mr Forsyth, who stated: “Cynsige,” whoever he may have been, has now got a Kensington-named after him. This is how the Anglo-Saxon subsistence farmer would have been remembered if you told him.
While there are no written records about Cynsige and very little is known about him, Mr Forsyth told The Times that the local authority ‘seems to be garbling their source’ because ‘ton’ means farm, not town.
Forsyth stated that one of most intriguing people on the maps is Ben Pimlico. This was a Native American Tribe called the Pamlico. His name was also used by the Underground Station near Victoria.
The author also referred to Wemba, a man who owned a wood in what became known as Wembley – pointing out that ‘when football fans sing about ‘Wemberley’ they are right to be putting the gap back in’. It literally means, “Wemba’s clearing in the wood”.
He added, “It is the rural London under which I love.” Finchley near where I grew-up is probably the least romantic of names. But when you realize that Finchley means clearing in wood full finches it’s gorgeous.
Another unusual name is ‘Sacred Place That Welcomes Strangers Central’ for Walthamstow Central. ‘Horse Pond’ for Bayswater. ‘Skin Farm Corner’ for Hyde Park Corner. ‘Stream in a Sacred Wood’ for Waterloo.
Mr Forsyth’s map is a spin-off of designer Mark Noad’s geographically-accurate Tube map, which appears quite differently from the normal version produced by Transport for London which is seen across the network.
NORTH LONDON
EAST LONDON – The origin station meanings are ‘Road From Daecca’s House To the Waste Land’, Dagenham Heathway
WEST LONDON: There are amusing names on the Piccadilly line, such as ‘Houses on the Waste Land Terminal 4’ for Heathrow
SOUTH LONDON – A boatman by the name of Putta gives his name to Putney Stations on the South West Section of the District Line
TfL produces a version that is more diagrammatical based on Harry Beck, Underground electrical draughtsman in 1933. He used the same design as his circuit diagrams for day jobs.
The map by Mr Forsyth also features stations on TfL Rail, which eventually will be part of Crossrail all of the way to Reading.
Piccadilly has many amusing names such as “Houses on the Waste Land Terminal 4″ for Heathrow Terminal 4”, “Reedy Jumping Spot Manor” for Ruislip Manor, and “Bridge of the Wixan Tribe” for Uxbridge.
The meanings of Central line station names include ‘Earl on Oxford’s Roundabout’ for Oxford Circus and Stratford, ‘Ford on a Roman Road’ for Stratford, and ‘Thatch valley of the De Bosco Family’ for Theydon Bois.
‘The Illustrated Etymologicon: A Circular Stroll Through the Hidden Connections of the English Language’ by Mark Forsyth is published by Icon Books and available through Waterstones for £20 by clicking Click here