_How to pronounce Norfolk place names
Stiffkey - or is it Stewkey?
You’re coming to Norfolk and looking at some of the placenames on a map. Wymondham – that’s got to be Why-mond-ham, right? Try Wind’m. Costessey - Coster-sea, yes? Try Cossey.
So, to prevent any potential embarrassment, take a look at our easy list of how to pronounce Norfolk place names…
Spelled Pronounced
Acle Ay-kul
Ashmanhaugh Ashm’no
Aslacton Azlact’n
Belaugh Beeluh
Bergh Apton Ber Apt’n
Colney Coaney
Corpusty Cor-puh-sti
Costessey Cossey
Crostwick Crossick
Deopham Deep’m
Elsing Elz’n
Fulmodestone Full’muhst’n
Gimingham Gim’n’m (with a ‘hard g’)
Haveringland Havverl’nd
Hautbois Hubbuhss
Heigham Hay-um
Hellesdon Helzd’n
Keswick Kezzick
Matlaske Matluhsk
Norwich Noh-rich
Postwick Pozzick
Rushall Rue-sh’ll
Salhouse Sallas
Sall Saul
Shotesham Shots’m
Stody Studdy
Swardeston Swaw(d)st’n
Tacolneston Tackle-st’n
Tivetshall Tivvets’ll
Walsingham Wolz’n’m
Wickmere Wickmuh
Wortwell Wuttle
Wymondham Wind'm
Then there are names which we don’t all agree about. The disagreement comes from the fact that many place-names now have new spelling pronunciations. Here are the older pronunciations uninfluenced by the spelling…
Spelled Pronounced
Aylsham Ellsh’m
Cley Clay but nowadays Cly, rhyming with eye
Coltishall Colts’ll with Colt- rhyming with bolt
Foulsham Fowlsh’m with Fowl- rhyming with soul
Garboldisham Garbl’shm
Hoveton Hofft’n
Hunstanton Hunst’n
Letheringsett Larnsuhtt
Martham Mart’m
Northrepps Nurrepps
Salhouse Sallus/Selluss
Southery Suddery
Southrepps Surrepps
Stiffkey Stewkey but nowadays Stiffkey
Walsham Walss’m
Weybourne Webb’n
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