The UK has a vast and rich history, which is often reflected in the names of its towns and cities. Places with names ending in “cester” or “chester”, for example, denote their Roman military links.
And place names using “borough”, “burgh” and “bury” come from the Anglo-Saxons.
But as a result, some locations could end up with unusual and perhaps even amusing names.
One such place is the tiny village of Great Snoring in Norfolk. Despite its seemingly noisy name, it is actually a tranquil spot.
According to the Norfolk Heritage Explorer, its name has nothing to do with breathing heavily as we sleep.
It is thought the name comes from Old English, meaning “settlement of the people of Snear”.
“Snear” is translated from “swift” so experts think it could have been a nickname.
So nothing to do with snoring, luckily for residents and visitors.
But boasting a population of just around 140 people, it is one of the sleepier villages in Norfolk.
It is beautiful though, with listed buildings St Mary’s Church and the Old Rectory found at the village’s centre.
Its main road, named The Street, is lined with pretty homes made of brick and flint making it feel like you’ve stepped back in time.
However, there are no shops in Great Snoring. For supplies, you need to travel two miles north to the sister village of Little Snoring, which has a shop and an inn.
Being in such a secluded spot, Great Snoring is an ideal location for lovers of the outdoors.
The pretty river, the River Stiffkey runs alongside it and there is plenty of surrounding countryside.
Just a 20-minute drive away is the beautiful Blakeney National Nature Reserve, and further along the coast are some stunning sandy beaches.
Wells-Next-The-Sea is a favourite beach town among families, and further north is the gorgeous Scolt Head Island National Nature Reserve.
This offshore barrier island comprises of sand dunes and is a popular spot for bird and nature watching.
Source: express.co.uk