How are these station names pronounced?

[swt class 450]

Does anyone know what is the correct pronunciation of these two stations?

• Besses o' th' Barn (on the Manchester Metrolink network)

• Hall i' th' Wood (on the Northern Rail network)

Are they simply just pronounced as "Besses Of The Barn" and "Hall In The Wood" or is there another way they are pronounced?

Many thanks.

 

[Elecman]

If you removed the punctuation mark of the O and I respectively then it’s Besses oth the barn and Hall ith Wood and pronounced as then written

 

[Francis]

Depends how strong your Lancashire accent is. I can imagine locals saying Bessis u't' Barn and Awlithwud.

 

[johnnychips]

On the Metro automatic announcement, the lady says ‘Besses o the Barn’.

 

[TheVicLine]

While you are in the Manchester area don't even get me started on Slaithwaite

 

[jimm]

Since when has Slaithwaite been in the Manchester area?

It is the far side of the Pennines and Standedge tunnel - there's another bit of local pronunciation to grapple with, Stannige - in Yorkshire.

For the fanciest local pronunciation of Slaithwaite, you just drop the middle 'i' - sounding is as Sla*thwaite, or the full-on dialect version is Slowit - with the 'ow' sounded as in cow. But never ever Slaythwayt.

*Sounds like the 'sla' of slat

 

[Welshman]

When I lived in Golcar [Goll-car/Gokka], many moons ago, the neighbouring settlement was "Slowit" to those born and bred there, "Slathwaite" to people like myself ["cummer-inners"], and "Slaythwayt" to the BBC.

 

[keith1879]

Depends how strong your Lancashire accent is. I can imagine locals saying Bessis u't' Barn and Awlithwud.

Having lived in Besses for a year in the 1970s I can confirm it's just said as it looks ..."Bessesothbarn". I'never heard anyone say "u't'barn" although I suppose it could happen.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Having lived in Besses for a year in the 1970s I can confirm it's just said as it looks ..."Bessesothbarn". I'never heard anyone say "u't'barn" although I suppose it could happen.

Is the "th" sound voiced or unvoiced (i.e. like "that" or "thin")?

 

[keith1879]

Is the "th" sound voiced or unvoiced (i.e. like "that" or "thin")?

As in thin (or thick!!)

 

[eastwestdivide]

Ta for that - thought it might be unvoiced "th", as that's a feature of some Lancashire accents.

 

[Rail Ranger]

Hall i' th' Wood is pronounced "Hal ith Wood" as in "Hal of the Wind".

 

[Ianno87]

Besses-ut-Barn and 'allithwud.

 

[Rikki Lamb]

As a person who's lived in huddersfield most of her life it's definitely 'Slawit'

Frizinghall, Forster Square, Keighley and Harrogate often get mis-pronounced too

 

[d9009alycidon]

The daddy of them all is Milngavie (pronounced Milgay if you are a local or Mulguy by the rest of Glasgow)

 

[Trackman]

On the Metro automatic announcement, the lady says ‘Besses o the Barn’.

I’d say that is right.
When I was a kid I thought it was blesses over the barn, as people pronounced like that

 

[L&Y Robert]

When I were but a lad, coming home to Tod., the train always stopped at Luddenden Foot, and the station staff bellowed "Fuit" in case we weren't sure where we were (pron. 'foo-it').

 

[Welshman]

When I were but a lad, coming home to Tod., the train always stopped at Luddenden Foot, and the station staff bellowed "Fuit" in case we weren't sure where we were (pron. 'foo-it').

Which got them neatly out of deciding whether it is LUDDEN-DEN [lud rhyming with "cud"], or LU-DENDEN[lu rhyming with "few"]
Being born in the area, I was brought up to say the former, but have sometimes heard the latter.

And how about the remaining stations either side:-
Mithem/Mythum-royd
Sore/Sower/ or Sour-by Bridge?

 

[dazzler]

Which got them neatly out of deciding whether it is LUDDEN-DEN [lud rhyming with "cud"], or LU-DENDEN[lu rhyming with "few"]
Being born in the area, I was brought up to say the former, but have sometimes heard the latter.

I'd go with the former, but then I'm from the South side of Leeds/North side of Wakefield (Woodlesford to be exact) so what do I know?

And how about the remaining stations either side:-
Mithem/Mythum-royd

Mithem-royd for me!

Sore/Sower/ or Sour-by Bridge?

Well, the local scout band competed as "Saar Brig Marching Brass" and I guess they'd know, being local and that!

 

[Matt_pool]

I'm surprised how many times I've heard Mossley Hill pronounced incorrectly by conductors and other passengers.

It's pretty obvious that it's pronounced Mossley as in moss, the green plant. The double 's' gives it away. But some people pronounce it Moseley as in Moses, the bloke from the bible! I don't know how they have managed to turn a letter 's' into a letter 'e'!

 

[hexagon789]

I'm surprised how many times I've heard Mossley Hill pronounced incorrectly by conductors and other passengers.

It's pretty obvious that it's pronounced Mossley as in moss, the green plant. The double 's' gives it away. But some people pronounce it Moseley as in Moses, the bloke from the bible! I don't know how they have managed to turn a letter 's' into a letter 'e'!

Perhaps some confusion with Mossley in Greater Manchester, which is pronounced Mozz-ley?

 

[Mugby]

Apologies for wandering from the Op's question but am I correct in thinking South Kirkby (Junction) is pronounced South Kirby?

 

[cactustwirly]

While you are in the Manchester area don't even get me started on Slaithwaite

Pronounced as is spelt according to my Yorkshire relatives.

 

[Chrisyd]

Hall i' th' Wood is pronounced "Hal ith Wood" as in "Hal of the Wind".

As some one who was brought up in the area, until I was speaking to someone from Network Rail a few years ago I had never heard it said as "Hal", upon returning to the area I was surprised to hear an automated announcement pronounce it like this.

Hall i'th Wood is named after a hall where Samuel Crompton (he of the industrial revolution Spinning Mule fame) lived more details here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hall_i'_th'_Wood

In Bolton if they were likely to shorten the word Hall, I would expect the H to be dropped i.e. 'All i'th' Wood!!!!

 

[TrainTube]

As a person who's lived in huddersfield most of her life it's definitely 'Slawit'

Frizinghall, Forster Square, Keighley and Harrogate often get mis-pronounced too

Am I right to say Forster is pronounced "Foster" and Harrogate "Harrigert". Forgive me if I'm wrong I'm from Warrington living in London.

 

[dazzler]

Am I right to say Forster is pronounced "Foster" and Harrogate "Harrigert". Forgive me if I'm wrong I'm from Warrington living in London.

Harrogate is more like "Arrerget" around here (York) unless you're taking the mick out of the (perceived) poshness of the residents (Harrogate is the poshest and most expensive/exclusive part of Yorkshire) when you pronounce it "Harrow-Gate"

 

[theageofthetra]

Tonbridge in Kent is pronounced Tunbridge.
Wrotham is Rootam.

 

[SteveyBee131]

Apologies for wandering from the Op's question but am I correct in thinking South Kirkby (Junction) is pronounced South Kirby?

It is indeed

 

[trebor79]

Wymondham in Norfolk is pronounced "Windham" or "Windum".
Nearby Costessy (not on rail network) is pronounced "Cossy".

 

[geoffk]

All the Kirkbys drop the second "k" as far as I know, except Kirkby-in-Ashfield, where you pronounce it.