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Pronounciation of Alcester

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Darthdc

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I've been brought up with the idea that Alcester (as in Alcester Road) was pronounced ALL-SES-TER. Having read "Streets of Brum", it appears only us Brummies use this pronounciation, and then, just those from the Digbeth area I've never lived near the centre of Brum and neither have my parents. The "official" pronounciation sounds too much like Ulster when heard on the news. Same I suppose with Shrewsbury - but that is blamed on old spellings, plus whether you're Welsh or English.
 
I have always called it AL -CES -TER RD (I am not from Digbeth). There is a place called Alcester, Warwickshire, I pronounce this AL -CES -TER but friends who live in nearby Studley laugh and tell me it is pronounced ULSTER.
Polly
 
Born and dragged up Billesly - Pronounce the Alcester Road as All-Ces-Tir but the town as Alster or Allstir.

Coffton, Cowton or Cohton caused many an argument in our house. Locals though call it Cohton or is it Cowton?
 
I have been to Coughton court many times - and heard staff call it CO -TON.
A few miles away there is a road called THE SLOUGH which I pronounce SL-OW (as in, ow - that hurt) but locals call it THE SLUFF which does make sense because of how you say - rough. It's a funny thing pronounciation isn't it.
Polly
 
It,s always been Al-cester to me . Same as Rugeley is a well known welsh name Ru-gelly.Dek
 
Bernie D'Boult said:
OK JohnO - Howsabout Cirencester?
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Clever-clogs!
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Cirencester was/is pronounced 'Zyroncester' ....next question?
 
That's the trouble with us folks from Burningum, we can't pronounce other place names properly. "Smerrick" is a prime example, while our "Dudlee" can't be understood by the locals who know it as "Doodlai".
And as for Caldmore, (a district of Walsall), the locals there - a strange bunch - call it "Karma"!
 
I thought mispronounciations of Birmingham came from outside Birmingham. Waiting for the coach home from London Victoria - 420 to Burnin'am. And these are the same cockneys who claim we don't speak English.
Just on a sidenote - according to road maps, I live in a small village positioned halfway between Warwick and Alcester, not on the outskirts of Kings Heath (which is the truth)
 
I have always said Allster.

My house in Bacons End is in the Borough of Soll- ee- hull or is it Sow- lee- hull
 
pollypops said:
I have been to Coughton court many times - and heard staff call it CO -TON.
A few miles away there is a road called THE SLOUGH which I pronounce SL-OW (as in, ow - that hurt) but locals call it THE SLUFF which does make sense because of how you say - rough. It's a funny thing pronounciation isn't it.
Polly
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The Slough (Sluff) I read somewhere is so named after the same word using in mining, up until the 70's the Slough was a series of hidden dips between Crabbs Cross & Studley, there were many fatal accidents with foolish overtaking & the road was finally leveled out. A Slough in a mine is a where it repeatedly floods owing to dips in the floor level
 
Another one here who calls it All-ses-ter........it's strange isn't it how we grow up using certain names & pronunciations & it sticks. I do giggle when I hear the lady's voice at the train station saying 'Alvechurch' (sounding the 'v' as in Al-ver-church) as she pronounces it totally different to what my parents would say 'Alf-church'
 
When I moved to Cheltenham I pronouced it "Cheltenham" but the locals call it Cheltnum!!
 
Izzy. You caught me out there mate. I spent a minute trying to catch that little bug a flip it off my screen. Very good. Barry.
 
Dolphie. You will know some of them from up here too wont you? Like Irvine (thats Ir-vin) not Irvine. And Strathaven (or Strathen as its pronounced), and Milngavie(thats pronounced Milguy). I love the play on names. Barry.
 
Soll-ee-hull for me, born there but thats all.

As for Coughton, I always saw it as Coff-ton, as cough is how the throat infection is spelt. Lets face it, "ough" has several ways of being pronounced

bough (bow)
rough (ruff)
though (thoe)
borough (burra)
 
BazzM said:
Dolphie. You will know some of them from up here too wont you? Like Irvine (thats Ir-vin) not Irvine. And Strathaven (or Strathen as its pronounced), and Milngavie(thats pronounced Milguy). I love the play on names. Barry.
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Oh there are some belters 'up there' Barry, it was years & years before I understood where Alf & his Mom were discussing 'Grenville' place at the top of Hawthorn........they meant 'Grahamfield Place'!! Doh. I love the 'Milguy' one...a cracker. Hearing Alf etc pronounce 'Lochwinnoch' makes me howl.....it's a cracker innit??

I love all the different pronunciations of various places, it makes things so much more interesting doesn't it??
 
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