Ever had the certain misfortune of living down a Butt Lane? I used to. “How’s the butt?” they would ask, “is your butt for sale?” others would quip. Oh how these people would joke with the pretence of comedic skill. “Get lost” I’d say, offering the greatest of all the comebacks in my arsenal.

Please shed a tear because for many people in England embarrassment about ones address is a prevalent emotion. Loonies Court suggests all the residents to be strait jacketed nut jobs whilst Bell End, well, it’s just not very tasteful is it? Street names are a familiar adage for England; they certainly make maps more of an interesting read than their American (34th Street etc) counterparts. But for those unfortunates that happen to live in streets like: Bummers Hill, Knob Lane or Fanny Street, street names are simply not a joke.

Take for example that common Middle Ages street name: Gropec#nt Lane. Not particularly elegant but nonetheless popular. Indeed this name has been sported in many cities throughout the ages including: Bristol, London, York and Newcastle. In fact there is still a Grope Lane that exists today in Shrewsbury. As times changed (and morals too) we saw the decline of the number of Gropec#nt Lane’s in our fair land. However, supposedly creative town planners couldn’t be arsed to stray too far from the name, some simply shifted it to Fondle Street or Poke Skirt Lane. Imagine living on these streets!

 The author with a particularly amusingly named sign.