Place Name

Cock Lake, County Durham, England

Where the Rooster Rules and the lake is for Fools!

Introduction:

Cock Lake. A name that makes folk smirk before they have even seen the place. You hear it and imagine a proud rooster struttin about like he owns the valley, crowin at hikers and challengin sheep to duels at dawn. Instead, what you get is a quiet bit of moorland with puddles that think they are lakes and ducks that think they are hard.

Was it named after a legendary rooster Was it a joke that stuck Was it a mapmaker havin a laugh No one knaws. But the name alone is enough to get visitors chucklin before they have even laced their boots.

Toponymy:

Let’s break this one doon:

Cock – Likely a nod to the old dialect for a young rooster. Could be a reference to local wildlife, could be a farm name, could be someone takin the mick. Either way, it adds a bit of swagger to the landscape.

Lake – A generous term. It is more of a wet patch, a boggy dip, a puddle with ambition. But if the map says lake, then lake it is.

Put together, Cock Lake sounds like a place where birds run the show and humans are just visiting.

Historical Context:

The name Cock Lake goes back to the days when upland farmers named things after whatever wandered past. Maybe a rooster escaped from a croft and made this patch of moor his kingdom.

Maybe the locals used the area for waterin livestock and the name stuck. Maybe someone misheard something and wrote it down wrong. It would not be the first time.

Whatever the truth, the place has been part of Lunedale lore for generations. Shepherds, walkers and the odd lost tourist have all passed through, wonderin where the lake actually is.

Points of Interest:

If you are knockin aboot, have a look at:

• High Force Waterfall – Big, loud and dramatic.

• Bowes Museum – Fancy as owt, full of art and oddities.

• Teesdale – Hills, views and sheep with attitude.

• Barnard Castle – A cracking ruin with proper history.

• The Black Bull Inn – A warm pint, a warm fire and warm gossip.

Notable Figures:

Folk tied to Cock Lake or County Durham include:

• Josephine Butler – Social reformer with grit.

• George Stephenson – Father of railways, moved the world along.

• Sir William de la Pole – Medieval bigwig with a dramatic life.

• David Almond – Author who captures northern magic.

• Alan Shearer – Legend of the North East.

Conclusion:

So next time you find yourself near Cock Lake, take a moment to enjoy the daftness of a name that promises a rooster ruled kingdom but delivers a peaceful bit of moorland with puddles that think they are lakes. It is quiet, quirky and unforgettable, just like half the names in County Durham.

For more oddities that will make you laugh, blink twice or question the sanity of British cartographers, gan have a look at strangeplacenames.com where the UK and Ireland keep their daftest secrets tucked away in the hills.

FACEBOOK - strangeplacenames

INSTAGRAM - strangeplacenames_2024