Place Name

Curry Mallet, Somerset, England

Where the locals get spicey before gettin hammered!

Introduction:

Welcome to Curry Mallet, me luvver. A place what sounds like someone dropped their dinner in the tool shed and just went with it. Folk hear the name and think it be a village full o spicy grub and blokes swingin mallets round like they be buildin Noah’s Ark.

Truth be told, Curry Mallet be a proper Zummerzet spot, full o fields, farm smells, friendly faces and the sort o gossip what travels faster than a sheep loose on market day. You’ll get offered a curry recipe, a mallet for fixin your gate, and probably a pint o cider before you’ve even parked the car.

Toponymy:

Let’s break this name down:

Curry – comes from old words meanin a place where crows gather. Round ‘ere, crows be everywhere, sittin on posts lookin like they’re judgin your life choices. Folk say if ee sees a big flock, they be arguin over who gets the last pasty.

Mallet – that be a wooden hammer, used by carpenters and anyone tryin to fix summat what broke after a heavy night on the cider. Some reckon the village were named after a family o carpenters. Others say it be because folk ‘ere love bashin things back into shape.

Put together, Curry Mallet be a name that makes visitors pause before sayin it aloud, wonderin if they’ll be served dinner or handed a tool.

Historical Context:

Earliest mention o Curry Mallet be in the Domesday Book o 1086, listed as Curi. Back then it were probably full o chickens, crows and farmers mutterin about the weather.

Over the centuries, it grew into a quiet, hardworking village. Folk farmed, crafted, cooked and occasionally argued over who had the best sheep. Legend says travellers stopped ‘ere for a hot meal and a sturdy mallet to fix their wagons before headin off again.

Locals still talk about the old Curry and Mallet Festival, where folk tried balancin mallets on their heads while cookin curry. It ended when someone dropped a mallet in the stew. Health and safety weren’t impressed.

Points of Interest:

Places near Curry Mallet worth a visit:

• St Barnabas Church – twelfth century beauty and peaceful as a Sunday mornin.

• Somerset Levels – wetlands full o birds, reeds and fresh air.

• Taunton Castle – history, exhibits and proper old stonework.

• Wellington Monument – big landmark with views for miles.

• The Blackbird Inn – hearty grub, local ale and banter thick as clotted cream.

Notable Figures:

People linked to Curry Mallet or Somerset:

• John Locke – philosopher born in Somerset.

• Samuel Taylor Coleridge – poet who wandered these parts mutterin ideas.

• Thomas Hardy – author inspired by Somerset’s landscapes.

• J R R Tolkien – spent time in the region.

• Agatha Christie – holidayed in the West Country.

Conclusion:

So next time ee finds yourself in Curry Mallet, take a moment to breathe in that Somerset air, listen to the crows arguin in the trees and enjoy the delightful daftness of a village named after both a dinner and a hammer.

Whether you be wanderin the lanes, chattin with locals or laughin at the sign, this place be full o charm, history and a good dollop o Somerset magic.

For more wonderfully weird place names across the UK and Ireland, visit www.strangeplacenames.com. There be plenty more where that came from, me luvver.

FACEBOOK - strangeplacenames

INSTAGRAM - strangeplacenames_2024