Place Name

Pityme, Cornwall, England

Where the Locals Talk and the Pasties Walk

Introduction

Ah now, Pityme. Say it out loud and you can almost hear a Cornish local mutter, “yer, we’ve heard all the jokes.” It is one of those names that sounds like a cry for help, a diary entry or a plea from someone who’s just dropped their pasty, until you realise it’s just a perfectly normal Cornish hamlet with a perfectly tragicomic name.

Folk hear it and imagine a place full of sighs, melodrama and people wanderin about muttering “woe is me.”

Whatever the truth, the name has been sparkin laughter for generations, watchin visitors grin at the sign, locals grin knowingly and the occasional tourist ask if the place is alright.

Toponymy

Let’s break down this name:

Pity – Suggests sympathy, sorrow or the feeling you get when you realise you’ve left your cream tea on the roof of the car.

Me – A personal plea, a cry from the heart or simply the village’s way of sayin “look, we’re small but we’re tryin.”

Together, they form a name that makes visitors pause before sayin it aloud, then laugh because it sounds like the village is beggin for emotional support.

Historical Context

The name Pityme appears in local lore tied to dialect, misheard phrases and the general Cornish tradition of givin places names that sound like inside jokes. Some say it came from a farmer complainin about his land. Others reckon it was a cartographer who misheard “Pitty Meadow.”

And if you ask an old lad in Wadebridge, he’ll tell you it was named after a fisherman who lost his boots in the estuary and shouted “pity me” so loudly it stuck.

Whatever the truth, Pityme has survived storms, storytellers, walkers, folklore, misheard tales and generations of Cornish folk who know exactly how to embrace a name with theatrical charm.

Points of Interest

If you are wanderin about, have a nose at:

• Rock Beach – Sand, estuary views and paddleboard heaven.

• St Minver Church – History, peace and proper Cornish stonework.

• Camel Creek Adventure Park – Rides, laughter and mild terror.

• Padstow – Seafood, harbour life and culinary temptation.

• The Cornish Arms – A pint, a plate and warm local chatter.

Notable Figures

Folk tied to Cornwall include:

• Sir John Betjeman – Poet with a love for Cornish landscapes.

• Doc Martin (fictional, but spiritually present) – Embodiment of Cornish eccentricity.

• J. K. Rowling – Visitor inspired by coastal magic.

• Rick Stein – Chef who turned Padstow into a seafood pilgrimage.

• Charles Causley – Poet who brought Cornwall to life.

Conclusion

So next time you find yourself wanderin around Pityme, take a moment to breathe in the estuary air, admire the rolling fields and enjoy the glorious absurdity of a place that sounds like a cry for help but feels like a warm Cornish hug.

And if you’re ever in need of a challenge or a strange place to ponder, moonwalk over to www.strangeplacenames.com where the UK and Ireland are saturated with delightful gems that make you wonder if the cartographers were three sheets to the wind.

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