Place Name

Rake Bottom, Dorset, England

When ye get caught in t bunker don’t get yer bottom raked!

Introduction:

Alright then me duck, welcome te Rake Bottom, a name that sounds like someone in Dorset tried te name a valley while halfway through tidyin t garden, halfway through a pint, an halfway through wonderin if they’d just stepped on a rake like a cartoon. Folk hear it an gan “Rake Bottom? Proper cheeky that,” an locals just smile like “aye, we’ve heard every joke under t sun.”

Maybe it came from folk rakin leaves down t slope. Maybe it came from a farmer lamentin his land. Maybe someone simply liked daft names an wrote it down afore anyone could object.

Whatever happened, Rake Bottom is pure Dorset whimsy wrapped in fields, dips, an names that mek ye chuckle wiout even tryin.

Toponymy:

Let’s take this name apart:

Rake – garden tool, leaf‑gatherer, or t sort o thing ye step on an get walloped in t face Bottom – valley floor, low‑lyin land, or t classic Dorset dip where water gathers an sheep wander

Together, Rake Bottom gives ye a name that makes visitors pause afore sayin it aloud, then grin like they’ve wandered into a countryside tale wi perfect timin.

Historical Context:

Earliest mentions o Rake Bottom drift back te local lore. Some reckon it came from a farmer shoutin “rake it all” across t fields. Others say it were a nickname that stuck after a muddy season. Another tale sez villagers muttered “down Rake Bottom,” an t name clung on like burrs on boots.

Whatever t truth behind its name, Rake Bottom endures as a place where logic politely steps aside te let Dorset humour shine.

Points of Interest:

Places worth a decko:

• Thomas Hardy’s Cottage – thatch, tales, an literary charm

• Hardy’s Monument – views, breezes, an county pride

• Max Gate – rooms, stories, an Hardy’s pen

• Stonehenge – stones, mystery, an ancient wonder

• Cerne Abbas Giant – chalk, cheek, an hillside spectacle

Notable Figures:

Folk tied te Dorset:

• Thomas Hardy – storyteller shaped by Dorset lanes

• Mary Anning – fossil hunter wi coastal roots

• John Fowles – writer inspired by county landscapes

• Sir Frederick Treves – surgeon wi Dorset ties

• Jude Law – actor who’s wandered Dorset hills

Conclusion:

So next time ye find yerself at Rake Bottom, tek a moment te enjoy t daftness o t name, t charm o t valley, an t way Dorset refuses te follow common sense.

Fer more places abundant wi oddities, get an ambulance ower te www.strangeplacenames.com te keep t laughter goin.

FACEBOOK - strangeplacenames

INSTAGRAM - strangeplacenames_2024