Prison Saxon Name Cock Up?

[R T]

The National Offender Management Service have given out the list (finally) today while still holding back from an ancient FOI – https://www.wrexham.com/news/new-prison-name-shortlist-revealed-104445.html

Does anyone have a copy of Alistair William’s book to hand to check if it should be Whittlesham or Writtlesham?

A quick google suggests it is a cock up and should be Writtlesham, however newer sources may have adjusted that for some reason.

Any insight welcome…

[wrexview]

Whittlesham does not appear in any of the previous spellings of the name of Wrexham in Alister Williams Encyclopaedia of Wrexham. There is reference to Wristlesham (1161) as the earliest spelling of the town’s name. The Cambrian Travellers Guide 1840, mentions Wrightelesham or Writtlesham as the name in the Saxon Chronicle.

There are many excellent historians in Wrexham I am sure the correct history and spelling will be established.

[jimbow]

Never mind Whittlesham or even Writtlesham, what about Wrexham. Are the authority ashamed of our town name. Most universities are named after the town they are located in, Liverpool, Manchester, Oxford, Cambridge etc. At least you know where they are. Where on earth is Glyndwr? If you are not proud enough to use the town name, how about, Duttons Den, Pritchards Palace.

[zinger]

Personally I think that it should be named for the area it covers. If it just covers Wrexham then Wrexham Prison, if North Wales, North Wales Prison or, if it covers the North West of England as well as North Wales then it should be named North Western Area Prison. Whatever, it will always be known as Wrexham Prison whatever fancy name they give it officially.

[wrexview]

A.H.Dodd’s History of Wrexham , also mentions Wristlesham ( 1161) as the earliest name for Wrexham followed by Wrettesham in 1236.

[Cymrodor]

I’m not surprised by the Saxon error. The Welsh name, “Cerrig Tan” is also wrong.

Fire is “tân”. I know it looks similar, but it’s a different word with a different meaning altogether and makes no sense without the circumflex above the a.

Also, in the interest of clarity and correctness, “cerrig” is the plural form of “carreg”, so “Cerrig Tân” literally means “fire stones”.

As for “y Berwyn”, well that’s not even close. Considering the site itself, I don’t understand how anything to do with mountains has got to the shortlist. Suggested by many in faraway English cities, perhaps …”Wales = mountains”? But why approved by the panel of locals?

[Daave63]

Forgod sake its got to be Wrexham Prison or even Prisio Wrecsam!

[dewi73]

January 7, 2014 at 8:40 pm #65224 REPLY | QUOTE

dewi73

Participant
HMP Carreg tân

Just to save those people who will probably spend £50,000 the trouble

Suggested that name a long long time ago, I’m claiming the rights!

[Mrs Crewe]

For some reason it was decided some time back that naming the prison after the place would upset the locals. I’m more upset that those in charge of such things think local people are so shallow as to be upset by such things! It is interesting to note that a survey of Drs leaving medical school and looking for placements stated that they avoided hospitals whose name didn’t tell them where they were.

Now obviously a prisoner being sentenced doesn’t get the choice of where they will be cooling heels at Her Majesty’s pleasure, but in the interests of making it clearer for relatives and visitors they should just name the prison after the damn place!

[AMA Express]

[quote quote=104551] in the interests of making it clearer for relatives and visitors they should just name the prison after the damn place!

[/quote]

And not forgetting the drivers of the trucks delivering goods and prisoners.

[Author]

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