A FEW weeks ago, I mentioned the tendency to title lots of local real estate after the late, great Sir Edward Elgar in the mistaken belief that somehow the use of Elgar would add gravitas to the project.

Not so. It just illustrates a lack of imagination and research.

Now I am not suggesting councils and contractors go down the route of the delightful Minge Lane in Upton upon Severn or the worth-a-snigger Piddle in the Hole near Upton Snodsbury, but how about reviving some of the old place names which have long since disappeared?

In an effort to give them a few helpful steers, they might like to scan their beadies down a list I happened across the other day.

Not sure when it was compiled, but I guess its contents covered the work of civic officials over several centuries.

Hence you learn that today’s Lansdowne Road in Worcester was originally called Cut Throat Lane, Sansome Street was Town Ditch, Quay Street was Wooden Stair Street and Church Street was Dishmarket. Grand names all.

In the early days there were two main types of thoroughfare in the city.

There were the paved 'streets', usually set with round cobblestones, and 'lanes' with their natural earth surface hardened through use. When the lanes were paved their names were often changed.

There were also changes when the city boundaries were expanded. The old city of Worcester, bounded by the city walls, was only 318 acres, but now its municipal area is closer to 5,000 acres following outwards creeping.

This became a steady trend in the 20th century.

In 1914, 500 acres were added to the city, chiefly to the south west in the Bromwich Road area, then in 1931 Lower Wick, Dines Green, part of Nunnery Wood and Perry Wood were absorbed and in 1951 the city boundaries were extended to include the rest of Nunnery Wood and Astwood, making the area then 15 times larger than the old walled city.

But even before that, thoroughfares were having their names altered.

Somewhere along the line Clap Gate became St Martin’s Gate, Bedlam Lane was changed to Thorneloe Road, Oxford Road to London Road and Salt Lane to Castle Street.

Yet, while you can maybe see the reasoning behind most of those, what do you make of Eport to Newport Street, Incle Lane to Hylton Road, Todmorden Knoll to Edgar Street and, wait for it, Goosethrottle Lane to St Swithin’s Street?

So here we are town planners. In an effort to recapture some of Worcester’s rich character and golden heritage, how about a Cut Throat Lane or a Goosethrottle Lane somewhere? That would impress the relatives living in The Bronx or Mogadishu no end.