Question for our UK members

Wed Nov 09, 2005 10:33 pm

I'm doing research on the 20th Fighter Group, 79 Fighter Squadron. Based at
and here's the problem either King's Cliffe or Kingscliffe

. I've seen it written both ways on some, seemingly, official websites and I want to have it correct.
Who'll help me out?

Mudge the researcher

Wed Nov 09, 2005 10:44 pm

No need to bother the folks across the big pond Mudge, it's King's Cliffe.

Wed Nov 09, 2005 11:04 pm

Yeah...you're right. It is about 0400 over there.
Thanks and you have PM.

Mudge the mollified

Thu Nov 10, 2005 9:42 am

I assume you've seen this already

http://www.controltowers.co.uk/H-K/Kings%20Cliffe.htm

Rob / Kansan

Thu Nov 10, 2005 10:08 am

Locobuster wrote:No need to bother the folks across the big pond Mudge, it's King's Cliffe.

Usually written as Kings Cliffe these days, ie. no apostrophe.

Thu Nov 10, 2005 10:10 am

I haven't seen it in person but I hope to someday. I do know the man who designed it, however. Here is the wooden model he commissioned when they were trying to raise the funds to erect the memorial.

Thu Nov 10, 2005 10:18 am

Just to confuse things a little more here's an original 1946 copy of King's Cliffe given to me by Jack Ilfrey back in 1999. :lol:

Thu Nov 10, 2005 4:54 pm

If you want to get REALLY deep - try this, but turn your pop-up blocker off.

Key to English Place Names Home Page http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/english/ins ... toepn.html

Northamptonshire = http://cameron.english.nottingham.ac.uk ... county=NTP

King's Cliffe Northamptonshire TL 00 97 (UK Map reference) 'Cliff'. It was a royal possession in 1086. The manor was held by the king at the time of the Norman Conquest. The village is on a hill slope above the Willow Brook.
OE (=Old English) cyning, OE clif

So, it was the Cliff belonging to the King, or the King's Cliff.

Those Pesky "e"s got into Olde Englishe all the time. :-)