HAVE you ever wondered where the name Bolton derived from? Or why we have street names? Well ponder no more. "English Place-Names Explained", reveals all.

Author Charles Whynne-Hammond invites us to cast our minds back to the early eighth century when Anglo-Saxons were spreading themselves across England, superimposing their language and way of life onto the landscape.

They created new farmland, new settlements and new place names. The Celtic way of life was retained in areas where the Saxon's did not settle; but of course, those areas were limited as the Saxons were superseding the Celts both in power and influence.

When it was time for the Saxons to re-name existing farms and villages, they did so by either altering the Celtic root to make the names more pronounceable, or they added their own prefix or suffix.

Suffixes like '-ton', 'ham', '-ing', '-wick' and '-ley' were most common.

Then in 1169 the combination of Cartmel in the north, Amounderness in the east and Mersey lowlands in the south, produced the county of Lancashire.

It was during the same century that Bolton, what is now England's biggest town, was born.

The name derives from two Saxon words, 'bothl', meaning dwelling, and 'tun' meaning farmstead. Two words with apparently such similar meanings, put together, indicated a main residential settlement, Botheltun.

Similarly, Wigan, has carried the same name since 1199. Wigan is thought to be Celtic in origin, being the name of a Welsh person or tribe. This Lancastrian settlement might have been inhabited by people from Wales as there is also a Wigan in Anglesey.

It has been suggested that Ramsbottom, a place closer to home, derives from the Saxon 'ramm', and referred to either the animal itself or a mysterious ram-shaped rock. However, the meaning that seems more likely is that of a Saxon suffix for wild garlic or ramson. This Saxon suffix comes from 'bothm' meaning valley, and in 1324 the town was named Romesbothum.

Manchester, home to more than two million people, has been on an historical rollar coaster in terms of developing its name. The old forms of this name, from the Roman Mamucium to the Saxon Mameceaster, derive from the Celtic word 'mam', meaning breast or mother. It could be that the first settlement built here was sited on or near a rounded bosom-shaped hill. The suffix comes from the Roman 'ceaster', meaning Roman fort.

A more logical meaning of a North-western town, is Stockport. Here the prefix comes from the Saxon word 'stoc' - place, cell or dependant settlement - and the suffix 'port'. Which, in this instance, means market town rather than harbour. Not so logical.

Historians, however, believe the name probably means 'market place belonging to a dependant settlement'.

Now, from the late 12th century we bring ourselves back to modern day England and Charles's preface to his book, in which he says that the understanding of a place-name within certain landscapes strengthens our sense of place and deepens the ties with our national roots.

If you want to find out more about England's districts, towns, villages and even football clubs, "English Place-Names Explained", is available at £12.99 from all local bookshops.