"South-well" or "Suth-ull"?

[Alexander.]

I hope nobody thinks I'm being too pedantic here, just hoping to get some opinions on something I've wondered about for a while.

My Nan, who lived in Southwell or very nearby for all her life (and whose maternal & paternal ancestors have lived in Southwell for centuries), always pronounces Southwell exactly at is looks: "South-well". But my other Nan, who admittedly has not lived in the area for nearly as long, adheres to the so-called 'local' pronunciation "Suthull". The family is completely divided on how to pronounce it, and it's not as though I can fudge it by saying Suth-well or South-ull because that just sounds silly.

So how do you locals pronounce it? Does anyone know which way it was pronounced in say the nineteenth century?

[andy_h]

Ah ha, The age old question.

I've never lived in Southwell, but was born and bread in Clifton, Nottingham. My understanding is that people in Southwell call it South-well. People outside call it Suth-ull.

Personally it is South-well.

However people in Blidworth (about 7 miles away, where I now live) pronounce it Bild-uth and Rainworth (2 miles from Blidworth), Rain-uth.

Nottingham, as most places, has grown out of swallowing up smaller villages and these very local dialects still exist today.

Best Advice, is to say it however you like, we tend to respond anyway. 

[jaywit]

Ah ha, The age old question.

I've never lived in Southwell, but was born and bread in Clifton, Nottingham. My understanding is that people in Southwell call it South-well. People outside call it Suth-ull.

Personally it is South-well.

However people in Blidworth (about 7 miles away, where I now live) pronounce it Bild-uth and Rainworth (2 miles from Blidworth), Rain-uth.

Nottingham, as most places, has grown out of swallowing up smaller villages and these very local dialects still exist today.

Best Advice, is to say it however you like, we tend to respond anyway. 

Agree Andy, locals Southwell incomers Suthull.

[Alexander.]

Thanks Andy and Jaywit, that is generally how I pronounce it, and I will continue to do so now.

[meles]

Never knew that. I was convinced it was Suth'ull. What you learn on this site! 

meles

[larkspur]

Iam a Newark girl, it is Southwell.
Caunton is Conton. My dad born there always called it that.
Rainworth - Renuth
Averham- Airam
Car Colston- Cowson

[jaywit]

Iam a Newark girl, it is Southwell.
Caunton is Conton. My dad born there always called it that.
Rainworth - Renuth
Averham- Airam
Car Colston- Cowson

I'll add another one

Norwell is Norrel

[Redroger]

When I worked in Lincoln almost 50 years ago!! it was pronounced Suthull. That's how the Lincoln people pronounced it. How the Southwell locals pronounced it I have no idea.

[Sherwood]

I'm Nottm born and bred and say "Suthell" but concur the knowledge that dwellers therein call it "South-well".

Maybe we need a thread to capture all this.  For instance "we" say "Fosson" for Foston (near Grantham) and "Illson" for Ilkeston.  I've also heard the uninformed say "Bass-fud" (as in Sea Bass) instead of "Base-fud" for Basford.

Sherwood