You might be forgiven for thinking that I've moved to Jerusalem.
This sign is just around the corner from where I live, and is the remnants of a street that was demolished, back in the 1960's, to make way for a Primary School.
There is now only ONE HOUSE in the non-existent road, and that is No 2 (previously owned by a TV Celeb friend). The remainder of what was Mount Zion Place is now a twitten that runs behind my garage. An area much loved by those who enjoy illegal substances.
I've tried to discover why it was named after Mount Zion, but no official reason is given. One person suggested that there might have been a Pub' called The Mount Zion, but even that has not been confirmed.
A further 100 yards away is Zion Gardens. Again I have no idea why it is called as such.
The only thing I know about Mount Zion (the original one), is that it's the home of The Cenacle; which is described as the location of The Last Supper. All very exotic.
As you can probably see, like most street signs it attracts the attention of the 'Squiggle Merchants' who find it impossible to pass-by any white surface without leaving evidence of their stupidity. Such is life!
Maybe
ReplyDelete'Jerusalem was builded there
In Brighton' s green and pleasant land'
An interesting mystery to untangle if you can.
I untangled your 'twitten' by asking Mr Google. An interesting and pleasant Sussex word. Unfortunately no longer for a green and pleasant lane
Yes, I tend to forget that the word 'twitten' isn't used everywhere.
DeleteIt would be interesting to discover why it was named Mount Zion Place. Definitely unique.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's strange. No other distant mountains are given street names; that I know of.
DeleteThere are chapels in Wales named Mount Zion too.
ReplyDeleteYes, I seem to remember seeing the word 'Zion' on Welsh chapels.
DeleteI discovered that Mount Zion Place has frequently been written Mount Sion with an "S" but could not discover the background to the naming. Still, you might find this interesting:-
ReplyDeletehttps://www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/topic/mount-sion-place-brighton
Thanks for that, but still not a lot of info. I think the Pub' idea is probably the most likely, but why THAT should have been named as such remains unclear.
DeleteI found this in "The Streets of Brighton and Hove":-
DeleteUnique as a street name in the United Kingdom. As Mount Zion is just outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem, so this place was just outside the walls of the Church of St Nicholas of Myra and of the town of Brighton. Once between Church Street and North Gardens, now truncated to and comprising one property with a footpath to Centurion Road.
2 (Shelleys) was built in 1821 for William Shelley, beadle of the Church of St Nicholas of Myra. Grade II listed1.
ph †23-24, True Blue was a beerhouse opened by 1845, surving until c1926.
33, let at £19 10s a year, sold for £255 in 1872; the adjoining Mount Zion Cottage and workshop, with an estimated rental value of £20 16s a year, sold for £2002.
Shelleys is a lovely little brick cottage. My daughter always wanted to buy it, but she is now settled in Oz. Michelle, the previous owner did an 'Interior Design' show on TV.
DeleteWell, Cro, English people call a son Zachariah (Hebrew "remembered by God"). Where does that come from? Not to forget "Kimbo" (Swahili "shelter/refuge") - it's meaning reassuring.
ReplyDeleteSo why not Mount Zion?
Anyway, thanks for inspiring me to rummage around for a book I bought twenty five years ago. Found it. It's about how English people name their houses. No, not Rose Cottage. "Owl's Hoot". The book is a hoot. Dived into it earlier. Oh, did I laugh. There are people who'll call their houses after fictional places, sticking with your theme of the "exotic", Xanadu (after Samuel Coleridge), Rubaiyat (Scott Fitzgerald". So what's your Brighton abode called? "Le Repose"?
Should Lady M be short of ideas what to put under the Christmas tree for you I'll let her know the title and the author's name. It's one way of whiling away time whilst laughing in wonderment.
U
I dare say it might be of interest to YP too
Oops Ursula, the popular name amongst Francophiles was "Mon Repose" - not really Cro though is it! Another popular name and more suited to Cro was "Dunromin".
ReplyDelete.
"Dunromin" is funny, Coppa's Girl. Looked it up; when saying it out aloud it's self explanatory. Apropos of nothing, I wonder what will happen when Cro can't bend over any longer to pick up Billy's "output" the other end.
DeleteAm intrigued what Coppa's Girl stands for.
U
A friend of ours house in France was always known as 'Mon Reve'; she enjoyed the joke!
DeleteDo you know who owns the lot? They might have answers.
ReplyDeleteAre there public records that could be researched to know more about the property?
In the US, we have the Registry of Deeds and now all deeds are online.
There are plenty of records available to the public, but none suggests where the name came from. It remains a mystery!
Delete