1,000-year-old district’s name ‘too difficult to pronounce’

A COUNCIL has baffled residents and historians by planning to change its name – because people struggle to pronounce it.

The name of the district of Babergh, in Suffolk, can be traced back nearly 1,000 years to Anglo-saxon times.

Pronounced “Bay-ber”, the district was first listed as “Baberga” – believed to mean “mound of a man called Babba” – in the Domesday Book of 1086.

But, despite its historical significance, Babergh District Council could soon be wiped off the map and renamed South Suffolk Council. It is hoped the title will make its location more obvious and encourage outside investment, because it matches its parliamentary constituency South Suffolk.

John Ward, the council leader, said: “Babergh has a proud history, but we know that people from further afield are often unaware of exactly where Babergh is and even struggle over its pronunciation.”

The logic behind the name change, which the council says will cost less than £10,000, has been questioned by opponents who insist that Babergh’s proper pronunciation is widely known.

Barry Wall, a local historian and Sudbury History Society founder, 85, told The Daily Telegraph: “Everybody knows how to pronounce it, for heaven’s sake. Do they think we are ignorant? It’s an unnecessary thing to do, fiddling around with changing names. It’s ridiculous.” Councillors will vote on the name change on Oct 22.