North East names have a story to tell...

DANIEL HALL on the story behind 10 North East place names

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HAVE you ever wondered how the place you lived got its name? Some, such as Newcastle and Wallsend, are obvious.

Some are surprisingly sinister, while others give a background into the location and its history. With the region having been influenced by the Romans, Anglo Saxons, Scandinavians and Normans, there's a wide variety of linguistic diversity too.

Generally, places were named according to landscape features, the nature of settlement, and the name(s) of people and tribes who lived there. Check out the background of the names of ten of the North East's towns, villages and cities below.

Belsay

English Heritage says that Belsay has two possible explanations. 'Bel' could mean a warning beacon or could refer to a man called Bil, and 'ho' or 'hoh' means hillspur or ridge.

However, it's not clear if it means beacon hillspur or Bil's ridge.

Berwick-upon-Tweed