Your questions about this community

Question

Opinion is divided about whether the correct pronunciation for Colerne is KOH-LEARN or COLLUN. It seems that locals prefer to call it COLLUN. Is there a definitive answer please?

Question asked on

19 April 2006

Answer

As a Wiltshireman I have always pronounced it Cullerne or Kullerne and the Colerne History Group favours Cullerne as the local pronunciation. Up until the 19th century it was spelt both as Collerne and Cullerne and so I would imagine that both pronunciations have been with us for many centuries. This is not uncommon in place-name - another local example is Scudamore, as in Upton Scudamore, which is pronounce with both a short 'u' or a long 'oo'.

Bibliography