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I’m with the Beeb on this one.
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How to say Chester-le-Street
By Will 2 years ago, at the end of July Leave a comment on this post
Chester-le-Street is where Durham play their cricket, and the BBC have just writted a post on how to pronounce it. Not tricky, you’d have thought; it’s not a Gloucestershire or Leicestershire (Glue Kester Shire, Lie Kester Shire). However, the Beeb say Chester-le-Street is pronounced as follows:
“Our recommendation, based on the advice of people who live there as well as published sources, is CHEST-uhr-li-street - the first part rhymes with ‘westerly’. Most English placenames with ‘le’ in them are pronounced in this way, rhyming with ‘me’ rather than the French-sounding ‘luh’.”
Bunkum. I pronounce it with the French-sounding “luh” - doesn’t everyone else? Can any Durham folk confirm either way?
Muchly ta
12 Responses to “How to say Chester-le-Street”
July 24th, 2006 at 2.33 pm
July 24th, 2006 at 3.01 pm
Since when was “Gloucesteshire” pronounced “Glue Kester Shire?” It is pronounced Glos-TUH-shy-uh. I speak as someone who was born there and is astonished to find that anyone who follows cricket doesn’t know how to say it after the last seven years.
July 24th, 2006 at 3.15 pm
I’m not a Durham folk but I have friends who are, living 5 minutes away from the ground there. I assure you Alf couldn’t say “Li” street to save ‘is laaaf. ‘E sez “luh”.
July 24th, 2006 at 3.18 pm
I lived in Durham for three years, and watched a lot of cricket at Chester le Street, and I always thought it was luh. But I defer to the Beeb. And frankly I don’t think it makes that much of a difference. Although it may go a long way to explaining England’s “didn’t show up” performance in the one day series - Plunkett, Mahmood et al “we were told to bowl on a decent line and length at CHEST-uhr-luh-street , but this is CHEST-uhr-li-street, so we didn’t bother”
July 24th, 2006 at 5.20 pm
I’ve always pronouced it as the bbc says, but interestingly on bbc news they prounouced it the “le - rhymes with me” way!!!
July 24th, 2006 at 7.11 pm
More importantly, what the hell was happening with that damned balloon?
July 24th, 2006 at 7.23 pm
Harmison’s failed attempt to get him motivated for a Test match? (sorry)
July 24th, 2006 at 7.29 pm
Huw, I think you’ll find I was being sarcastic! That’s how many Americans and Canadians pronounce it.
July 24th, 2006 at 8.51 pm
Try the Septics (sorry Alan R!) on Belvoir in County Lie Kester Shire then, Will. Aggers claims to live there, in the Vale of Beee-ver.
July 25th, 2006 at 8.51 am
I’m hard up enough trying to spell it let alone say it!
July 25th, 2006 at 12.52 pm
So how do you pronounce Ad-e-laid-e Scott? 
July 25th, 2006 at 3.57 pm
“Chester-le-Street” is its modern name. If you want to be old-school about it, you should call it “Conecaster”, which is easier to pronounce.
Meanwhile I’ve been having fun trying to teach my young cousins to play cricket up in Kirkcudbrightshire.
