to tell anyone starting a Harry Potter business in York that

[chomalungma]

The Shambles was not the inspiration for Diagon Alley.

I mean it's great. The Shambles looks the part. But seriously.

1 Harry Potter shop was good. Then there were 3. Then another one joined in. And now there's a potion shop.

Still, it brings in the tourists. And it's a change from Vikings.

St. Mary is the patron saint of Devon, and was famously martyred by being eaten alive by otters. She's always portrayed in pictures absolutely covered in otters

Did you make that story up? I grew up in Devon and didn't know that (though the church in the village I lived in for a time was (and is) St Mary's - not in East Devon though).

@cologne4711

St. Mary is the patron saint of Devon, and was famously martyred by being eaten alive by otters. She's always portrayed in pictures absolutely covered in otters

Did you make that story up? I grew up in Devon and didn't know that (though the church in the village I lived in for a time was (and is) St Mary's - not in East Devon though).

I think someone called Douglas told her.

cabin-pressure.livejournal.com/60389.html

About half way down

St Mary being the patron saint of Devon makes sense - there are a lot of St Marys. But my mum's name is Mary (though she's from NW England originally) so I would have thought she would have known any stories of that nature

I think there was a Gropecunt lane in London which was changed fairly recently for obvious reasons. It’s a great name!!!

Shared the Gropecunt fact with DP earlier and he pondered whether Gropecunt is an invitation or an order!

Quite a few cities and towns had a Gropecunt Lane back in the day, and tended to be where prostitutes could be found.

This is an interesting read...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gropecunt_Lane

@cologne4711

St. Mary is the patron saint of Devon, and was famously martyred by being eaten alive by otters. She's always portrayed in pictures absolutely covered in otters

Did you make that story up? I grew up in Devon and didn't know that (though the church in the village I lived in for a time was (and is) St Mary's - not in East Devon though).

I think the Otter connection is the River Otter running through the town, though I prefer the tale of Mary's martyrdom.