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All the United Kingdom England York Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate
AO Edited

Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate

One of the shortest streets in York has an especially odd name.

York, England

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Duncan Chappell
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Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate.   Mig Gilbert/CC BY-SA 2.0
Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate.   duncanchappell / Atlas Obscura User
The sign at the end of the street.   Martin Pettitt/CC BY 2.0
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  sharondee98 / Atlas Obscura User
May, 2019   StephenVincent / Atlas Obscura User
  rbenn250 / Atlas Obscura User
Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate.   Mig Gilbert/CC BY-SA 2.0
May, 2019   StephenVincent / Atlas Obscura User
Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate   Jaszmina Szendrey / Atlas Obscura User
1 1/2 Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate   SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
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In a country not lacking in peculiar place names, Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate, one of the shortest streets in the historic city of York, England, is perhaps one of the strangest. Reportedly, there are only three addresses for this thoroughfare: #'s 1, 1a, and 1 1/2.

The meaning behind the unusual moniker is shrouded in debate.According the plaque at the end of the street, in the year 1505 the street was known as “Whitnourwhatnourgate” which translates to “What a Street!”

However, some say the origins of Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma are actually supposed to mean “Neither One Thing Nor Another.” In the Middle Ages, it was the location of the city’s whipping post and stocks, which could also possibly account for the “Whip” part of the name.

One idea that is commonly agreed upon is that the use of “Gate” at the end does not in fact relate to an entryway, but instead derives from the Norse “gata,” meaning “street.” Many places in York, and the wider United Kingdom, have place names that stem from Norse roots. Indeed, the short stretch of raised pavement is located in the city center between Colliergate and Fossgate, where it runs between Saint Crux Church and the nearby junction in the road.

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Added By

duncanchappell

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SEANETTA, Jaszmina Szendrey, Kerry Wolfe, rbenn250...

  • SEANETTA
  • Jaszmina Szendrey
  • Kerry Wolfe
  • rbenn250
  • sharondee98
  • StephenVincent

Published

August 11, 2017

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Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate
  • https://www.grandyorkshire.com/street-names-in-york/
  • https://www.insideyork.co.uk/attractions/whip-ma-whop-ma-gate.html
Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate
Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate
York, England
United Kingdom
53.959215, -1.079264
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