FROM Red Rice to Picket Twenty, Andover has many places bearing unusual, amusing, and interesting names.

When you live in a town for a long time, it’s easy to become immune to these quirks.

But if you’ve ever stopped to wonder how some of the more unusual places around the town got their names, here we look at the history behind them.

Enham Alamein

It is by all accounts a typical Hampshire village, but a statue in the middle of Enham Alamein reveals its links to an interesting past.

The statue of injured World War One soldier Ned carved from an oak tree represents the village’s role during the war as a centre for ex-servicemen, with a 150-bed rehabilitation facility providing medical support and re-training to those discharged from hospital.

The second part of its name Alamein is said to have been added on in 1945 following a gift of £225,000 from the people of Cairo, as a thank you for to the British forces at the Battle of El Alamein, where the sons of some settlers fought.

Red Rice

The name of this Andover hamlet has been the subject of much speculation over the years, with various suggestions behind where it might originate.

One theory is that it comes from the old word ‘rice’ meaning shrubby twigs such as wild dogwood, which is abundant in the area, and the branches of which turn bright red in the winter.

Another suggests that the Anglo-Saxon term ‘Rede Ric’ means a council chamber.

Some think the name was taken from the brick colour of clay loam, chalk and iron oxide from Sidbury.

Boulter Road and Boulter Crescent

These road names have an interesting history. According to documents published by Test Valley Borough Council, they refer to Boulter Road and Boulter Crescent being named after a local highwayman called Thomas Boulter.

He was renowned for holding up the coaches between Southampton and Salisbury and from London to Salisbury, particularly as they travelled over Salisbury Plain.

Thomas was hanged in Winchester in 1779 aged 30, known as the ‘Flying Highwayman of Wiltshire’.

Picket Twenty

There is very little information available about the meaning behind the unusual name Picket Twenty.

The first part picket could refer to either a stake, or a sloe-bush.

Blinker Way

According to information published by Test Valley Borough Council, Blinker Way is named after the blinkers used on horses heads in races.

Quicksilver Way

This has nothing to do with the snow and surf brand, but instead refers to the name of a coach from Exeter to London which was deemed to be the fastest coach in England in 1844.

It took 17 hours to travel between London and Exeter.