Whether you've lived in Suffolk all your life or are new to the county, it can be tricky to know how to pronounce several place names on first inspection. 

Lots of our most mispronounced town and village names come from Old English or Middle English, and it is the spelling of the places that have changed over time, not the pronunciation.

How many do you think you can say accurately?

Cowlinge

Cowlinge is actually pronounced Coo-linj, with the 'ow' making an 'oo' sound. 

In the Domesday Book, it is recorded as Culinge, and the present-day spelling didn't come until much later.

Bury Mercury: Many travel to Cowlinge for the pretty housesMany travel to Cowlinge for the pretty houses (Image: Google)

Bures

Located just south of Sudbury and towards the border with Essex is the village of Bures. 

While Suffolk pronunciation tends to skip syllables, this one goes against the grain and adds them in. 

Bures is said b-you-ers, with the emphasis on the 'u.'

Debach

It is the letter 'a' that catches most out with Debach, which is pronounced the same as the 'i' in 'spinach.'

Debach is therefore pronounced 'debbidge.'

Boulge

Many are left flummoxed by the pronunciation of Boulge, a place name that takes a couple of attempts to get right. 

Boulge is pronounced B-oo-lj, which wouldn't be most people's first guess.

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Blythburgh

Blythburgh is located near Southwold on the River Blyth, from where its name is derived. 

The name is Middle English and so the pronunciation is not what you would expect. 

Blythburgh is pronounced Bly-bruh, with the 'th' and 'gh' sounds silent. 

Bury Mercury: Many find the pronunciation of the River Stour trickyMany find the pronunciation of the River Stour tricky (Image: Newsquest)

Bruisyard

Another word with some tricky vowel combinations in it, Bruisyard often leaves visitors to the area stumped. 

Locals call it 'Br-ews-yard,' and smash the middle syllables together.

Sproughton 

On the outskirts of Ipswich is the village of Sproughton, a long word for the mere two syllables the pronunciation needs. 

Sproughton is called 'sp-ror-t'n' by locals. 

River Stour

Many travel to the beauty of Constable Country for the scenic views and walks along the famous river. 

It can be pronounced 'stoor,' but the correct pronunciation would be 'st-ow-er.'