LOCAL historian Mike Bardell has named more than 40 streets in Braintree – but never one as unusual as this.

This week the "Pig's Head in the Pottage Pot Gant" was added to the town's 1,000 roads, becoming one of the longest street names in Essex.

And while some way short of Anglesey's 58-character village, Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, the 27-letter gant is still set to twist the tongues of local residents.

"It's a bit of a mouthful," said 62-year-old Mike, a local historian and president of the civic society. "But it's a reference to an ancient pub that stood on the site."

The gant, or alleyway, is located off Little Square and has been named alongside the nearby "Osborn's Gant", named after a family leather business that operated throughout the 20th century.

The term gant, Mike says, is unique to Braintree and means an alleyway between buildings.

It is derived from the Flemish word for "alley" and went into local speech when European weavers arrived in the town in the 1300s.

In other parts of Britain they are variously called jennels, jiggers, jitties, and snickets.

Mike added: "Sadly we don't know too much about the 'Pig's Head in the Pottage Pot Gant'.

"We know there was an ancient pub nearby but we don't know when.

"All we know is that there is tantalising reference to the pub in some very old deeds. It's a bit of a mystery really."

Mike, who helps Braintree District Council name new roads and developments, says that although the "Pig's Head in the Pottage Pot Gant" is certainly the most unusual street name in town, it is not his favourite.

Trinovantian Way, off Railway Street, named after the Celtic tribe who lived in the area before the Roman Conquest of AD43 remains his top Braintree road name.

As well as naming of the two gants, three blue plaques will be erected in and around Braintree this week to commemorate the life of John Ray – the "father of natural history" – and two of his colleagues, Benjamin Allen and Samuel Dale.

John Ray's plaque will be located near his birthplace on Bakers Lane, Black Notley. The name of Benjamin Allen will be attached to the Constitutional Club in Great Square and a commemoration of Samuel Dale will be put up on the office of solicitor Homes and Hills on Bocking End.

Mike said: "Blue plaques are a recognised way of commemorating prominent individuals associated with buildings, and facilitate a wider understanding of the history of places and the people who have shaped society."

The trio join plaques put up to celebrate the lives of artist Edward Bawden and The Hundred And One Dalmatians author Dodie Smith.

The naming of the gants and erection of blue plaques was carried out by the Braintree and Bocking Civic Society. Visit www.bbcivsoc.org.uk