The following joke has circulated far and wide. I include it here simply because I have had a number of messages asking if the supposed address is real.
Well, for the record, I can find no mention of a real village called “Erbum” or a town named “Tillet” in Hertfordshire.
The photograph used in the joke does show a real English pub called the “Cock Inn”. Ironically, this pub is actually located in Hertfordshire, although it can be found in the village of Sarratt, not ‘Erbum”. In fact, there are a number of “Cock Inns” in the UK.
An example of the joke message:
Subject: The Best Address in England Linda Lykes
Google This – it’s absolutely true!
In the sleepy village of Erbum, in the town of Tillet, Hertfordshire lives a lady by the name Linda Lykes.
She owns the local pub called The Cock Inn.
Her mail is addressed:
Linda Lykes
The Cock Inn
ERBUM
Tillet,
Herts.If you don’t get it, just keep saying it out loud!
3 comments
Your right on most of the accounts except for the Hertfordshire pronunciation, although when said in full it’s pronounced “Harts” but when abbreviated it changes to “Herts”.
Ok, thanks for the clarification. Much appreciated. I’ve now removed that sentence from my report.
I was brought up in Essex, the next county to Herts, and I’ve only ever pronounced it as Hartfordshire or Hart’s.