WE live in a county that many struggle to pronounce so it probably comes as no surprise that Worcestershire’s towns and villages also have unique names.
One village in particular, Flyford Flavell, gained national acclaim after a prime-time TV star on Have I Got News For You joked that the village in east Worcestershire cannot be real.
Roy Wood Jr. appeared on the hit show in 2024 and revealed he was shocked to learn the village existed and that he was reading a question when he stumbled upon the village’s pronunciation.
READ MORE: How to pronounce Malvern the town most tourists say wrong
But he was not the first to stumble on the village’s pronunciation and will probably not be the last.
How do you pronounce Flyford Flavell?
Despite how bizarre the alliteration may look on the page, Flyford Flavell is surprisingly straightforward once you know it.
Many tend to overpronounce the name and say fly-fed flay‑vul, maybe due to its unique spelling and time having two words to say instead of just the one.
READ MORE: Commonly mispronounced places in Worcestershire
Love that two fantastic villages in my constituency: Flyford Flavell; and
Upton Snodsbury
got a mention on Have I Got News for You this evening.
Yes, they are real places! #HIGNFY pic.twitter.com/FyQZBwkgrC— Nigel Huddleston MP (@HuddlestonNigel) November 8, 2024
To pronounce the town like a local, the first word is pronounced exactly like it looks – “Fly-furd” – with no extra pronunciation on the second syllable.
IT IS REAL: Flyford Flavel is a small village in Worcestershire. (Image: Newsquest)
Flavell is then pronounced like Flav-uhl as if it rhymes with travel or gravel.
So altogether you would say “Fly-furd Flav-uhl”.
Flyford Flavell at a glance
Flyford Flavell is between Worcester and Alcester and sits just off the A422.
The village comes with traditional pubs, a village church and a primary school.
Malvern joins the long list of Worcestershire names that leave non-locals scratching their heads.
From Worcester to Tenbury, Leigh to Bevere, pronunciations rarely match expectations — and Malvern’s gentle, understated rhythm is no exception.
Which areas in Worcestershire do you tend to struggle to pronounce? Let us know in the comments!
