What is a Pathway Between Houses or a Narrow Lane?

[dmsjps]

Where I come from originally (Yorkshire), we used to call them ginnels or snickets. When I met my husband he'd never heard of them. Just wondering how many 'names' there are for these things. Would help if you'd put the area you're from too. Thanks.

[mystress]

Hi there,

Where I come from they are called "twittens"!

I am in East Sussex near Hastings by the way.

[spudqueen]

I'm from Lancashire and they are called ginnels here aswell.

[gen2]

I'm in East Central Scotland.

Here a passageway between houses is known as a close.

A narrow lane is most often called a wynd, although a less commonly used word for a narrow lane or alley is a vennel.

[l_h_kings]

I had never heard of the word ginnel until i moved to Lancashire from The Midlands about 8 years ago. I would normally refer to them as a backlane or an alleyway, Not very imaginative !

[gen2]

My wife has just reminded me that I should also have included pend which is an open ended passage though a building at ground level.

[orange-gnome]

I call them alleys or alleyways too..from kent.

[Ouisch]

That's an alley here in the Midwestern USA.

[Personica]

Hi All,

Here in Notts we often refer to them as Jitty's or Jennels (between terraced houses)

[maxi29]

They're twittens in Brighton too. I think it's just a Sussex word as it's interesting to see Orange-Gnome in Kent doesn't call them that.

[Kay]

We've always called them "Gullies" Im from Cardiff:-)))

[delboy3]

As kids in Manchester we called it an entry, but I've heard other people from here call it a ginnel

[mongos bird]

I second Personica's post, jittys were what we ran down as nippers in Nottingham when playing knock-a-door-run!!

[mongos bird]

...and if some unfortunate soul had bandy legs it was said  'he couldn't stop a pig in a jitty.'

[mongos bird]

Just thought of another Notts name, a twitchel.

[Little Lady]

Personica and Mongo's bird have the same as me a Jitty or Alley, we sometimes call them a Jit for short.

[patchie]

I'm from Liverpool and we say "entry" (or "ennog") and "jigger"

[Glossopswift]

They were always gulleys when I were a lad (South Staffs)

[Dusky]

Here in Northamptonshire they're called Jetties but it's often pronounced "Jitty".  Then again, they can't pronounce "Nene" here, either; or Duston ("Dussen"), Cogenhoe ("Cookno"), Kettering ("Ke'rin") or even Northampton ("Nawfan'm").  Off Bridge Street there's Friars Jetty and off The Drapery there's Jeyes Jetty.  Personally, I always thought they were alleys.  I'm not from round here, you know...  In fact, I may have to leave, soon.