I was having a conversation with a few people yesterday.
One couple were from Lincoln, another couple from Macclesfield and then two men from Chesterfield.
What interested me is that one of the men from Chesterfield considered himself Northern, whilst the other said he was from the East Midlands?
Given that Chesterfield is about 11 miles south of Sheffield, and I would consider Sheffield as being North as a Northern town gets (spiritually, not geographically) it surprised me how close everything is.
If you look on a map, and draw a horizontal line through Chesterfield. It virtually cuts through, Macclesfield, Lincoln and Northwich. With Chester just a little bit further south.
Macclesfield and Northwich are Northern towns in my opinion, as is Chester. Lincoln I’m less sure about.
Anyway, where does the North stop being the North and become some part of the Midlands?
Is there an actual point?

When you consider it from the south, anything past Watford is northern... so that’s Burnley twice yesterday

It's where tea becomes dinner and dinner becomes lunch.

South of Manchester is south to me.

Being northern isn’t about geography though.

Stuart Maconie has written a book about it. Pies and Prejudice. It’s an entertaining read.

Surely, you can always keep going north? And you can always keep going south?

Lancashire and Yorkshire up.

Where they stop serving gravy in their chippy.

Where they stop saying thank you to bus drivers.

john'sroseyspecs wrote:It's where tea becomes dinner and dinner becomes lunch.

Spot on that, I hadn't had Tea for 46 years until I moved back in Dec 2016.

I still can't bring myself to call lunch dinner though

FreddyK wrote:Surely, you can always keep going north? And you can always keep going south?

If you carried on going north in a straight line then you would reach the North Pole (wherever you start from). However if you carried on along that straight line you would then be heading south!

bfcmik wrote:If you carried on going north in a straight line then you would reach the North Pole (wherever you start from). However if you carried on along that straight line you would then be heading south!

Actually.. I've just read up. The Earth isn't an exact circle. So you wouldn't end up in the same place if you kept going north or south.

Read Stuart Maconie's book 'Pies and Prejudice'. Sums up 'the North' perfectly and it's not just about the geography.

Anywhere south of Winterfell

FreddyK wrote:Actually.. I've just read up. The Earth isn't an exact circle. So you wouldn't end up in the same place if you kept going north or south.

Whether you headed geographically north/south or magnetically north/south then you would end up exactly where you started from as long as you continued in a straight line (just knackered after the 25-26k miles!). After all, the lines of longitude all manage to meet in the same 2 places i.e. the North and South Poles

john'sroseyspecs wrote:It's where tea becomes dinner and dinner becomes lunch.

Only part true I think. It as much of a class thing as a regional thing to call the evening meal "tea". I know Londoners who call it tea as well. Generally ones brought up in the East End.

bobinho wrote:South of Manchester is south to me.

Being northern isn’t about geography though.

If we’re talking south of Manchester, that includes Liverpool, Rotherham and Sheffield? So I'd have to disagree.

But I do agree with your point about not being just geographical. Harrogate for example is clearly a Southern Town.

Stand at the North Pole, and whichever way you travel, you will be going south.

Vice versa at tother end.

At the Neck. And if you believe Jon then also at the Wall.

FreddyK wrote:Actually.. I've just read up. The Earth isn't an exact circle. So you wouldn't end up in the same place if you kept going north or south.

If you'd had a skinful the earth not being an exact circle can be ignored.

FreddyK wrote:Actually.. I've just read up. The Earth isn't an exact circle. So you wouldn't end up in the same place if you kept going north or south.

No. Of course not. You'd fall off.

When they stop adding an extra R to certain words.

Bath - Barth
Grass - Grarss

Moustache is pronounced Mous-tosh down here aswell for some strange reason.
Even though they admit the shortened version is tash...

there was a recent programme about this, seemingly there is a dividing line from humber estuary to the bristol channel which roughly splits north from south. the divisions take into account wealth, health, work, housing, dialects, speech patterns, farming and industry.
it has solid basis historically too dating back to iron age and beyond.

South of the M62 and you aren't a northerner

Top Claret wrote:South of the M62 and you aren't a northerner

Manchester..?

Transpennine wrote:Manchester..?

Prestwich is in the Midlands and Whitefield is in the North

Top Claret wrote:Prestwich is in the Midlands and Whitefield is in the North

Fair enough, can't argue with that, and Didsbury is clearly in the home counties...

Stoke down

Between the Raistrick Greave and Reaps Cross legend has it.

Where folk get you to say certain words and then all fall about laughing at the correct way to say said word.

Also, when adding gravy to a dinner becomes a spectacle, nay revelation to the locals.

When you stop seeing dry stone walls.

Cheshire is in The South.

When people stop speaking to each other on public transport, you know you're heading into the north!

Cheese with Christmas cake. I had a flat mate from Southampton who looked at me like i had two heads when i told him about it. Try it I said. Just try it.

When shopkeepers stop being nice...

https://youtu.be/PI7o-FJM8f4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Junction 19 of the M6 at Knutsford. There you enter the midlands.

At junction 15 of the M1 at Northampton you leave the midlands and enter the south.

That's how I've always thought of it.

Stoke.

South Derbyshire.

Great Harwood. Any further West is the middle of nowhere

What about where tea becomes 'supper?'

South Korea

Everywhere is north for me, there’s bugger all south!!

basil6345789 wrote:Cheshire is in The South.

I live in South Manchester. When I walk the dog 300yds west, I come to the river Mersey
and a footbridge. My side of the river is the 'City of Manchester', the other side of the footbridge
is 'Sale' which was historically in Cheshire. So by your reckoning Wythenshawe, Stockport
and Manchester Airport are in the south?

The south starts in the pub that serves beer with no head and charges you over 4 pounds a pint for the privilege.

Man of Kent wrote:When people stop speaking to each other on public transport, you know you're heading into the north!

Quite the reverse https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT0ay9u1gg4

basil6345789 wrote:Cheshire is in The South.

This is still amusing/confusing me.
Warrington and Widnes, which are both in Cheshire, are in the South?

Basil6345789
Warrington, Cheshire: 53.39 degrees North
Sheffield, South Yorkshire: 53.38 degrees North

So Warrington is further North than Sheffield.
Sheffield must be in the deep south then Basil6345789?

Wilmslow and anything south of Watford is France!

I have a friend from Poole who thinks the north starts on the outskirts of Bournemouth. They used to sing ‘Dirty northern b******s at Yeovil

Anywhere with a stupid accent. So Shadsworth.

john'sroseyspecs wrote:Cheese with Christmas cake. I had a flat mate from Southampton who looked at me like i had two heads when i told him about it. Try it I said. Just try it.

I revolutionised a small part of Dublin with this cuisine (after the funny looks had ceased)