SPELLING IT OUT...

FIRST PUBLISHED 4th March 2013, UPDATED 15th MARCH 2013

by Dave Roberts
Here's a novel and interesting idea for a present if you like.
Dyed-in-the-wool Middlewichians (or 'Middlewichers' if you really must) Ann and Mike Hough were given this intriguing framed set of photos spelling out the fine old Middlewich name of Hough (pronounced, for the uninitiated, 'Huff') as a Christmas present last year and have kindly allowed us to feature it here for your delight and edification.
Urbanfotofont  can produce any name from photographs of shapes taken in whatever local area you like - in this case, of course, Middlewich.
And while putting together this particular set of photos, by a wonderful example of synchronicity they got closer to home than they could have imagined with one of the photographs.
So how good are you at recognising familiar little bits of Middlewich?
We think the location of three out of the four images are pretty easy to work out - specifically the two 'H's and the 'O'.
But we have to confess that the 'U' and the 'G' have us stumped for the present.
The 'U' looks like a rope handle on the end of a wooden box  - is there, perhaps, a canal connection?
And the 'G' has the look of part of the inscription on a gravestone or some kind of memorial.
Does anyone have any ideas?
We'll give you the answers - or at least the ones we have so far - in an update to this diary entry in a few days time..
 Meanwhile, don't hesitate to give us your ideas and theories, either on this site or on Facebook.

And if you'd like to buy something similar for yourself (just think yourself lucky if you have a short name - The France-Hayhursts and Willing-Dentons of this world will end up paying a fortune) here's a link to the Urbanfotofont site.

URBANFOTOFONT

UPDATE: 15th MARCH:

Here are the answers so far: The first 'H' is part of the buildings in Lewin Street opposite the White Horse,
the 'O' is the very familiar 'Bull's Head' on top of the former Fittons/Vernons butchers' shop in the Bullring and the second 'H' (and this is where that little bit of synchronicity comes in) is on the end of two cottages further along Lewin Street and on the other side of the road. Those cottages, although the photographer is unlikely to have known this, actually belong to Mr and Mrs Hough.
So what about the 'U'? Geraldine Williams, like me, seems to think that it is indeed the handle of a wooden box. But where is it?
And everyone seems agreed that the 'G' is part of an inscription on a headstone. But is it one of the old ones which now form a pathway through St Michael's Churchyard, or one of the (mostly) newer ones in Middlewich Cemetery?