Elm Road

There are dozens of streets in Plymouth - and tens of thousands around the UK - that owe their names to a type of tree. Many of our earliest street names came from old field names - generally relating to the field lost in the construction of the housing.

In later years, as areas became more built-up, it became increasingly common to name streets after trees to help confer the notion of 'suburban gentility' on a development. Plymouth has six Elms, although Elm Road in Mannamead was originally known as Hell Lane. "It apparently got its derogatory name because it was so steep and rough, it was hell to drive along" says Arthur Norman in "Old Street Names of Plymouth".

It retained its popular name until at least the late 19th century, then becoming Elm Lane for a time before the current moniker of Elm Road was adopted.