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Fact-o-rama – 19-05-2009
The origin of the name "Shropshire" is the Old English "Scrobbesbyrigsc?r" (literally Shrewsburyshire), perhaps taking its name from Richard Scrob (or FitzScrob or Scrope), the builder of Richard's Castle near what is now the town of Ludlow. However, the Normans who ruled England after 1066 found both "Scrobbesbyrig" and "Scrobbesbyrigscir" difficult to pronounce so they softened them to "Salopesberia" and "Salopescira". Today, inhabitants of Shropshire are still known as Salopians.
However, "salope" is French slang for a cunt, bitch, slut etc. So if modern descendants of the Normans were to visit the area, they might hear the locals referring to each other as Cuntshireans. Possibly.