It’s not often such a cute story comes along resulting from modern day masters of world wide information dropping the ball, but here’s one that’s so quaint and inviting, you’d like to move to the city in question. Argleton. Home of Christ Church, The Cockbeck Tavern, The West Tower Country Hotel, and if traditional meals are your thing, how about a bite and a pint at The Stanley Arms?
If you wondered if something was missing from the town in the picture above, here’s a closer look at Argleton to prove to you that what’s this town is missing, is a town!
So really, if you lived in Argleton, you’d be pretty lonely and also own the only structure there. Make it a good one; it will have to pull triple-time as your house, City Hall and the Visitor’s Museum.
While it’s almost certain to be elimiated from Google Maps by the time you look for it, Argleton (rearranged suspiciously as Not Real G) brings the online visitor places of interest and even makes mention of real people you’re likely to run in to. Due to its presence on the Internet, online businesses and directories place it legitamately in postalcode L39
This has been awkward and embarassing for both Google and the Dutch company that provided information. While no real damages have occurred and no music festivals or wedding trips planned, scholars are having a blast trying to figure out how this could have happened.
Historically, map makers will add fake streets or names to later prove their maps have been “stolen.” Google has never been known to do this. Also anagrammed as, “Not Large,” Argleton is neighbor to Roy Bayfield, head of corporate marketing at what would be Argleton’s closest university, Edge Hill, in Ormskirk -source:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/6474746/Mystery-of-Argleton-the-Google-town-that-only-exists-online.html and began to fantasize instantly about dreamy lands and imaginary parellel universes where Argleton might well be a bustling community filled with Hogwart-like students and Narnia-like creatures.
Corporate Marketing can be fun, kids. During my own trip to Argleton via Google Maps, “More info about Argleton, Lancashire…” I saw stunning photos of The Derby Arms, wild, gnarly ancient trees on Clieves Hill taken at 6:48PM to show the sunset and found that I’d really like to go!
Popular places, like a train station, are located in other, more real cities like the Aughton Park railway station‎. This is popular. So travelers be warned, when popular places on Google Maps consist soley of ways to leave a town, the chances are whatever town that is has less appeal than Argleton, Lancashire does today.
