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l/NIVERSZTY OF TORONTO LIBRARY
FROM THE
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STAFFORDSHIRE
PLACE NAMES
OXFORD
HORACE HART, PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY
NOTES ON
STAFFORDSHIRE
PLACE NAMES
W. H. DUIGNAN
OP WALSAli,
LONDON
HENRY FROWDE
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS WAREHOUSE, AMEN CORNER, B.C.
NEW YORK : 91 & 93 FIFTH AVENUE
1902
[All rights reserved}
PREFACE
THE study of place names is a modern science.
Until Kemble published his Codex Diplomaticus
(1839-48), our Anglo-Saxon records were inacces-
sible to ordinary students. They were scattered,
and those in public institutions were uncatalogued,
unindexed, and difficult to decipher ; in addition, the
language in which they were written was understood
by few, and generally neglected. Kemble performed
his work under great difficulties, and. as the charters
related to most parts of England, without the advan-
tage of local knowledge. His arrangement is con-
fusing, the index incomplete, and his correlation of
ancient to modern names deficient, and frequently
erroneous. Thorpe published his Diplomatarium
Anglicum in 1845, containing some additions to
Kemble's work, and several accurate and useful trans-
lations. The Government, since 1873, have published
four folio volumes of Facsimiles of Ancient Charters
in the British Museum, and three similar volumes
of Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts, with transliterations
and translations. Mr. W. de Gray Birch between
1885 and 1893 also published three quarto volumes
of Cartularium Saxonicum, comprising all known
charters to the year 975. This work, so far as it
goes, is infinitely superior to Kemble's Codex, being
well annotated; but it is incomplete, and has an
VI PREFACE
index only of personal names. We had no Anglo-
Saxon dictionary, worth the name, until Bosworth
published his in 1838, a vastly improved edition
of which was issued by the Clarendon Press, under
the editorship of Professor Toller, between 1882 and
1898. Under these circumstances, it is not surprising
that county and other historians, who thought it
necessary to deal with local etymologies, should
generally display little learning, and make frequent
and flagrant mistakes.
The study of Anglo-Saxon, or Old-English as some
prefer to term it, is now however open to all, and is
fast being considered a necessary part of liberal edu-
cation. Knowledge of the language is indispensable
in construing place names, as probably ninety per
cent, of them have their genesis in it. The philologist
also has opportunities to refresh himself by researches
in Norman-French, Norse, Welsh, and other Celtic
languages ; so that he will probably never lack
occupation, or cease to learn.
After Anglo-Saxon records, our next authority
is Domesday Book. It is wonderfully correct, con-
sidering the rapidity of its compilation (it is said to
have occupied two years), that it is the work of
Norman commissioners and clerks taking oral evidence
from A. S. witnesses, and was transcribed from the
crabbed and abbreviated writing of the period by other
clerks. Numerous errors are of course to be found
in it, and local charters of the twelfth and thirteenth
centuries are often preferable authorities.
It is rarely safe to trust the present form of a name.
Change has been going on at all times, and corrup-
tion crept in long before the Conquest. ' Before
PREFACE vii
attempting an etymology, ascertain the earliest form
and use of the word ; observe history and chronology ;
observe phonetic laws ' (Professor Skeat).
The gravest errors are perpetuated in history in
consequence of the ignorance of early writers of every-
thing concerning place names. As Professor Skeat
says, ' they had no means of ascertaining principles
that are now well established, and instead of pro-
ceeding by rule had to go blindly by guess/ It is
certainly important to know whether a battle in which
Ceawlin (King of Wessex) was defeated by the Britons
in 592 was fought at Wanborough in Wilts., or at
Wednesbury in Staffordshire. These places are
about ninety miles apart, and we cannot understand
the relative occupation of the country by Saxons and
Britons, at the time referred to, without identifying the
locality. Three versions of the A. S. Chronicle, under
the year 592, say 'There was a great slaughter in
Britain at Woddesbeorge^ and Ceawlin was driven out ' ;
but a fourth version says 'at Wodensbeorge.' Henry
of Huntingdon says ' at Wednesburie' Ethelweard's
Chronicle ' at Wodnesbyrg] and Florence of Wor-
cester ' at Wodnesbeorh, that is Woden's Mount'
Camden lays the scene at Woodborough (which he
feels constrained to spell Woodensburge), seven miles
south-east of Devizes. This does not commend itself
to Gough, who says, in his Additions to Camden,
' But Woodborrow being the only village whose
name retains any traces of Wodensburg, and there
not being the least sign or tradition of a battle fought
there, others suppose that Wanborow is the town
in question ; for Wodensburgh might as easily pass
into Wanborongh as Wodensdic into Wansdike!
Vlll PREFACE
Lingard accepts ' Woodensburg ' (there is no such
place) ' in Wilts.' Elton (Origins of History} says
' it was probably at Wanborough ' ; and Kemble,
finding a Wodnesbeorg (plainly on the bounds of
Alton in Hants) in charters 1035 and 1070 (Cod.
Dip.}, recklessly assigns it, in his Index, to Wan-
borough. Sir R. A. C. Hoare suggests Woodborough
in Wilts. Thorpe says ' it is undetermined,' and
Dr. Guest (Origines Celticae) writes, 'The place, beyond
all question, is Wanborough in Wilts.' ; and he argues
that he would expect Wodensburgh, by the eleventh
or twelfth century, to soften into Woden-burgh> of
which Wanborough would be the modern corrup-
tion. Later writers have accepted this view without
investigation. Now it is impossible it can be Wan-
borough, because in three charters of the ninth century
that place is recorded as Wenbeorg-, in Domesday
it is Wemberge, the in being an evident mistake
for n. Wen, in the ninth century, could not represent
an original Woden. There is only one Wednes-
bury in England (the Wodensbeorg in Alton being
out of the question and now unknown), and I suggest
that the Woddesbeorge of three versions of the
Chronicle is an error for W odnesbeorge. There is
another reason why Wednesbury should be preferred.
It is well known that the Saxons advanced from the
south and east, gradually driving the Britons before
them. The Chronicle, under the year 577 (fifteen
years before the battle referred to), says 'Cuthwine
and Ceawline fought against the Britons at Deorham,
and took three cities from them, Gloucester, Ciren-
cester, and Bath.' It is more likely that the victorious
Caewlin advanced northward to Wednesbury, than
PREFACE ix
that he fell back forty miles south. Again, the
Chronicle, under 715, tells us that 'Ina' (King of
Wessex) ' and Ceolred ' (King of Mercia) ' fought,'
three versions say 'at Woddesbeorge' and two say
' at Wodnesbeorge! Ethelweard's Chronicle says ' at
Wothnesbeorge ' (th clearly representing d). Florence
of Worcester writes ' at Wodnesbeorh! Commen-
tators also assume this to mean Wanborough. I
submit that both the events referred to took place
at Wednesbury in Mercia, not at Wanborough in
Wessex.
Even contemporary writers of eminence are ex-
ceedingly slipshod in construing place names, and
deducing history from them. Any old nonsense is
good enough. The third edition of The Story of
some English Shires, by Mandell Creighton, D.D.,
late Lord Bishop of London, has just (1901) been
published, the writer, we are told in the preface,
being ' one of the recognized masters of English
history.' Well, to him Lichfield is ' the field of
corpses ' ; Stafford is ' the ford over the broadening
stream which could be crossed by the help of a staff.'
Wolverhampton ' tells, by its name, of the ravages
made by the wild wolves on the flocks of its first
inhabitants.' Coventry ' took its name from the
convent round which it gathered,' overlooking the
fact that Coventry was Cofantreo centuries before
the Conquest, and that covent, meaning a convent,
was borrowed from the French, and is not found in
our language before 1225. The rest of the etymo-
logies are of similar value.
A large proportion of place names, throughout the
world, have their origin in personal names. ' Their
X PREFACE
inward thought is that their houses shall continue for
ever, and their dwelling-places to all generations ; they
call their lands after their own names.' In construing
these names we must remember that nicknames, pet
names, and short names were as common before the
Conquest as they were in the last century ; and further,
that Time inclines to brevity. ' Letters, like soldiers
on a long march, have a tendency to drop off and
desert.' Our old writers, when they recognize a per-
sonal name, usually assign it to some distinguished
individual. But all the prominent names in history
were borne alike by nobles and peasants ; and it is
more likely that a place would take its name from
an original settler than from some great man, unless
known in the locality. The influence of personal
names has only been recognized within the last
thirty years. Until the publication of Mr. Searle's
Onomasticon Anglo- Saxonicnm (1^97), which gives
a list of personal names from the time of Beda to that
of King John, all collections were fragmentary. I
have found the work of infinite service, and the
author is entitled to the gratitude of all philologists.
The Norsemen appear to have influenced, to some
extent, the formation of place names in the moorland
district of North Staffordshire. This influence is
entirely absent in the south of the county. Whether
a colony of Norsemen settled on the moorlands, or
their descendants migrated from the north, or the
language trickled down, we cannot tell ; but Norse
influence is apparent north of Newcastle, Cheadle, and
Uttoxeter.
In cases where I have been unable to arrive at
a satisfactory opinion I have thought it best to give
PREFACE XI
the forms I have met with, and leave the construction
to others who may have more learning, or meet with
better material.
Farm and field names are frequently of extreme
antiquity, and in a word sometimes convey a story.
The difficulty with them is that without access to the
owner's title-deeds it is hard to get reliable early
forms. They can therefore only be scantily dealt
with. Old street names are often historically interest-
ing, and municipal records generally afford early
forms. I have been chary of them to avoid incum-
brance, and probably they would be more interesting
in municipal history. Many of them have their origin
in Norman-French, the language of the law courts
and lawyers for about a hundred and fifty years
prior to 1363. Take for instance a street name in
Walsall. Ablewell Street skirts the foot of the
hill on which the church stands, and is connected
with it by a side street called 'the Ditch.' In the
thirteenth century the name of the street was Aval-
walle. In N. F. aval means ' below,' and walle is a
M. E. word commonly applied to earthworks or ancient
entrenchments. ' The Ditch ' represents the fosse of
these earthworks, which was visible fifty years ago, and
may still be traced. Altogether we get this story :
that, in remote times, the church hill was crowned by
earthworks (a fort). That the ancient fathers built,
within the fort, a primitive church, not for defence,
but because it was their common policy to use any
place frequented or venerated by the heathen people,
as being attractive to them. And the town grew
round the church.
I have to express my acknowledgements and thanks
Xll PREFACE
to Major-General the Honourable George Wrottesley,
whose patient and learned labours in the compilation
of Collections for a History of Staffordshire (William
Salt Archaeological Society) first suggested, and
greatly facilitated, these notes ; to Professor Skeat.
of Cambridge, for advice on many occasions, always
most promptly and courteously afforded ; and to my
friend, Mr. W. H. Stevenson, Fellow of Exeter College,
Oxford, for his valuable revision, for which, however,
he is not to be held responsible further than indicated
by his initials.
W. H. DUIGNAN.
WAUSALL,
December, 1901.
PRINCIPAL CONTRACTIONS
A. S., Anglo-Saxon = Old English.
Bosworth-Toller, Bosworth-Toller's A. S. Dictionary.
c., century.
Cart. Sax., Birch's Cartularium Saxonicum.
Cod. Dip., Kemble's Codex Diplomaticus Aevi Saxonici.
D., Domesday Book.
dot., dative.
E. D. S., English Dialect Society.
E. E. T. S., Early English Text Society.
E. P. N., Britten and Holland's English Plant Names, E. D. S.
Eng. Dial. Diet., English Dialect Dictionary.
Exs., Examples.
f.,fem., feminine.
G., Gaelic.
gen., genitive.
//., hamlet.
H. E. D., Historical, or New, English Dictionary.
/., Irish.
L., Latin.
m., miles.
M., Manx.
M. E., Middle-English.
m., mas., masculine.
JV. F., Norman or Old French.
O. E., Old-English or Anglo-Saxon.
O. F., Old or Norman French.
0. N., Old Norse.
0. W., Old Welsh.
/. n. , personal name.
//. n., place name.
pr., pronounced.
W., Welsh.
W. H. S., W. H. Stevenson.
SUFFIXES
Barrow, in various forms, is a common terminal. The
root is A. S. beorg, beorh, M. E. beoruh, berghe, berwe, borw,
borg, burgh, barrough, Mod. E. barrow. The original
meaning is a hill, hillock, but at a very early period the
word was commonly applied to a low, or burial-mound.
The forms are so various in M. E. that great care is needful
to distinguish them from A. S. burh, M. E. burgh, bar owe, &c.
V. Bury.
Bury, Borough, Berry. These terminals have their
root in A. S. burh, dat. byrig, byrg, M. E. burgh, borowe,
burwe, borugh, &c., meaning an enclosed place, from a castle,
town, or village, to a single homestead surrounded by a wall
or rampart of earth. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish
the forms, which in M. E. are very varied, from A. S. beorg,
beorh, beorge, a hill, tumulus (v . Barrow). (The r was strongly
rolled, and the h was like Scotch ch in loch ', thence develop-
ment of u in form borough. Burgh, in Lincolnshire, is
pronounced ' Borough.' W. H. S.) Burgh, burg, burh, in
A. S. dictionaries are generally interpreted a fortified place,
a town, a city. But we must remember that, with few
exceptions, towns and cities were not founded right away,
but grew from small beginnings perhaps a single home-
stead and acquired a name before they had any pretensions
to importance. In a charter of 996 'the old burg' is
mentioned as on the bounds of a manor. The bounds are
precisely what they were, and the description so accurate
that every locality can be identified. The 'old burg' con-
sists of seven small pits, the dwellings of some primitive race.
XVI STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
No trace of enclosure or earthwork remains, and it is
improbable that any ever existed. Pit-dwellings could only
have been occupied by some persecuted feeble race hiding
themselves in holes ; and yet the place is called a burg.
Don, a common terminal, from A. S. dun, dune (pr. down),
a mountain, hill, 'down.' In Staffordshire pi. names it
may always be translated ' hill/ the county having no moun-
tains or downs. In M. E. it appears as dune, doune, doun.
Dun is a common word in Celtic and Teutonic languages.
In I. it is generally applied to a hill-fort. In W. the form is
din and dtnas, with a similar meaning.
Field, Fold, Felt, common terminals from A. S. feld,
a field; in pi. names not an enclosure as we now under-
stand it, but 'a plain, open, unenclosed country as opposed to
woodland ; an expanse.'
Ford, a common terminal from A. S. ford, a road or
passage through a stream, irrespective of its size. In A. S.
charters a road to a man's house which crosses a rivulet is
frequently called So-and-So's ' ford.'
Hale. This very common terminal is usually treated as
a form of A. S. heall, a hall, or principal dwelling ; but it
seems also to be a form of A. S. healh, Mercian halh, dat.
heale, Mercian hale, which Bosworth-Toller's Dictionary gives
as ' a word of doubtful meaning ' ; but it is certainly used in
A. S. charters in the sense of meadow or pasture land.
Kemble (Cod. Dip.) always construes it 'hall'; but it is
clear that many pi. names now ending in ' hale ' or ' hall '
refer to meadow-land. Rischale, now Rushall, cannot mean
a hall built of rushes. It is more likely to mean 'rushy
meadow or pasture ' ; Fearnhealas cannot mean Fern halls,
but may reasonably be read ' ferny meadows ' ; Hathhalan
is more likely to mean ' heathy meadow ' than ' heath hall/
SUFFIXES xvii
and so on. In the absence of evidence to the contrary,
I construe hale as ' hall.' In the early part of the 140. the
words hale and halle (from O. F. hale) were applied to
places roofed over, but usually open at the sides, to pavilions,
tents, and booths; hence our town-halt, market-/^//. In
pi. names, however, this meaning must be disregarded.
Ham. This common terminal is usually derived from
A. S. ham, home, a dwelling ; but many places now ending
in ham derive that part of their name from A. S. hamm and
holm, river-side meadow. (Holm is O. N., not O. E., in this
sense. W. H. S.) Yes ; probably borrowed from O. N.
before the Saxons came here ; I am unwilling to admit that
the Norsemen had any influence whatever in the forma-
tion of early Staffordshire pi. names, except in North-East
Staffs.
Hay, a common prefix and terminal, is from A. S. hege
(g = y), meaning (i) an enclosed place, (2) a locality known
by defined bounds, but not enclosed. Forests were usually
divided into hays for administrative purposes. Cannock
Forest is sometimes recorded as ' The Forest of the Seven
Hays.' In M. E. hege becomes heye, heie, hate, hqye, hay,
and similar forms. It is allied to A. S. haga, M. E. haw,
haghe, hazve, which also means an enclosure, and is frequently
applied to burgage tenements in towns.
Hill, a common terminal, and an occasional prefix, is from
A. S. hyll, M. E. hul, hulle, a hill. The word is comparative,
and often applied in level districts to slight elevations.
Hope, in various forms, is a common terminal, and an
occasional prefix in the Midlands, especially Salop. It is
A. S. hop, M. E. hope, only to be found in A. S. dictionaries
in its adjectival form, hopig (g~y\ in hills and hollows, or
in compound, such as mbr-hopu (plural), moor-hope, a fen. It
means 'a valley between two hills.' Exs. : Hopwas, Hopton,
b
XVI 11 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Woolhope, Ratlinghope, &c. Hope, bach, combe, have sub-
stantially the same meaning.
Ley, Leigh, Lea, Ly, Lay. These common terminals
are from A. S. leak. gen. and dat. leage (g = y), M. E. ley, leye,
lay, le, open unfilled land used as pasture, the unenclosed
parts of a manor, which might be grassy, bushy, woody, or
varied. For brevity I translate the forms as ' pasture.
Low, a common terminal, from A. S. hldw, M.E. /awe,
/owe, a mound, hillock; but, in pi. names, may always be
read ' burial-mound/ ' barrow.'
More, Moor, common terminals, from A. S. mdr (pr.
moor), M. E. mdr, more, moore. The word is usually applied
to waste, swampy land ; but sometimes to high, waste ground,
untimbered.
Ton, Tone, Tun, terminals and occasional prefixes, are
A. S. tun, dat. tune, M. E. ioun, Mod. E. town. The original
meaning of the word was ' an enclosure, a field or place
surrounded by a bank or hedge ' ; hence ' barton,' an
enclosure for corn, 'appleton/ an apple orchard. It then
came to signify ' a separate dwelling with the land enclosed
about it.' Now it is usually applied to a large village,
a town ; but the original sense is expressed in most of our
pi. names ending in 'ton/ As late as 1389 Wycliffe
writes, Matt. xxii. 5 : ' But thei dispisiden, and wenten
forth, oon to his toun' (field), 'anothir to his marchaundise.'
(Tun was shortened in compounds, hence u, not ow, the
development of u in normal circumstances. W. H. S.)
Wich, a common terminal from A. S. zut'c, dat. wice (c = ch
before e), M.E. wic, wike, wyke (also in composition
assibilated -wich, -wych, -wyj, from L. vicus, a place),
dwelling, village, town. In the N. and E. it becomes, under
Scandinavian influence, wick and wyke. The word is not to
be confounded with wick, on the coast, which is generally
SUFFIXES XIX
from O. N., and means a bay; nor with wich (origin un-
known), a salt spring, or salt town; e.g. DroitzwV^, Nant-
wich, Northzw<r^, Middlez^/*<r^, ShirleyzwV-^, &c.
Worth, a common terminal, is A. S. worth, weorth, wurth,
wyrlh, wierth, homestead, farm, estate, property. It is allied
to A. S. worthig, weorthig. wurthig, wyrthtg, sometimes found
as worthign, worthine, which has precisely the same meaning.
The latter forms have frequently, especially in Salop,
hardened into wardtne, e. g. Shrawardine, Belswardine,
Pedwardine, Cheswardine, &c. ; and in the SW. have
become worthy, as in Holsworthy, King's Worthy, &c.
STAFFORDSHIRE
PLACE NAMES
Abbey Hulton, h., in Burslem. 13 and 140. Hulton.
A. S. hyll, M. E. hil, hull, and A. S. tun, M. E. toun, town
(v. Ton) Hilltown. Abbey is an addition, after the erection
of a Cistercian abbey here in 1223.
Abbots Bromley, v. Bromley Abbots.
Abbot's Castle hill, 2 m. W. of Trysull, a long ridge of
hilly ground, here forming the boundary between Stafford-
shire and Salop. 1294 Aguardes-castel', 1300 Apewardes*
Castle. It is clear that Aguard and Apeward represent one
of the many A. S. names ending in -weard, e.g. sElfzveard,
ALlhelweard, &c. ; but the forms are too corrupt for identi-
fication. The connexion of an 'Abbot' with the locality
may be dismissed, and we must be content to know that the
' castle ' (probably the prehistoric earthworks on the ridge)
was named after some A. S. whose name commenced with
A- or s- and ended in -weard. The gen. es in the forms
makes this certain.
Abnalls (The), an ancient estate i m. NW. of Lichfield.
130. Abbenhale, Abbenhall. Ai.bba was an A. S. p. n., which,
later, became Abba, gen. Abban, The terminal hale (q.v.)
I construe ' hall ' Abba's hall.
Ackbury or Hackbury, a farm r m. S. of Brewood.
13 c. Herkebarewe ; 1304 and 1327 Erkebantfe. The
terminal is plainly A. S. beorh, M. E. berewe, a hill or tumulus,
in M.E. generally applied to a barrow or burial-mound.
The prefix represents a p. n., probably originally Arncytel,
2 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
which was shortened to Arcylel and Arcil. It is not possible
(with the forms) to identify the name, but Ackbury certainly
means ' the burial-mound ' of some one whose name is repre-
sented by ' Ack ' and ' Erkel
Acton Trussell, 3 m. N. of Penkridge. 1004 Ac/un;
D. Ac tone. A. S. ac, oak, /#, town (v. Ton) Oaktown.
The long a became in M. E. o or oa. It is curious that
Actun has almost invariably maintained its form, whilst Aclea
has become ' Oakley.' The Trussells were a Norman family
holding lands in Staffordshire. They were early lords of
Acton.
Adbaston, 4^ m. W. of Eccleshall. D. Edbaldestone ;
12 and 13 c. Adbaldestone, Alboldestun, Albaldiston. Clearly
from the A. S. p. n. Eadbald Eadbald's town. The es is
the full gen., now shortened to j.
Admaston, h., in Blithefield, 4 m. N. of Rugeley. 12 c.
Edmundeston, Admerdeston ; 13 c. Admundestan, Admundes-
ton, Edmundestone. A. S. p. n. Eadmund Eadmund's town
(v. Ton). There is an Admaston, h., \\ m. NW. of Wel-
lington, Salop, which, in the 13 c., was Ademonslon, Ade-
moneston. The root is the same, ' Eadmund.'
Agardsley, h., nr. Abbots Bromley. About 1004 Ead-
gares leye\ D. Edgareslege ; 13 c. Adgaresle, Addegaresleye.
A. S. p. n. Eadgar, and A. S. leak, leage, pasture, untilled land
Eadgar's pasture (v. Ley). The Agards are an ancient
Staffordshire family, taking their name from this place, or
perhaps conferring it.
Alderley, h. in Meerbrook, 3 m. N. of Leek. 1129
Aldredeslega. A. S. p. n. Ealdred, later Aldred. The ter-
minal lega is the latinized form of A. S. leage (v. Ley). The
meaning is Aldred's pasture-land.
Aldershaw, h., i m. S. of Lichfield. 130. Alreshawc;
140. Alter shawe. A. S. air, alre, M. E. aller, alder, the alder
(tree), and A. S. sceaga, M. E. schawe, shawe, a wood, grove,
the alder wood.
ACTON TRUSSELL ALSTONFIELD 3
Aldridge, 3 m. NE. of Walsall. D. Alrewic; 12 c.
Alrewich, Allerwych, frequently. A. S. air, alre, M. E. aller,
alder, alder (tree), and A. S. wJc, a village (v. Wich) the
alder village.
Almington, h., i m. E. of Market Drayton. D. Almon-
tone; 13 c. Alkemetiton. The D. form points to the A. S.
p. n. Ealhmund or Aldmund ; but the later form (to which
I give preference) points to Alchmund (ch = k) Alchmund's
town (v. Ton).
Alrewas, 5 m. NE. of Lichfield. 942 Alreivas and
Alrewasse; n c. Air ewes; D. Alrewas; 12 c. Alrewas.
A. S. air, alre, alder (tree) (v. Aldridge), and WCESC (whence
wash), a wash, swamp, fen the alder swamp. Alrewas lies
on Trent, nr. its junction with Tame, and the locality i
liable to flood. Before the country was drained there must
have been much fenny ground here, and alders are still
common.
' Half my power this night,
Passing these flats, are taken by the tide ;
These Lincoln washes have devoured them.'
Shakespeare, K. John, v. 6. 41.
Cf. Sugwas, Broadwas, Hopwas, Moccas, all on river- sides
and liable to flood.
Alston, h., 5^ m. SW. of Stafford. D. Alverdestone.
A. S. p. n. sElfweard ^Elfweard's town (v. Ton). The es in
the D. form is the -full gen., now shortened to s. There
is, or was, for I cannot find it on the Ordnance map, an
Alstone in Hill Chorlton, nr. Whitmore, which in the 12 c.
was Aluredstone, from the p. n. Alfred.
Alstonfleld, nr. Leek. D. sEnestanfelt. This is an
illustration of the importance of early forms. I see no
reason to distrust D., but for which we might conclude that
this Alston- had the same meaning as the preceding example.
The terminal felt in the D. form is a common representation
of A. S./eld, a field (v. Field). sne is the A. S. p. n.
B 2
STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
and stan, A. S. sldn, stone ^ne's-slone field.
There may have been, in the locality, some remarkable
stone known as ,/Ene's stone ; but the probability is that the
stone marked the boundary of ^ne's property.
Alton, Alveton, or Alton Towers, 7i m. NVV. of
Uttoxeter. D. Elwtone; 13 and 14 c. Alneton (read
Alveton) frequently. This would probably be, originally,
sElfantun, from the A. S. p. n. sElfa, or a short form of one
of the many p. names commencing slf-, such as sElfgar,
^Elfgeat, .sElfcytel, &c. ,/Elfa's town (v. Ton).
Amblecote, a suburb of Stourbridge, but in Staffordshire.
D. ElmeUcote; 13 c. Amelecote, frequently; 14 c. Cote
Hamele (Hundred Rolls), Amelcote. I think the Hundred
Rolls give the key, and that we may read this Hemele's cot.
Hemele was a well-known' A. S. p. n., appearing in D., in
a latinized for-m, as Hamelinus. The dropping of an initial
h was common in M. E.
Amerton, h., 5^ m. NE. of Stafford. 13 c. Embricton;
later, Ambricton, Ambrighlon. A.S. p. n. Eanbriht (older
Eanbeorht] Eanbriht's town (v. Ton).
Anker, river, flows into Tame at Tamworth. This is
a M. E. name {from A.S. ancra). The M.E. forms are
ancre, ankre, anker, an anchorite, hermit, nun, the word
being both mas. and fern. The river is twenty miles long,
and there were two hermitages, both for ' anchoresses,' and
a nunnery (Polesworth) upon its course. Ankerwyke, nr.
Staines, 'Anchoret's village,' has a similar origin, a Benedictine
nunnery having been founded there in the 1 2 c.
Anslow, h., 3 \ m. NW. of Burton-on-Trent. 1004
Ansythlege, Eansythehge, Ansideleye; 13 and 14 c. Ansedes-
/eye; later, Ansedeleye and Ansley. The early forms point to
the A. S. fern. p. n. Eanswyth. It may be a saint's name ;
there was a St. Eanswyth, and Anslow belonged to the
monks of Burton, who maintained a chapel here, destroyed
after the Reformation; it is not known to whom it was
ALTON ARLEY (UPPER] 5
dedicated. We may, however, safely conclude that the
meaning of Anslow is Eanswyth's pasture-land (v. Ley).
Apeton, h., $\ m. SW. of Stafford. D. Abetone; 13 c.
Abbeton, Apelon, Abeion; 14 c. Apeton. These forms point
to the A. S. p. n. Abba, sEbba, or sEbbe (fern.), and favour
the last. I therefore translate the name Abbe's town. The
correct A. S. form would be sEbbantun.
Aquilate, h., in Meertown, 2 m. NE. of Newport.
1129 Aquila; 13 c. Aquilade, Aquilone; 14 c. Aquilot;
1 6 c. Acquilat. The first form, Aquila, I have only met
with as a p. n., but I think it is the right root, and that the
other forms represent it. In the Pipe Rolls for 1129
Matilda de Aquila is returned as a Staffordshire tenant in
capite. She was a daughter of the Norman house of
L'Aigle. I am not able to prove that Matilda owned Aquilate,
but it would, I think, be impossible to find any other place
in Staffordshire which could be represented by Aquila.
I need scarcely say that Aquila is only the L. form (the
Pipe Rolls are in L.) for French ' L'Aigle ' and English
' Eagle.' Except as forms of Aquila, no sense can be made
of Aquilade, Aquilone, or Aquilot. Matilda was the widow of
Robert de Mowbray, Earl of Northumberland, and, with
licence from the Pope, married his nephew Nigel de Albini ;
but the marriage was questioned, and Albini remarried.
Matilda remained a widow, and resumed her maiden name.
She had manors in Dorsets., and has conferred her name on
Winford, since known as Winford ' Eagle.' Montgomery,
and Caux, in Salop, are examples of the adoption of Norman
p. names as pi. names.
Arley (Upper), 4^m. NW. of Bewdley. 994 Earnleie ;
D. Ernlege; noo Ernlege; 12 and 13 c. Erlei; 13 c.
Arnlegh. A. S. earn means an eagle, and Professor Skeat
is of opinion that Arley means ' Eagle's lea.' But Arley is
not a likely place for eagles, having no rocks or cliffs about
it, and Erne, Earn, was an A. S. p. n., as ' Eagles ' is now.
6 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
It is also the prefix to numerous names, such as Earnlald,
Earngeat, Earngrim, &c. I think it more likely, therefore,
that Earn here represents a p. n. than an eagle.
Arley Kings, or Lower Arley, i m. S. of Stourport.
D. Ernlege', 12 c. Ernleye. V. Arley (Upper). It is 7 m.
lower down the Severn than Upper Arley, and is called
'Kings/ because in the Middle Ages it belonged to the Crown,
having twice escheated.
Armitage, h., 5^ m. NW. of Lichfield. 13 c. Hermitage',
1 6 c. Hermytage. This is a M. E. name, borrowed from the
French, who had it from L. eremita. The word is found in
M. E. as hermitage, herymitage, eremilage (er = ar). There
was a hermitage here in the 13 c.
Ashley-on-Tern, 5 m. NE. of Market Drayton. D.
Esselie; 13 c. Assingehgh. The D. form might be translated
' the ash lea/ from A. S. CBSC (c = ch), M. E. asch, esche, an
ash-tree, and D. commonly writes esse for ash ; but the 1 3 c.
form is probably the most reliable, and that appears to be
the gen. or possessive form of the p. n. &sca., originally
^Escanleah, This (W. H. S. says) would be written Esselie
in D., and the -ing of the 13 c. form is like Abingdon from
sbban-dun, through Abendun, Abindun.
Ashmore Brook, an ancient farm 2 m. NW. of Lichfield.
13 and 14 c. Estmeresbrok, Asschmorebroke, Ashmeresbroke.
The forms are late, but I think they combine to give us
^Escmaer's (pr. Ashmar) brook. A brook runs through the
farm, near the homestead, and forms a parish boundary.
The possessive s in the forms points to a p. n.
Ashwood, Ashwood Lodge, i \ m. W. of Kingswinford.
13 c. (frequently) Aswode, Ashvuode. These M. E. forms
clearly mean ' Ashwood.' Ashwood was one of the ' hays '
or divisions of Kinver Forest.
Askew Bridge (in Sedgley), i \ m. W. of Himley. I have
no forms earlier than the beginning of the last century. . I
believe the name to be what it says ' a skew bridge ' that is,
ARLEY KINGS ASTON 7
a bridge which, instead of crossing the stream in a straight
line, crossed it in an oblique or crooked line. In early times
most bridges were built of wood, of rude workmanship. The
present bridge would probably give no indication of the
meaning ; the name may have been acquired long ago when
its site was occupied by a primitive structure. Near Church
Stretton, in Salop, on the main road from the S. to Shrews-
bury, is a substantial bridge called 'Quaking Bridge.' It
was Quakinggebrugge in 1253, and doubtless took its name
originally from its frail condition. The name ' Askew Bridge'
cannot be rare, as the Century Dictionary, under 'Skew,'
says : ' Skew bridge, a bridge placed at any angle, except
a right angle, with the road or stream over which it is built.'
Skew and askew appear to be synonyms. The word is of
doubtful origin, and was not used in England before
the 1 6 c. (H. E. D.). 'Askew Hill/ near Repton, in
Derbyshire (erroneously marked on Ordnance map
'Asketh'), appears, from the contours, to be a crooked
hill.
Aspley, h., 3 m. N. of Eccleshall. D. Haspeleia; 1227
Aspeleg (g =_y) frequently. A. S. asp, aspe, M. E. aspe,
the aspen-tree, Pop-ulus tremula the aspen-tree lea (v. Ley).
Aspley, h., in Shareshill. 13 and 14 c. Espleye, Aspekigh.
V. Aspley, nr. Eccleshall.
Aston, h., 2 m. SE. of Stone. D. Estone. A common
pi. n., D. recording sixty-four manors under ' Estone.' In
A. S. the correct form would be Eastun, ' East town.' All
Astons I have been able to trace to their roots have this
meaning. So all Suttons (originally Suthlun) are South
town ; Nortons (Northtun), North town ; Westons ( Wes/un),
West town. What they were east, south, north, or west
of it would now be difficult to say. I think it undesirable
to multiply early forms with a clear root; but I may say
that in the 1 2 c. ' Aston ' is a common form, and by the
end of the 13 c. 'Estone' disappears, or takes the form
8 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
of 'Easton/ of which we have in England about thirty
existing examples.
Aston, in Seighford, 2 m. NW. of Stafford. D. Estone.
V. Aston, nr. Stone.
Aston (Little), h., 4^ m. W. of Walsall. 13 c. Little
Aston upon Colefeld, Little Aston upon le Cole field, Aston on
Cole/eld] 14 c. Aston on le Colefeld. V. Aston, nr. Stone.
The Colfield was an immense heath, partly in Cannock
Forest and partly in Sutton Chase. Sutton Park was enclosed
from it by Bishop Vesey temp. Henry VIII.
Audley, 4^ m. NW. of Newcastle-under-Lyme. D.
Aldidelege; 12 c. Aldiihlege, Aldithleia. I think these forms
give us the fern. p. n. Ealdgyth, later Aldgith and Aldithe
Ealdgyth's lea (v. Ley). Audley is said to have taken its
name from Aldithe, Harold's queen, but I know of no
authority for the statement. The lady who conferred her
name probably lived long before Harold's time, as D.
records Wulfric and Godric as the Saxon possessors in the
time of Edward the Confessor.
Austrells (The), the name of some fields standing on
high ground in Aldridge. 13 c. Asterhull, frequently. M. E.
aster, as/re, ausler, a hearth. (Origin unknown, probably
borrowed from O. F.) In primitive times iron ores were
smelted in a simple conical furnace called an air-bloomery,
erected on the top of a hill in order to obtain a natural blast.
They could only be used when the wind was favourable.
The fuel was wood, coal being introduced by Dud Dudley
about 1650, and slowly adopted. The enormous consump-
tion of wood obliged the trade to follow it, and the ore was
carried on horseback to the wood, for long distances, until
the locality was denuded. Within a mile of the Austrells is
'Aston Forge,' known to have been an ironwork in 1329,
and perhaps long before. I am not aware if any scoriae are
to be seen on the Austrells, but they abound around Aston
Forge. The meaning of this name is ' the hill of the hearth.'
ASTON BANNUTT TREE (THE) 9
In Derbyshire, where lead ores are found, the hilltops on
which they were smelted are called ' Bole hills ' or ' Bole-
steads.' Bole hill is a common name there. V. Blymhill,
Bonehill, and Smestow.
Baddeley Green, Baddeloy Edge, 3 m. NW. of
Hanley. 13 c. Beddeleye. A. S.p. n. Bada, Badda Badda's
lea (v. Ley).
Badenhall, h., 2 m. NE. of Eccleshall. D. Badenhale ;
1227 Badenhale. A. S. p. n. Bada, Badda Badda's hall
(v. Hale).
Bageridge Woods, 4$ m. SW. of Wolverhampton. 1286
Baggerugge (Chase of); 1433 Baggerugge. A. S. p. n.
Bacga, and A. S. hrycg, M. E. rugge, a ridge Bacga's ridge.
The woods, which are extensive and picturesque, cover
a ridge of high land, and lay within the limits of Kinver
Forest.
Bagnall, in Stoke-upon-Trent. 12 c. Baggenhall; 13 c.
Bagenholt (twice), Bqghinholt\ 14 c. Baknold. The A. S.
p. n. Bacga clearly forms the prefix, to which the n is the
gen. addition. As to the terminals, the weight of evidence is
in favour of A. S. holt, a wood, woodland, as against hall.
I therefore construe this as ' Bacga's woodland.'
Balterley, h., 6 m. NW. of Ne\vcastle-under-Lyme.
1004 Baltrylheleage; D. Baltredelege \ 13 c. Baldridele,
Baiter deleye, Ballrydelegh. A. S. fem. p. n. Bealdthryth
Bealdthryth's lea (v. Ley).
Bannutt Tree (The), h., in Upper Arley, 3$ m. NW. of
Bewdley. Bannul is a dialectic word (origin unknown), used
in Worcestershire, and some of the adjoining counties, for
'walnut' and the 'walnut-tree.' 'The Bannutts,' 'The
Bannutt Tree,' are fairly common names to homesteads.
Upper Arlev is an intrusive portion of Staffordshire into
Shropshire, adjoining Worcestershire. I do not know any
other example in Staffordshire.
10 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Barlaston, 3^ m. NW. of Stone. 1004 Beorelfestun.
D. Bernulvestone; 12 and 13 c. Berlaston (frequently) and
Berkweston. The first form gives the common A. S. p. n.
Beornwulf (brave wolf), sometimes written Beornulf. In
late A. S. charters p. names are spelt in various ways. As a
rule I give the original form. Barleston, Leicestershire, in
D. is Bervlveslone (read Berulfeslone) ; I have no doubt both
names have the same meaning.
Barnhurst, h., 3 m. NW. of Wolverhampton. 140.
Barnthurst, Barnehurst, Barnhurst, Barnthurst. M. E.
barnde, barnt, brent, burnt, and hurst, wood Burntwood.
Exs. : Burntwood, nr. Lichfield ; Barnt Green, Worcester-
shire.
Barr (Great), 3 m. SE. of Walsall. 12 c. and afterwards,
Barre or Barr. This is a Celtic survival, Barr, Bar, mean-
ing in W., G., and I., ' the top or point of anything,
a summit.' It is a common pi. n. in Scotland, and not
uncommon in composition in Ireland ; for example Barmona,
in Wexford, the top of the bog; Barravore, in Wicklow,
great top ; Barmeen, in Antrim, smooth top. The name is
rare in England, but there is, or was in the 1 3 c., a Barre in
Lancashire, and a Barre-juxta-Barnstaple in Devon. At
Great Barr there is a hill called Barr Beacon, conspicuous
for many miles round. ' Great ' is a M. E. addition, probably
having no reference to the hill, but to distinguish this manor
from the adjoining manor of Perry Barr or Barr Parva.
Barton-under-Needwood. D. Bertone\ 13 c. Barton;
1337 Barion-under-Nedwode, The early form would be
Berelun, meaning, originally, ' barley town ' ; but bere came
to mean any kind of grain. In this sense the word barton
was applied to manorial or outlying farms or homesteads
where grain was stored. In the SW. counties a rickyard is
still commonly called 'the barton.' The word is not to be
confounded with Burton, which generally has a different
meaning. ' Under-Needwood ' is a mediaeval addition to
BARLASTON BASIVICH it
distinguish it from other Bartons, and because it lay below
the Forest of Needwood.
Bassetts Pole, an inn and h., 4 m. SW. of Tamworth,
takes its name from the Bassetts of Drayton Bassett, who
for several generations were Norman lords of that manor.
In ancient times it was a common practice to mark the
boundaries of property by a 'stapol,' i.e. an upright stone
or pole of wood. The h. stands on the boundary of the
counties of Warwick and Stafford ; and the manors of
Sutton Coldfield, Middleton, Canwell, Drayton Bassett, and
the ancient limits of Cannock Forest and Sutton Chase, all
meet here. The locality was formerly a vast heath. From
time immemorial a pole had been set up (probably to mark
the before-mentioned bounds), which acquired the name of
Bassetts Pole. Ogilby (Book of the Roads, 1674) shows the
pole as standing at 1 1 1 m. 4 f. from London, on the east side
of the road. Mr. F. Wolferstan, writing from Drayton
Basselt, January 17, 1756, says: 'On the South side, the
parish and the county are both bounded by a hedge and
a little gutter coming from Bassetts heath, which lyes on the
West of the parish ; and for the many roads which cross it is
well known by travellers ; but particularly for a place about
the middle of it called Bassetts Pole, a noted mark and guide
for travellers, as it stands just on the spot where the road
from Tamworth to Birmingham cuts the great road to
London at right angles. It used to stand like a maypole,
twenty-five or thirty feet high ; but is worn to the stump,
though it is said it will be renewed, the parish, or the lord as
some say, being obliged to it.' It probably was renewed,
as Yates' Map of Warwickshire, 1787, shows a tall pole at
that point.
Baswich. or Berkeswich, 2 m. SE. of Stafford. D,
Bercheswic\ 12 c. Bercleswich, Berecleswich, Berkeswich ;
13 c. Berteleswych, Berkeiviz. A. S. p. n. Beorcol (later
Bercol), and wic, a village (v. Wich) Beorcol's village.
12 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Beaudesert, mansion and park, 4 m. W. of Lichfield.
13 c. Beaudesert ; 14 c. Bellum Deserium (L. deed); 16 c.
Beawdesert. A N. F. name beautiful wild. The park here,
an ancient enclosure from Cannock Forest, is very lovely,
undulating, and finely timbered. Beaudesert, in Warwick-
shire, is a M. E. change of name ; it is recorded in D. as
Donnelie.
Bednall, 4 m. NE. of Penkridge. D. Bedehala; 1271
Bedenhulle ; 1 3 c. Bedenhale and Badenhak, both frequently.
The prefix is clearly the A. S. p. n. Beda, the n being the
correct gen. addition. The D. terminal hala is a latinized
form of heale, the dat. of healh, meadow or pasture land, and
if we accept that form the interpretation would be ' Beda's
meadows/ The form of 1271 would give us Beda's hill
(M.E. hulle), and the other forms, which are numerous,
would give us 'Beda's meadows' or 'Beda's hall' (v. Hale).
Befcote, h., 5 m. SW. of Stafford. D. Befecote; 13 c.
Berscote, Bescoti, Besscot. This name is probably unique,
and I think D. may here be trusted. The later forms are
blunders of mediaeval scribes, who perhaps confounded the
place with Bescot, nr. Walsall. The prefix represents
the A. S. p. n. Beffa ' Beffa's cote ' (cottage).
Beggars Bush, h., 3 m. SW. of Sutton Coldfield. There
is a large hawthorn here which stands on the boundary of
the parishes of Sutton Coldfield and Perry Barr, and of the
counties of Stafford and Warwick; also on the old road
from London to Chester. I know nothing of its history, but
the name is common. ' Beggar ' is not to be found in any
A. S. dictionary, and even the H. E. D. treats the word as
a M. E. one, and, under ' Beg,' as ' of uncertain origin ' ;
whereas it must be an A. S. word, as ' Beggares-thorn ' appears
twice in a charter of 975, Cod. Dip. 587.
Bellamour, hall and h., 2 m. NW. of Rugeley. A modern
mansion erected near the site of a house built by Herbert
Aston (Astons of Tixall), on his marriage about 1639.
BEAUDESERT BERRY HILL 13
He had resided much abroad, and gave the house the name
of Bell amore (Italian for ' good love ') ' because it was finished
by the benevolence and assistance of his friends,' and prob-
ably also with reference to his wife (Hist, of Colton). The
original spelling ought to be reverted to.
Bentley, 2 m. W. of Walsall. 12 c. Bencetlea, Benetkgh;
13 c. Benetley, Benetleye. A. S. beonet, M. E. bent, coarse,
stiff grass, of a reedy or rush-like character, such as grows on
upland moors. The word beonet is not to be found in A. S.
dictionaries, though it frequently occurs in charters as an
element in pi. names, and exists in Old Saxon as binet.
In M. E. certainly, ' the bent ' is commonly used to describe
a tract of country unenclosed, and producing mainly coarse
grass or heath. The same meaning probably attached to the
A. S. form, and to its use in pi. names, rather than to
mere herbage. Bentley was one of the hays in Cannock
Forest, and until the beginning of the 16 c. was woodland
and moor, over which roamed herds of red and fallow deer.
The ' great oaks ' were felled and the deer destroyed temp.
Edw. VI, 1546-53 (papers in Walsall Town Chest). The
greater part of the manor is land of moorish tendency, and,
left to itself, returns to sedgy grass and heath. Bentley is
a common pi. n., and means ' the lea of the bent,' or ' benty
grass ' ; v. Ley, and H. E. D. s. ' Bent.'
' They lighted high in Batinghope,
Atween the brown and benty ground;
They had but rested a little while,
Till Parcy Reed was sleeping sound.'
(The Death of Parcy Reed, 16 c.)
Berry or Bury Hill, 2 m. NW. of Stone, in a 13 c. deed
is le buri in Wulfcestre. It is said that Wulphere, King of the
Mercians (659-724), resided here, and that it was anciently
known as Wulpherceastre (A. S. ceas/re, a castle or fortress).
Buri is a M. E. form of A. S. burh, an enclosed place
surrounded by a wall or rampart of earth. V. Bury.
14 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Bescot, h., i \ m. W. of Walsall. D. Bresmundes-cote 5130.
Bermondscote, Bermonscot, Beremundescote, Bermundescote ;
1 4 c. Berkescole, Berkmondescote. A. S. p. n. Beorhtmund
Beorhtmund's cottage. This is an example of the tendency
of syllables to drop out. In a charter of 969, not relating
to Bescot, the p. n. appears as Beremund, showing how early
contraction set in.
Betley, 6 m. NW. of Newcastle-under-Lyme. D. Bete-
lege; 12 c. Belteleg (gy)', 13 c. Bettelegh. Beta was an
A. S. p. n. I read this as ' Beta's lea ' (v. Ley). It might be
said that the prefix represents A. S. bet, better, or bete, beet-
root; but I think it extremely unlikely, and have never met
with those words as elements in pi. names ; nor can it be
our 'Betty,' as 'Elizabeth' is a post-D. name. Belli was
an A. S. name. This is the only Betelege in D., and the only
Betley in England.
Bickford, 2 m. W. of Penkridge. D. Bige/ord; 1334
Bikeford. Bickford is a common name, and usually means
' the ford of the brook ' (A. S. bee, a small stream) ; but here
our forms are Bige-, Bike-, Bick-, and probably represent
the common A. S. p. n. Bica. If so, the original name would
be Bicanford Bica's ford. Bick forms the prefix to a large
number of pi. names, such as Bickenhall, Bickenhill, Bick-
ham, Bickley, Bicton, Bickmarsh, Bicknor, &c., so that its
meaning is interesting.
Biddulph, 3 m. SE. of Congleton. D. Bidolf; 13 c.
Bidolf, Bidulf, frequently. This is a rare instance of a p. n.
without a suffix. A. S. Beadulf (correctly Beaduwulf \\ax-
wolf). If we could trace the name before the Conquest we
should probably find it Beaduwulfestun. The tendency of
names is to shorten; it increased after the Conquest, but
commenced earlier.
Bilbrook, h., 4 m. NW. of Wolverhampton. D. Bilre-
broch ; 1 3 c. Bilrebroch, Billebroc. The terminal is plainly
A. S. brbc, a brook. Bilre probably represents bilders or
BESCOT BIRCHILLS 15
billers, 'a name given by the old herbalists to some water
plant,' ' in modern dialects applied locally to water-cress,' &c.
(H. E. D. s. Bilders ; E. P. N. s. Billers). I am unable to
make anything else of bilre,
Billington, h., 3 m. SW. of Stafford. D. Belintone. The
probability is that the modern form is correct. Bil, Billa,
Billing, were all A. S. p. names. The -ing in Billing is
probably patronymic, meaning 'sons or descendants of Bil
or Billa. I read this as Billing's town.
Bilston. 994 Biheinatun, Bilsetnetun ; D. Billestune;
13 c. Bilestun, Billeston, Bilestone. Bil, Billa, and many
names commencing Bil-, were A. S. ; satna is the gen. pi. of
scBlan, a settler, inhabitant. We have therefore here 'the
town of Bil's folk.' In A. S. charters scetna frequently appears
as part of a pi. n., when it really means ' the people ' of the
place. It quickly fell into disuse.
Birchills, h., i m. NW. of Walsall. 16 c. Bircheleses,
Byrchylles, Burchelles, Rough Byrchells covered with a wood,
Byrchells. Birchills has no connexion with birch-trees.
The prefix birch represents an A. S. bryce (pronounced
breche), which in M. E. passed into bruche, and later into
birch. In old deeds we find field names, such as Ne\vl>recfo,
passing into Nev/brucAe, and then Nevffa'rch; Bruchehull
becomes Birchill. The shifting of the r in M. E. is well
known to etymologists. Time softens all things, including
language thus our third was thrid, bird brid, dirt drit, and
breche becomes birch. The meaning of breche, bruche, and
birch is ' newly enclosed or broken up ground.' The word
is only found on the frontiers of old forests and wastes, and
is equivalent to the Lancashire Royd, and our Ridding,
Stockings, Stubbock Green, Old Fallings, Old Falls, &c.,
all local names, meaning a clearing in the wilderness.
Harvington Birch and Long Birch, nr. Brewood, Breach
Mill, nr. Hagley, the Breach, in Halesowen, the Breach,
nr. Bellbroughton, the Bratch, nr. Enville, and the
1 6 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Bratches, in Norton Canes, are examples of the word.
Birchills stands high, and was anciently within the bounds
of Cannock Forest. The adjoining district to the E. is still
called ' The Forest.'
Bishops Offley, v. Offley (Bishops).
Bishton, h., 2 m. NW. of Rugeley. D. Bispestone\ 130.
Bissopestun, Bissopeston. A. S. biscop (pr. bishop) Bishop's
town (v. Ton). We must not therefore conclude it was the
residence of a bishop, as Biscop became a p. n. at an early
period. In this case, however, the name is probably con-
nected with the bishops of Lichfield, who were, in remote
times, large local landowners, and had a residence at
Bishton.
Black Halves, an ancient farm in Essington, 4 m. NW. of
Wajsall. Halve, Haave, Have, are dialectic forms of Haw,
applied equally to the berries of the hawthorn, and to the tree
itself (Eng. Dial. Diet. j. Haw). The right form would pro-
bably be Black haaves = black thorns.
Black Ladies, an ancient farm 2 m. W. of Brewood.
1327 De Nigris Monialibus (the Black Nuns); since Black
Ladies. The house, now much altered, was formerly
a Benedictine nunnery, founded in or prior to the 13 c.,
and suppressed temp. Henry VIII. They were called Black
Ladies because they dressed in black, and as distinguished
from the Cistercian nuns of White Ladies, 2 m. further W.,
who dressed in white.
Black Lees, an ancient farm 3 m. SW. of Cannock. 130.
le Blakele; 15 c. Blakelyes, Blackleys. A. S. blcec, M. E. blac,
blak, blake, dark, black. The farm is an old enclosure from
Cannock Forest. Land covered with gorse and heath was
locally called black land, as distinguished from cultivated
land. V. Blake Street.
Blakelow, 2 m. W. of Stone. 1263 Blakelow, 1266
Blakelowe the black low (burial-mound). V. Black Lees, and
Low.
BISHOPS OFFLEY BLITHE 17
Blake Street, the name of an ancient road forming
a portion of the boundary between the parishes of Shenstone
and Sutton Coldfield, and the counties of Stafford and
Warwick. 13 c. Blakestrei', and the locality Blakele, Blake-
leye. It is often supposed that ' street ' indicates a Roman
road, but it is only evidence of antiquity. In A. S. charters,
highways which have no pretension to Roman origin are
frequently termed ' straet ' (street). The country around
Blake Street was heath ground until the middle of the last
century. Blake = black, and the meaning is ' Black Street '
(v. Black Lees). An ancient road called ' Blake Street,' once
a portion of the great London and Chester road, now diverted,
formerly extended over Cannock Chase, between Brownhills
and Hednesford, and formed (its line still forms) a manorial
boundary. In the year 1300 it is written Blake streete; in
1595 'Black street.' It was all wild land.
Blakenhall, h., i m. S. of Wolverhampton. Blakenall,
h., 2 m. N. of Walsall. Blakenhall, nr. Christchurch-on-
Needwood. Cf. Blakenhall, 5| m. SE. of Crewe; Blakenall,
nr. Lutterworth ; Blakenham (2), in Suffolk. The earliest
forms I have are 13 and 14 c. Blakenhale (numerous). The
en is clearly a gen. addition, and possessive. Blac was an
A. S. p. n., and if we could meet with an early form we
should find it Blac-en-hale the hall of Blac. The early
A. S. had no k, c performing its functions. We have few
English families of 'Black,' because a dark-complexioned
man was frequently termed Brun (brown); hence our
many Browns ; but the p. names Blac , Blaca, Bhzcca, and
Blacman are frequently met with in charters ; and then the
p. n., like blac (colour), becomes Blake in M. E. ; hence our
fairly numerous Blakes, Blakeman, &c.
Blithbury, h., 3 m. NE. of Rugeley. 12 c. Blitheburgh,
Blithburie. Is situate on the river Blithe = the burgh on the
Blithe (v. Blithe and Bury).
Blithe or Blythe, river, affluent of Trent, is always
c
l8 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
found in its present form, the th being occasionally repre-
sented by d. I think it must be A. S. blithe, which meant,
originally, mild, gentle, but came to mean merry, brisk,
alluding to the motion of the water in some part of its
course. Many of our river names are poetical, and convey
the sense of sound or motion. There are two rivers Blyth
in Northumberland; a Blyth in N. Notts; another in
E. Suffolk ; a Blithe in N. Warwickshire ; and many pi.
names commencing Blithe- or Blyth- from their situation on
or near these rivers.
Blithfleld, 2 m. SW. of Abbots Bromley. D. Blidevelt.
D. uses a medial d to represent a medial A. S. th, though it
uses th as an initial letter; the v represents an A. S. f, so
that we must read the D. form as Blithefelt. This means the
field on the Blithe (v. Field).
Blore, 4 m. NW. of Ashbourne. D. Blora; afterwards
Blora and Blore. The terminal a is commonly used in
L. documents for an O. E. e, in order to give the name
a latinized sound ; we may assume Blore to be the correct
form. The Rev. John Young, Rector of Blore, writes :
'Blore, physically, is a well-defined rising from the river
Manifold, is partly circumscribed by that river, and rises very
markedly from its margin with a north aspect, much exposed
to the winds from that quarter.' A. S. blaw>(a = o) is our
verb ' to blow ' ; and blawere is ' one who blows.' Our A. S.
dictionaries are yet imperfect. There must have been, before
D., a word like blawere or blare, signifying a blast of wind, as
it still exists in our language. Blore, though incapable of
etymological explanation, means a blast, a roaring wind ;
v. H. E. D. and Century Diet.
1 Like rude and raging waves roused with the fervent blore
Of th' east and south winds.' Chapman, Iliad, ii. 1222.
' Blore,' as a pi. n., is, I think, unique, but D. records a Cheshire
manor, Blorat, which I have not been able to identify. There
is also a h., 'Bloore,' 3 m. E. of Market Drayton; and
BLITHFIELD BLYMHILL 19
Blurton, in Trentham, was Blorton in the 12 c. I construe
'Blore' as meaning a place exposed to winds. It is not
impossible that before D., Blore had a suffix (like Blorton);
which has dropped off (v . Biddulph). PS. There are ' Blore
Park,' ' Blore Pipe,' h., and ' Blore Pipe Wood,' 5 m. W. of
Eccleshall; also 'Blore,' 'Blore Heath,' 'Blore Farm,' and
' Blore Dale,' 3 m. E. of Market Drayton, and 4 m. NW. of
the first-mentioned Blores. (W. H. S. disapproves of the
meaning attributed to Blore, and considers it ' very improb-
able.') I admit the construction is extraordinary, so is the
name, and I can attach no other meaning to it.
Bloxwich, h., 2 m. NW. of Walsall. D. Blocheswic;
13 c. Blockeswich, Blokeswych, Blokeswyke ; 14 c. Blockeswtch,
Blakeswych, Blokkeswich, Bloxwych. The terminal wich
(q. v.) means a village, and the es is clearly a genitive posses-
sive form, pointing to the p. n. Blocc, which would take es as
its gen. In late A. S. charters, however, the gen. forms are
often confused. In Cod. Dip. 278 we find Bloccan leak,
Blocc's lea. With one exception, it will be noticed, all the
forms have o, so that the evidence is against blcec or bide
having any part in the formation of the name. D. records
Blochelei, Blochesham (3), Blocheshorde (horde represents
worth), and this Blocheswic, so that it is, I think, clear that
Blocc or Blocca was a p. n., and that Bloxwich means Blocc's
(or Blocca's) village.
Blurton, h., 5m. SE. of Newcastle-under-Lyme. 12, 13,
and 1 4 c. always Blorton. I suggest this means ' the town of the
Blore' (blast of wind), v. Blore. ('Very improbable.' W.H.S.)
Blymhill, 6 m. NE. of Shiffnal. ~D. Brumhelle; 12, 13,
and 14 c. Blumonhull, repeatedly. D. is here astray; the
later forms appear to be accurate. Blum or Blom does not
appear to have been an A. S. p. n., though 'Blome' and
' Bloomer ' are now family names. I think Blum here
represents A. S. Bloma (5 = oo\ M. E. Hume, a bloom or
mass of metal. In primitive times the ' bloom ' was made
c 2
20 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
direct from the ore, not, as now, from the pig, and was
charcoal iron, i.e. smelted with wood. A 'bloomery' or
' bloom smithy ' was a forge or furnace where these blooms
were made ; and as vast quantities of wood were consumed,
these works followed the woods. ' Forge Pool,' and ' Old
Forge/ z\ m. SW. of Blymhill, show that this has been at
some time an iron-working locality. The ore would probably
be obtained fromt he neighbourhood of Oakengates. I read
Blymhill as meaning ' the hill of the bloomery.' There is no
word in any A. S. dictionary for ' bloomery/ but there must
have been such a word to describe a place where Blomas
(blooms) were made. The words ' Bloomery ' and ' Bloom
Smithy ' are found in M. E. in iron-producing districts. The
H. E. D. s. ' Bloom/ says : ' No examples of the word have
been found between O. E. times and the end of the 16 c.'
This is probably to be accounted for by the fact that iron-
making was confined to very few localities where the ore
cropped to the surface or was near at hand. V. Austrells,
Bonehill, Smestow.
Bobbington, 3 m. NW. of Enville. D. Bubintone\ 12 c.
Bobintune, Bobba, Bubba was an A. S. p. n. The original
form would be, say, Bobbantun (n being the gen.) Bobba's
town. The gen. an frequently passes into ing, and is then
mistaken for a patronymic form. In the Middle Ages the
county assizes were occasionally held at Bobbington. It
would be interesting to know how the judges, jurors, witnesses,
&c., were accommodated.
Bonehill, h., 2 m. SW. of Tamworth. 13 and 14 c.
Bollenhull, repeatedly. This, I think, is the correct form,
and, assuming it to be so, and to be A. S., we must translate
it ' the hill of the Boll.' In A. S. dictionaries bolla is given as
' a bowl/ but it had other meanings. We speak now of the
bole (trunk) of a tree, of a bole of cotton. Or boll may be
some dialectic word the origin of which is unknown. ' Bole
hill/ in Derbyshire and the North, signifies a place where lead
BOBBINGTON BONEHILL 21
(and doubtless other metals) was anciently smelted. ' These
boles, which are identified by the piles of slag left by the
ancient smelters, are supposed to have been built by simply
placing stones around a central fire, and in situations where
there would be likely to be a good draft, since no artificial
blast was used ' (Century Diet. ; v. also H. E. D. and Eng.
Dial. Diet., under 'Bole'). 'Close to the spot there was
a bole, by which is meant a place where, in ancient times,
miners used to smelt their lead ores' (Archseologia, vii. 170,
1785). There is no lead ore within thirty miles of
Bonehill, but abundance of ironstone close to. I submit
that Bonehill has the same meaning as 'Austrells 1 and
' Blymhill' (q. v.), and means ' the hill of the bole (or furnace).'
' When the Spaniards arrived in Peru they found the natives
smelting the silver ores in furnaces built on eminences where
the air was freest; they were perforated on all sides with
holes, through which the air was driven in when the wind
blew, which was the only time the work could be carried on,
and under each hole was made a projection on which was
laid burning coals (wood) to heat the air before it entered
the furnace ' (Scrivener's History of the Iron Trade). Sven
Hedin (Through Asia, 1898) says: 'Five miles south of the
village (in Chinese Mongolia) there is an iron-mine known
as Kok-bainak. The ore occurs in strata of loose earth or
clay, and is dug out and carried to Ighiz-yar to be smelted.
Both the appliances and the process of extraction are of the
most primitive description ; the furnace being only about six
feet high, with three feet interior diameter. It is housed in
a little hut built of planks and sun-dried clay. After the
furnace is half filled with charcoal, the ferruginous earths are
thrown in, till they cover the charcoal to the depth of six or
eight inches. The fuel is then lighted, and half a dozen
men squat on their haunches in front of as many holes made
near the bottom of the furnace, and blow into it with goat-
skin bellows, in order to intensify the draught. They keep
22 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
up at that nearly all day long, from time to time examining,
by means of an iron rod inserted through a hole in the side
of the furnace, how the smelting is progressing. Towards
evening the molten metal comes running out at the bottom
of the furnace. After every burning the furnace of course
requires to have the slag and ashes raked out, so that it
may be clean and ready for a fresh batch of ore. One
entire day's smelting yields 5 chareck, which are sold in
Yanghi-hissar for 30 tengeh (6s. 8d.). One chareck is
equal to 12 jing; and i jing equals i Russian pounds or
i pounds avoir. The owner of the furnace, the yuz-bashi
(chief of one hundred men) or village chieftain of Ighiz-yar,
manages the business himself, personally superintending the
smelting, and paying each of his seven workpeople at the
rate of only six da-tien a day ; the da-tien being a Chinese
bronze coin equal to less than half a farthing in value.' Our
operations were once equally primitive.
Bosses (The), a tract of low-lying swampy land, con-
taining about 200 acres, in Shenstone parish. It was formerly
a morass, but is now mostly drained. The Roman Icknield
Street passes over a portion of it called Radley Moor, and is
there hard to trace, having apparently sunk into the bog.
12 c. in bosco suo de Boshay (read Bosh-hay). This is prob-
ably a M.E. name (none of its forms being found in A.S.)
borrowed from O. F. lose, bosche, L. boscus, a wood. It
appears as busk, bush, bosh, bosch, and bosshes (pi.), meaning
' bushy or wooded land, a thicket.' The terminal hay, in the
form quoted, has dropped off (v. Hay).
Bosty Lane, in the parishes of Rushall and Aldridge, part
of an ancient cattle road between North Wales and London,
takes its name from Boltslyle, Bolestile, a locality frequently
mentioned in the perambulations of Cannock Forest and
Sutton Chase as a ' mere ' or boundary between them. It
(Boltstyle) is also mentioned as, and still is, a boundary
between Aldridge and Great Barr. The spot is close to
BOSSES (THE) BRANCOT 23
Hill End, 3 m. NE. of Walsall and on the northern ridge of
Barr beacon hill. I take it to be A. S. bold, botl, a house,
and stig (g=y), a path, road ' the way to the house.' It is
not impossible that ' style ' may represent A. S. stigel (g =y),
M. E. style, a place of crossing, a ' stile.' The ' Boltstyle '
was situate in an angle formed by cross roads, both of which
are ancient thoroughfares, and never likely to have been foot-
paths only. There is no house on the spot now, or any trace
of one ; but Hill End, hard by, is an ancient hamlet.
Bourne Vale, Aldridge. 1286 'and thence as far as le
Bolestile, and thence to the water called La Bourne, descending
La Bourne to the high road near the park of Drayton
(Bassett).' A stream rises in Bourne Vale and falls into
Tame, near Fazeley. From its source to its mouth it formed
part of the boundary between Cannock Forest and Sutton
Chase. A. S. burn, M. E. bourne, a stream. The South
Staffordshire Waterworks have now drained Bourne Pool,
and the stream runs no more.
Bradley, h., i m. SW. of Bilston. D. Bradeley; 13 c.
Bradele ; 1 4 c. Bradeleye. A. S. brad (a = oa), broad the
broad lea (v. Ley). D. records over sixty manors com-
mencing JSrade-.
Bradley, 4 m. NW. of Stafford. D. Bradeleia (where
the meaning is beyond question it is useless to multiply
forms) ' The broad lea.' V. Bradley, nr. Bilston.
Bramshall, 2 m. W. of Uttoxeter. D. Branselle ; 12 c.
Brumeshel; i3C. Bromsholf, Bromsulf. The forms are not
easy to reconcile ; but, taking them altogether, I think they
point to an original A.S. form Brumescylf (sc = sA), Brum's
shelf. A.S. scylfe, a shelf, in pi. names is sometimes
applied to shelving land ; but generally to table-land shelving
on all or most sides ; hence our numerous ' Shelfield,'
generally found in M. E. as Shelf hull, shelfhill. V. Shelfield.
Brancot, h., in Tixall, 4 m. SE. of Stafford. 14 c. Brom-
co/e, frequently. A. S. Irbm-cot, broom-cot, literally ' the
24 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
cottage on the heath.' Tixall Heath was formerly a great
waste adjoining Cannock Chase, and ' Brancot Gorse ' still
survives.
Branston, 2 m. SW. ofBurton-on-Trent. 771 Breniiston;
978 Brantestun, Brantes tune ; D. Brantestone ; 1 2 c. Br antes-
tone. These forms give us, I think, the A.S. p. n. Brand
Brand' stawn (v. Ton) ; d and / frequently interchange. I
have not met with Brant as an A.S. p. n., and if found,
unless in an early and pure charter, it would probably repre-
sent Brand, which was a common name.
Bratches (The), in Norton Canes, 2 m. SE. of Cannock. An
ancient enclosure on Cannock Chase. Poll tax 1379, ' Ralph
in the Birches'. This means ' the new enclosure' (v. Birchills).
The Bratch, The Bratches are common field names.
Brereton, h., i m. SE. of Rugeley. 130. Breredon ; 14 c.
Breredon, frequently. A.S. brer, M.E. brere, brier, bramble,
and A.S. dun, M.E. dun, down (v. Don, a hill) the briery
hill. ' Brere ' is not confined to briers, but includes brambles
and thorns = a thicket.
Brettell, Brettell Lane, h., in Kingswinford, 2 m. NE.
of Stourbridge. 1614 Brettell. The form is late, and only
one ; but I think it represents a pure p. n., probably A. S.
Brihtelm. The Brettells are a well-known family in the
locality, and have been settled there for centuries.
Brewood. D. Brevde (v = u); 12 c. Breowude, Brewude ;
13 c. Brewode, frequently. Bre is one of the few Celtic
prefixes which survive. In W. it means ' a hill or rising
ground' ; Breiddon Hill, 6 m. NW. of Welshpool, probably
being an example. In I. the form is bri (bree) ; exs. Bri-
gown, co. Cork, the hill of the smith ; Bree, the name of
several places in Donegal, Monaghan, and We x ford ; Bray,
in Wicklow, and Bray Head, in Kerry. In G. it takes the
form of bra, brae, bray, a hill or hill-side ; exs. Braemar, the
Braes of Angus, Brae, Brayhead, &c. The terminal is
A. S. wudu, M. E. wude, wode, a wood. A name composed
BRANSTON BROCTON 25
of two languages is exceptional, but not rare. Bredon, in
Worcestershire (A. S. Breodune], is an example, and means
' hill hill, or hill down '; Bredon-on~ihe-hill, in Leicestershire,
is probably another example. Brill, in Oxon. (A. S. Bre-
hult], is another. We may safely conclude that Brewood
means 'hill wood.' 'Brewood Forest' existed to the time
of King John, who disafforested it.
Bridgford, h., in Seighford, 3^ m. NW. of Stafford.
D. Brigeford; 13 c. Bruggeford. A. S. brycg, bricg, M. E.
brugge, a bridge, and A. S.ford, a ford (q.v.) Bridge ford.
Brierley, h., in Sedgley, 3 m. NE. of Dudley. 14 c.
Brer ley, Brereley. A. S. brer, M. E. brere, means a brier,
thorn, bramble. The word formerly had a more extended
sense than it now carries, and included scrub and rough
underwood. Brierley means literally 'the rough lea' (pasture),
v . Ley. Brier and brere enter largely into the composition
of pi. names.
Brineton, h., in Blymhill, 6 m. NE. of Shiffnal. D.
Brunitone ; 1 3 c. Bruneion, frequently. Brun, brown, was
a common A. S. p. n. This is Brown's town.
Brinsford, an ancient estate 4 m. N. of Wolverhampton.
994 Brenesford, Brunsford; 1227 Bruneford; 1300 B runes-
ford', 1381 Bniynesford. A. S. p. n. Brun, brown Brown's
ford.
Bristnall, h., 2m. E. of Smethwick. 130. Brussenhulle,
several times. Brusen is an obsolete form of bursten and
burst, and means ' burst, broken ' ; brussen is the p. p. of
brust and a M. E. form of byrst, to burst ; all from A. S.
brysan ; brist is also a M. E. form of the word. ' Earth-
breach ' and ' broken-hill ' are sometimes mentioned in A. S.
charters. They probably refer to landslips or subsidences.
For authorities v . H. E. D. s. ' Bursten,' Eng. Dial. Diet. s.
' Brust,' Stratmann's M. E. Diet. s. ' Brust.' Bristnall means
' burst ' or ' broken hill.'
Brocton, h., in Baswich, 4 m. SE. of Stafford. D. Broc-
26 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
tone. A. S. broc (o = oo), a brook brook town (v. Ton).
This is a common name sometimes, under dialectic influence,
passing into Broughton. A. S. broc (o unaccented) means
a badger, and some etymologists would construe this Badger
town ; but our A. S. forefathers thought far more of brooks
than badgers. Here a brook runs through the middle of
the vill. D. uses no accents, and they are frequently lacking
in A. S. charters.
Brocton, estate, nr. Eccleshall (i m. N.). D. Brodone.
Brook town ; v. Brocton, in Baswich. The vill is situate on
the Sow.
Brocton Grange, farm, 4$ m. SE. of Newport (in
Sheriff Hales parish). D. Broctone. Brook town ; v. Brocton,
in Baswich. A stream passes through it.
Bromley (Abbots). 1004 Bromleag, Bromlege ; D. Brun-
lege\ 14 c. Bromley Abbatis, Abbottes- Bromley, Pagetles-
Bromley ah Abbottes-Bromley. A. S. brom, M. E. broom,
brom, broom (the plant, L. genista], and A. S. leak, gen.
leage, M. E. ley, leye, le, &c. the broomy lea. This manor
was given by Wulfric Spott, Earl of Mercia, in 1004, to the
Abbey of Burton. Hence ' Abbots.' On the dissolution of
the monasteries Henry VIII granted it, with other manors,
to Sir Wm. Paget, ancestor of the Pagets of Beaudesert;
hence ' Paget's.' Brom enters very largely into the com-
position of pi. names.
Bromley (Gerrards), h., in Eccleshall. D. Bramelie;
15 c. Bromley-in-halys. For Bromley v. Bromley (Abbots).
' Gerrards,' because the Gerrards were its early lords for
many generations. In halys (hales) means in the meadows ;
v. Hales.
Bromley (King's), 6 m. NW. of Lichfield. 942 Brom-
lege, Bromle ; D. Bromelei. V. Bromley (Abbots). ' King's '
because the manor belonged to the king at the time of D.,
and afterwards. A pretty story is told in the Staffordshire
Plea Rolls for 1292 in a suit as to eleven acres of land here.
BROCTON BUCKNALL 27
The jury found ' that King Henry Senior (i. e. Henry I,
1100-35) was chasing in the Forest of Cannock, and
passing through the vill of Kynges Brumley (then within
the Forest), he breakfasted with a certain tenant, the ancestor
of Thomas (the plaintiff), and the tenant prayed the King to
give him a piece of land in his (the King's) haye, and the
King gave him a certain piece, estimated at eight acres,
which the tenant enclosed, and his issue, the ancestors of
Thomas, and Thomas himself, had ever since held it ; and
as to the remaining three acres it was outside the haye of
the King (i.e. outside the Forest) and the ancestors of
Thomas had held it time out of mind.'
Bromwich. (West). D. Bromivic (under Northampton-
shire); 12 and 13 c. Bromivic, Bromwi'g, Bramwic, West
Bromwich, West Bromwych, Bromwych. A. S. brom-wic,
' the village in the broom,' or ' on the heath ' ; v. Bromley
(Abbots) and Wich. There was a large heath here at the
beginning of the last century. ' West ' is a mediaeval addition
given to distinguish it from other Bromwichs. It is situate
6 m. W. of Birmingham, and 6 m. E. of Birmingham is
Castle Bromwich.
Broughton, h., 6 m. NW. of Eccleshall. D. Hereborge-
slone. Most Broughtons have been originally JBroctun, and
this is an interesting example of the importance of early
forms. This is clearly Hereburh's (gen. Hereburges) town
(v. Ton), Hereburh being a fern. A. S. p. n. Hereburge-
byrig appears in Cod. Dip. 710 and 1298 (the foundation
deed of Burton Abbey, and the will of Wulfric Spott), and
Dugdale's Monasticon identifies it with Harbury, in Warwick-
shire, but it is more likely to represent this manor. The
change of form here is remarkable.
Bucknall, h., in Stoke-on-Trent. D. Buchenhole -, 13 c.
Bukenhale, Bokenhawe; 14 c. Bnckenhale. I do not doubt
that the prefix represents the A. S. p. n. Buca, the n form-
ing the gen.; but the terminals are conflicting; 'hole'
28 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
I assume to be A. S. hoi, holh, a hollow ; whilst hale may
mean 'hall' or 'meadow-land' (v. Hale); so that whether
this should be read Buca's ' hollow,' or ' hall/ or ' meadow-
land,' must be doubtful until better forms are found.
Burntwood, h., 2 m. SW. of Lichfield. 16 c. Brendwood,
Brendeivoode, Brandwood. M. E. brand, brent, brend, burnt
Burntwood. Burntwood is in the parish of Hammerwich,
formerly in Cannock Forest. In 1262 a Forest jury find
' a certain heath was burnt by the vills of Hammerwich, to
the injury of the Kings game ' ; and Bishop Norbury's
Register (1322-58) records, 'Le Cank chase set on fire;
belongs to the See; the unknown offenders are to be
banned." This latter fire must have been within the manors
of Cannock or Rugeley, which belonged to the bishop, and
cannot refer to Burntwood. The fires on the Chase are still
serious, and destructive to its timber, game, and beauty.
Burslem. D. Barcardeslim ; 1 3 c. Burwardeslyme, Bore-
wardeslyme. D. is at fault here ; but the later forms are
clear, and give us (in A. S.) Burhweardes-hlimme Burh-
weard's stream. In the locality is a river Lyme (q. v.),
tributary of Trent. To illustrate the chequered career of
pi. names compare Burslem, Burwardesley in Cheshire,
and Broseley in Salop. Burslem we have traced; Bur-
wardesley is substantially what it was ' Burhweard's lea ' ;
and Broseley is all that remains of the same original
form.
Burston, h., 4 m. SE. of Stone. 12 c. Bunuesion ; 13 c.
Burceston, Btiregeston, Bureweslon ; 1 4 c. Bureston, Burwe-
s/on, frequently. D. records a Staffordshire manor, Buroue-
stone, as in Offlow hundred, Burston being in Pirehill. The
D. manor has not been identified, and Eyton (Staffs. D.)
treats it as 'obsolete'; but I suspect it is a mistake to place
it in Offlow, and that it represents Burston. There is no
existing place in Offlow to which the D. form could possibly
apply. The forms appear to represent an original A. S.
BURNTWOOD BUSTLEHOLME MILL 29
Burgstanestun, Burgstan's town. The g here would become
w, and then drop out, and the tan or tun would fall out
or off.
Burton, h., in Castlechurch, 2 m. S. of Stafford. D. Bur-
tone, and afterwards the same form, clearly ' the burgh town '
(v. Bury). There are ancient earthworks here which probably
account for the name.
Burton-on-Trent. 1004 Byrton; 1066 Byrtune, Byr-
tune, Burhton (? if this Burton) ; D. Bertone ; 1 2 c. Burhton,
Berton; 13 c. By r ton upon Trent. The forms are not
satisfactory; it is curious to find Byrton and Byrtune in
A. S. charters. Byr has no meaning in A. S., and I think
it must represent a form of burh, gen. burge, dat. byrig.
I incline to think Burhton the correct form, meaning,
as commonly assumed, an enclosed or fortified place
(v. Bury).
Bushbury, z\ m. N. of Wolverhampton. 994 Biscopesbry;
D. Biscopesberie; 12 and 13 c. Bissopesbiri, Biscopesbiri,
Bishbiri, Bischbury, Bissopeburi. The village stands on an
eminence. The root is clearly A. S. biscop (sc = sh), bishop.
There is no evidence of a bishop having resided or held
property here, and Biscop was a p. n., as Bishop is now.
The ' natives ' still pronounce it Bishbiri. The meaning is
Bishop's bury (v. Bury); but whether Bishop represents
a dignified ecclesiastic or a p. n. we cannot tell.
Bustleholme Mill, 3 m. S. of Walsall. An ancient mill
on the Tame, formerly an ironwork. I have no early forms,
and accept the modern one. The terminal is A. S. holm,
a river island, or meadow. In the midlands the word is
generally found in connexion with river-side land liable to
flood, but here there is an island in the river. Nothing can
be made of bustl in A. S., and I suggest it is a Celtic survival,
of which there are several examples in the locality. In W.
bustl means ' something bitter, as gall,' and bustl y ddaiar is
the common centaury (Chironia centaureuni). ' Centaury '
30 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
seems to include what are popularly known as bachelors'
buttons, star thistle, blawort, and loggerheads, which flourish
on wet land.
Butterhill, h., in Coppenhall, 3 m. SW. of Stafford. 12 c.
Buterhale; 1 3 c. Buteraks, Buterhale, Butrehale. For ' Butter '
v. Butterton. ' Hill ' is clearly wrong, and I construe hale as
a form of healh, meadow-land (v. Hale) meaning Butter
meadow or meadows.
Butterton, h., 6m. E. of Leek. Butterton, h., 3 m.
S. of Newcastle-under-Lyme. I have difficulty in distinguish-
ing these two Buttertons in the forms, and therefore take them
together. 12 c. Botertun, Bulerlon, Buterdon\ 1200 Buter-
don, Boterdon; 1201 Bulerdon] 1223 Butterdon, JBu/erden,
Buterdon ; 130. Botredon ; 14 c. Butterton. The terminals
are conflicting, and it is difficult to say if we should read
them dun, a hill, or /, a town. The prefix is clearly A. S.
butere, M. E. butere, boter, butre, butter. I think it safer to
construe the name ' Butter town ' (a /, or enclosure, where
cows were kept and butter made) than Butter ' hill,' as being
more likely. There are seven ' Butterwicks ' in England,
which, without investigation, I should construe 'Butter
village ' ; and we have a ' Butterworth ' (Butter farm) and
several ' Butterleys.' Chiswick, nr. London, is ' Cheese
village ' ; Cheswardine, in Salop, is ' Cheese farm.' Our
A. S. forefathers had their hearts in their homes and farms.
Caldon, h., 8 m. NE. of Cheadle. 1004 C elf dun ; D.
Caldone. The A. S. form gives us a plain key A. S. celf,
cealf, a calf, and dun, hill Calf hill.
Calf Heath, in Hatherton, 3 m. W. of Cannock. 994
Calfre heie, Calves hedge. It has since been known as
' Calf Heath,' being formerly a vast moor, part of Gailey
Hay, one of the hays, or bailiwicks, of the Forest of Can-
nock, enclosed about 1830.
.Callingwood, h., in Tatenhill, 4 m. SW. of Burton-on-
BUTTERHILL CAN NOCK 31
Trent. 13 c. Calyngewode, Chalengwode ; sometimes in
L. deeds Boscum calumpniatum, meaning a wood challenged
or in dispute ; 1 6 c. Challengewood. This is O. F. chalonge,
calenge, M. E. chalenge, calenge, to challenge, claim. Some-
times the word Threap is used to describe ' debatable ' land
(A. S. threapian, to assert, contest) ; Threapland, in W.
Cumberland, and Threapwood, in W. Cheshire, are examples.
Callingwood was within the bounds of the Forest of Need-
wood. The first record of the name I have met with is
in 1280, so that the dispute, of which I know no particulars,
must have arisen before then, but probably after the Con-
quest, because of the French root.
Callow Hill, i \ m. N. of Blithfield. 1 3 c. Caluhull, Kalew-
hull(3)\ 14 c. Kalughulle (2). A. S. and M. E. calu, bald,
bare ; A. S. hyll, M. E. hull, hill- the bald, or bare, hill.
Callow Hill is a common name, and we have Callow, a parish
2 m. SW. of Wirksworth; another 4 m. S. of Hereford;
and Callow, in Worcestershire. We speak of unfledged
birds, and of beardless youths, as ' callow.'
Cank Thorn, on Cannock Chase beside Huntingdon belt,
marks the bounds of the manors of Teddesley, Baswich,
and Cannock. 13 c. NaugAmare/korn (? Haugh-mere-thorn) ;
1595 Canck Thome, Cannock Thome. The ancient thorn
decayed, and the present one, a blackthorn, was planted
on its site in the early part of the 18 c. Thorns are
frequently mentioned in A. S. and mediaeval charters as
boundary marks, and many of them have acquired the
name of ' Hoarthorn,' as boundary stones have acquired the
name of ' Hoar-stone,' frequently corrupted to 'War-stone.'
Cannock. D. Chenet; 12 c. Cnof, Canot, Chenot, Chnot,
Canhot, Canoe; circa 1130 Chnoc; 13 c. Canok, Canokbury,
Kannock; 15 c. Cank. This is a Celtic name which appa-
rently upset the D. scribe ; and the Pipe Rolls, probably
from respect to D., are led astray. The most accurate
form is that of 1130, Chnoc. Towards the close of his
32 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
reign, Henry I was at Cannock, doubtless hunting, and
executed a charter to Robert Marmion, of Tamworth, which
is tested at Chnoc. The correct form should be Cnoc, good
I. and G. for ' a hill, a high place ' ; in W. it is cnwc. In
Ireland innumerable pi. names now commence ' Knock,'
which in native forms are Cnoc. The same observation
applies to Scotland, but in a minor degree, and to some
extent also to Wales. The examples are rare in England ;
Knockin, in Salop, means little hill ; and Knockholt, in
Kent, without investigation, I should construe Hill Wood.
The situation of Cannock, and of the Chase around it, is
very high. One would think from the varied way in which
our mediaeval ancestors spelt pi. names that the spelling
was of no importance; but, occasionally, sharp lawyers
turned errors to advantage. In 1313 Robert of Huntyndon
(Huntington) sued the Bishop of Lichfield for depriving him
of common of pasture in ' Canok.' The bishop pleaded
that the vill was called ' Cannok,' and not ' Canok,' ' and,
as Robert could not deny that, the suit was dismissed.' The
Staffordshire Plea Rolls contain many instances of these
tricky objections, which even a bishop was apparently not
ashamed of. (' The forms are not really difficult. D. and
O. F. scribes represent A. S. en (i. e. k-n with the k pro-
nounced) by chen, pronounced ken (cen they would pronounce
cheri). Thus cnut is chenut in D., cnap is chenap, cniht is
chenistre, &c. The forms ending in / should be read c ; the
letters are indistinguishable, except in D., where it is a mistake
in copying.' W. H. S.)
Can well, 5 m. SW. of Tamworth. Not in D. ; 12 c.
Canewelle', later Canewall, Canwalle, Kanewall, Kanewell,
Can-well, Canwelle, Canewelle. The terminal is doubtless
A. S. zvt'ell, wella y wylle t M. E. welle, a spring. There was
a priory here, founded about 1150, dedicated to St. Mary,
St. Giles, and All Saints ; and also a spring, called St. Mod-
wen's Well, which Plot (Hist, of Staffs.) says was aluminous,
CANWELL CASTLE RINGS 33
and 'famous for unaccountable cures of divers ailes and
weaknesses.' Cane was an A. S. p. n. ; and St. Cain or
Keyne survives in Cainsham, otherwise Keynsham, 5 m.
SE. of Bristol, where the church is dedicated to her. But
here the possessive s is absent in every form, and the dedica-
tion of the priory and spring to other saints is also opposed
to any reference to St. Cain. It may be suggested that it is
W. can, cain, white, beautiful, clear clear spring; but the
combination of two languages in one word, though it some-
times occurs (v. Brewood), is exceptional. In A. S. canne
meant ' any vessel or receptacle for holding water or other
liquid,' and not one made of tin, as now. It even included
' a vessel for drawing water, a bucket,' and an A. S. glossary
translates it ' crater, vel canna, L.,' which would allow a more
extensive meaning. It may be in one of these senses that
we find the word in connexion with well.
Car, Carr. This name is found only in the moorland
district of the N. of the county. It is unquestionably O. N.,
and only used in localities inhabited by the Norsemen. It is
common in the eastern parts of Lincolnshire, almost every
manor having its ' Carr.' It means a marsh, wet moor, or
boggy copse. The existence of Norse names in the Stafford-
shire moorlands, and in no other part of the county,
leads to the inference of an early settlement there by
Northern men.
Casterne, h., in Ham. 1004 Coetesihyrne and Ccetes-
thyrne (same charter) ; 13 c. Casterne. The terminal is
A. S. thyme, a thorn (tree). The possessive es points to
Coet or Ccel, as representing a p. n., but I am not able to
verify it. I read this as ' Coet's thorn.'
Castle Kings, in Beaudesert Park, 5 m. NE. of Cannock.
A circular double-ditched British fort, covering about eighteen
acres, on the highest part of Cannock Chase. Entrenched
forts, and even tumuli, are commonly called ' Castle.' Here,
within the enclosure, are the foundations of a Norman castle,
p
34 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
of which there is no record, and which probably never pro-
ceeded beyond foundations. There are several ' Castle
Rings ' in the Midlands.
Catshill, nr. Brownhills, 5 m. NE. of Walsall. 13 c.
Cutteslowe ; 1 4 c. Catleslowe ; 1 5 c. Catteslowe alias Caltshill.
There is a tumulus here (on the S. side of the old Chester
road), which has been cut through in making the adjoining
canal. Part of the spoil from the cutting has been placed
against the tumulus, greatly defacing it. A few scrubby oaks
cover the surface. The mound forms the boundary of the
manors of Walsall, Ogley Hay, and Little Wyrley, and stands
near the foot of the western slope of Shire Oak Hill. I con-
strue the name as Call, gen. Cattes, burial-ground (v. Low).
It must not be inferred that Catt was buried here. I believe
all tumuli to be prehistoric, having never met with any evi-
dence of their construction by Anglo-Saxons after their con-
version to Christianity. It is more likely that the mound
marked the limit of Catt's property, or that he lived near it.>
Catt in A. S. also means a cat, but I think it highly im-
probable the word can be used in that sense in connexion
with a burial-mound.
Caverswall, 5 m. SE. of Stoke. D. Cavreswelle ; 1 2 c.
Chavereswelle (ch = c hard). The terminal is A. S. wiell,
M. E. welle, a spring. I doubt if the prefix represents a p. n.,
as I have not met with one anything like it. Ca/er (there
was no v in A. S.) is only found in compound with tun
(cafer-tun), and is then translated ' a hall, court, or mansion.'
There is a moated site here, called Caverswall Castle, which
may have succeeded some A. S. dwelling. Caversfield and
Caversham in Oxon. have probably a similar root to Cavers-
wall. I am unable to define the meaning.
Chadsmoor, h. on Cannock Chase, 2 m. NE. of Can-
nock. The manors of Cannock and Rugeley belonged to the
bishops of Lichfield, I think, before the Conquest to the time
of Henry VIII. Henry wrested them from the then bishop,
CA TSHILL CHARNES 35
and gave them to his favourite, Thomas, Lord Paget.
The north-western boundary of Cannock manor, adjoin-
ing Teddesley, is marked by a deep, broad trench, called in
ancient deeds ' the fosse of the Blessed St. Chad,' the patron
saint of Lichfield Cathedral. The bishops or monks doubt-
less cut the fosse, and so named it. A gate called St. Chad's
Gate stands on the fosse. The adjoining moor was called
Chad's Moor before any houses were built upon it.
Chapel Chorlton, 6 m. NW. of Eccleshall. D. Cerletone ;
(c = ch\ The original form would be Ceorlestun or Ceorlaiun,
' the churl's town ' ; a ceorl (churl) being a free husbandman,
as distinguished from a serf, and not a ' boor,' as we now
understand the word. But there is an insoluble difficulty ;
Ceorl was a common p. n. (Ger. Karl, and our Charles),
often borne by people of rank, and it is impossible to say
whether ceorl is here used as a p. n. or as an occupation.
Chapel is a M. E. addition. PI. names commencing
Chorl-, Charl-, and Carl- are very numerous. In Mercian
dialect the c is pronounced ch ; in the N. and E., under
Norse influence, it becomes hard, as in Carlton ; ceaster, a
fortress, in Mercia becomes chester ; in the N. and E.
caster. Dialect plays a very important part in pi. names.
What would be right S. of Yorkshire may be wrong N. of
Derbyshire and on the E. coast.
Charnes, 4 m. NW. of Eccleshall. D. Cervernest (c=ch] ;
12 c. Chavernesse ; 1227 Chaunes ; 1 3 c. C haver nes, Char-
neves, Charneles, Chaunes, Chavernesse. This name is pr.
' Charns.' The prefix I do not doubt is A. S. ceafer, a beetle,
(cock)-cka/er. The D. terminal is plainly A. S. nest, a nest ;
the later forms point to A. S. ncess, ness, a promontory,
headland, also an abyss, chasm, cave. I cannot identify
Ceafer (Chaffer) as an A. S. p. n. ; it may have been one, as
the family name ' Chaffers ' is not uncommon ; but the pos-
sessive s is absent. A pi. n. having any relation to a beetle
or (cock)-chafer seems unlikely, yet we find Ceaforleahe in
D 2
36 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
a Worcestershire charter (Cod. Dip. 570), and Ceaforleage
in a Hampshire charter (Cod. Dip. 1088). I cannot identify
these places, but they certainly mean ' Chafer-lea.' I think
it unlikely that any pre-D. form of Charnes exists, and the
meaning of the name, with present materials, must be con-
sidered unsettled.
Chartley, 5 m. SW. of Uttoxeter. D. Cer/elt'e; 12, 13
and 14 c. Certelea, Cerleley (c^cK). I cannot identify Certe
or Ceort (Chert) as a p. n., but I feel sure it was one, as in
A. S. charters we find Cerlcecer, Cert's field ; Cerfham, Cert's
home ; Ceorian slapol, Ceort's pole or stone ; Ceriesig, Ceor-
tesige, Cert's island. Certe or Ceort has no meaning in
A. S. except as a p. n. I construe this as Ceort's (Chert's)
lea (pasture or untilled land) ; v. Ley. (In M. E. er was
pr. or.)
Chasepool, 2 m. W. of Kingswinford. D. Catespelle;
13 c. Chacepol] 16 c. Chaspell. This D. manor has been
assumed by Erdeswick, and even by Eyton (Staffordshire), to
be Gospel End in Sedgley, without any evidence to support
the assumption. General Wrottesley (Salt Arch. Coll., xi. 253)
put the matter right in 1890. Chasepool, now only known
as a lodge, was situate in Kinver Forest. The word ' chase '
may be dismissed from consideration, as it is O. F.. and was
not used here before the end of the 13 c. The D. Cafes
probably represents the A.S. p. n. Call or Calle (v. Catshill),
and pelle =pulle, apparently an unaccented form of A. S. pol,
a pool Call's pool. I am nol aware whelher any pool
exisls here now, bul, as Chasepool lies on the Smeslow, it is
not unlikely there was one.
Chatcull, 4^ m. NW. of Eccleshall. D. Ceterville; 12 c.
Chatculne, Chatkull ; 13 c. Chachull, Chatchull, Chatculne.
The D. ville is certainly a mistake, that word being O. F., and
not introduced here till long after the Conquest. I suggest
-that Chat represents Chad (v. Chatterley), and culne, A.S.
cyln, M. E. culne, a kihi ' Chad's kiln,' perhaps a lime-kiln.
CHARTLEY CHECKLEY 37
Chatterley, h., 3^ m. NE. of Newcastle-under-Lyme.
13 c. Chadderlegh, Chaddendelle. There can be no doubt
that the prefix represents the A. S. p. n. Ceadd or Ceadda
(variant forms). If Ceadd is the form used, the gen. is
Ceaddes; if Ceadda, then Ceaddan. which may account for
the n in the latter form. Cead = Chad, and the first form
points to Chad's lea (v. Ley); the second to Chad's dell (dale).
Dell is not generally recognized as an A.S. word (I think it
was one) ; but it is allowed to be M. E., and as the forms
are M.E., we might accept it. Changes of terminal are not
unfrequent, and the change of Chadd- to Chatt- is regular,
d and / being commonly interchanged.
Chatwell (Great), Chatwell (Little), hamlets, 5 m. SE.
of Newport. 12 c. Chatteivelle ; 14 c. Chatewalle ; 16 c.
Little Chalwall. There is a spring here called Chad's Well,
formerly in repute, and probably dedicated to the patron
saint of Lichfield Cathedral. The terminals welle and wall
are often interchanged in M. E. forms.
Cheadle. D. Celle (pr. chelt)', 1166 Chelle\ 1192 and
1194 Chedele; 13 c. Chedle, Dogge-Chedle, Dogge-Chedile.
There is a Cheadle in Cheshire (1194 Chedle]. I think a
p. n. is represented here ; Ceadel (pr. chadt) is the nearest
approach I can suggest, but with such varying early forms
there can be no certainty. The 13 c. prefix Dogge- is
curious; I cannot account for it.
Chebsey, 2 m. W. of Eccleshall. D. Cebbesio (c = ch] ;
12 c. Chebbesey. Ceobba was an A. S. p. n., and Ceob a short
form of it. The terminal is A.S. teg (ea), an island, or
place near water. In pi. names it takes the forms of ea as
in Batters-ea, or ey as in Aldern-ey. Chebsey lies on the
Sow.
Checkley, 3$ m. SE. of Cheadle. D. Cedla; 1227
Chekkesleye, Checkde. I distrust D. here, and believe in the
later forms. Cec, Cecce, Ccec (all pr. check, and mere variants),
was an A. S. p. n. We may safely read this as Cecce's lea
38 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
(v. Ley). Exs.: Checkley, Herefordshire ; Checkley, Cheshire;
Checkley, Essex.
Cheddleton, 3^ m. SW. of Leek. D. CelMone; 1200
Chetiltm\ 1204 Cheteleton; 13 c. Cheteltun; 14 c. Chelelton.
The terminal is A. S. tun, town (z\ Ton) ; the prefix is difficult.
It may be an A. S. p. n. Ceadel (c = ch], which implies an
original medial d, becoming /, and reverting to d; but those
letters were so commonly interchanged that it would not be
extraordinary. I should take Ceadel to be a late or short
form of the better-known name Ceadwal, Ceadwala.
Chell, 2 m. N. of Burslem. 1313 Ceolegh. A. S. p. n. Ceo!
(pr. chell), Ceol's lea (v . Ley). The terminal has dropped
off, a not uncommon occurrence where the accent upon
it is slight. 'Ceol' was a common p. n., and also forms
the prefix to many compound names; hence a large number
of pi. names commence Chel-, and Chell is a not un-
common family name in N. Staffordshire.
Cheslyn Hay, h., 2 m. SW. of Cannock. 13 c. Chistlyn
(frequently), Chisth'ng, Chyslin, Cheslyn, Chystlyn, all with
' the hay of before the forms. This was one of the hays
of the Forest of Cannock. I think chist represents A. S. cist
(pr. chist}, M. E. chiste, chyst, a chest, one of the meanings
of which was a coffin. This sense prevailed to modern
times. Chaucer writes : ' he is now deed and nayled in his
chest'; and Pennant writes, 1772: 'a stone chest, formed
of five flat stones.' The chest referred to in the name
I should expect to be some prehistoric cromlech. The
locality is high land, very likely to have been used for ancient
burial. The terminal ling I take to be a diminutive (as in
duckling, bantling, darling, &c.), and therefore construe the
name 'the hay of the little chest' (stone sepulchre). For
the meaning of ' Hay ' v. Hay.
Chestalls, h., in Longdon, nr. Rugeley. 16 c. Chestals.
The terminal, having no meaning, is clearly corrupt. I assume
the A. S. form to have been Ciesthyll (Chesthill), and the
CHEDDLETON CHURCHBR1DGE 39
M. E. form Chist- or Chesthull, the hill of the chest (stone
coffin or cromlech) ; v . Cheslyn Hay. There was formerly
a Shropshire manor, nr. Tern hill, named Chesthull, now
obsolete. There are prehistoric earthworks (Castle Rings)
nr. Chestalls, but no traces or tradition of a cromlech.
Chesterfield, h., in Shenstone, 2\ m. SW. of Lichfield.
1262 Cesirefeud, Chestrefewde. A. S. ceslre (c = ch\ a fortress,
castle (generally applied to Roman towns), and A. S. feld,
M. E. felde, feud, a field, open plain the castle field.
Chesterfield lies half a mile below and S. of Wall (Roman
Elocetum or Letoatum on Watling Street). The lands
immediately above Chesterfield are called Castle Croft, and
contain Roman remains. Nearly all places beginning or
ending chester have been Roman.
Chillington, z\ m. SW. of Brewood. D. Cillentone;
12 c. Cildenton; 14 c. Chilinton. A. S. p. n. Cille, Cilia
(c = ch\ and ion, a town Cille's town ; the medial n in the
forms is the gen. addition, which frequently passes into ing.
Great care is needed to discriminate between these corrupt
genitives and the patronymic or possessive ing. Chillington
in Somerset, and Chillington nr. Crewkerne, are both
Cilletone in D. ; and we have Chillingham, Chilworth,
Chillenden, probably all from the p. n. Cille.
. Chorley, h., 3m. W. of Lichfield. 14 c. Charley, 16 c.
Charley, alias Charley. This means 'the churl's lea,' or
'Cecil's lea' (from A. S. p. n. Ceorl; c ch). V. Chapel
Chorlton.
Chuckery Fields, Walsall. 13 c. Chirche-greve, Chirche-
grevefeld Church grove field. This is an example of
extreme corruption (Professor Skeat objects to that word,
and says the change is in accordance with phonetic law).
Before the suppression of the monasteries the fields belonged
to one of the guilds attached to the parish church at
Walsall.
Churchbridge, h., i m. S. of Cannock. 1538 a pasture
40 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
called Chirchebrigge, in Norton Canes. The land adjoining
the bridge belonged to a Lichfield guild, afterwards sup-
pressed. The bridge carries Watling Street; and it is not
unlikely the guild built or rebuilt it, the main road from
Lichfield to Shrewsbury and other parts passing over it.
There is no church here.
Church Eaton, v. Eaton (Church).
Churnet, river, N. Staffordshire, affluent of the Dove.
1284 Chirnete. One's first impulse is to assign the prefix
to A. S. dm, cyrin (c = ch\ and the terminal to the M. E.
(perhaps A. S.) diminutive ete ; though ' little churn ' would
be a curious name to apply to a river. The probability
is that the name is not A. S., but pre-Roman. There is
a river Churn in E. Gloucestershire, appearing in A. S.
charters as Cirn-ea (ea, river) and Cyme (c = cfi), giving
name to N. Cerney, S. Cerney, and Cirencester, all situate
upon it. The Roman name of Cirencester was Corinio,
doubtless a latinized form of the then river name. The
A. S. must therefore have borrowed the name of the river
(and of Cirencester, so far as the prefix goes) from the
Romans, adapting the form to their own language. There
is a river Cerne in Mid Dorset, giving name to Cerne Abbas,
Nether-Cerne, and Up Cerne, all upon it. The name
appears in A. S. charters as Cirne and Cyrne (pr. chime),
but in Southern dialect the c has softened. The meaning
of Churnet, and the other names referred to, could only be
dealt with by some one skilled in O. W.
Clay hanger, h., 4 m. N. of Walsall. 1300 C ley hunger
later Cleohongre, frequently. This is a common name, e.g.
Clayhanger, NE. Devon; Clayhanger, S. Somerset (parishes);
and several hamlets so named. The prefix represents A. S.
clceg, clay, or clceig, clayey, and the terminal A. S. hangra,
a hanging wood, i.e. a wood on a slope or declivity. A. S.
dictionaries translate hangra, a meadow, but they are wrong
(v. Crawford Charters, Napier and Stevenson, 134). The
CHURCH EATON CLOCK MILL 41
meaning of this name is therefore ' the clayey hanging wood.'
There is a great deposit of red marls here, and a sloping
bank, still sparsely timbered.
Clayton Griffith, h., if m. S. of Newcastle-under-Lyme.
D. Claitone; 13 c. Clayton Griffyn. The Griffyns were its
lords in the 13 c. Doubtless A. S. chzg (g =_>'), clay
Clay town.
Clifton Camville, 5^ m. NE. of Tamworth. About
1 1 oo Cliftun ; D. Clistom. The D. J is clearly a mistake
for/", those A. S. letters being much alike. The plain mean-
ing is ' the Cliff town.' The church and village stand on
a small eminence in a plain. In A. S. dtf, which in declen-
sion or M. E. becomes dive, cleve, cleves, &c., plays a great
part in pi. names, and means a hill, high or low, precipitous
or otherwise. The Camville family were Norman lords of
the manor for several generations. They took their name
from Canappeville (Departement de 1'Eure, in Normandy),
which sometimes appears in ancient records as Campville.
Clive, h., 5^ m. W. of Wolverhampton. 1327 Clive.
This is A. S. clif, M. E. dive, a hill. The hamlet is situate
at the foot of a ridge. V. Clifton Camville.
Clock Mill, a common name for an old corn mill.
There is a ' Clock Mill ' and ' Clock Mill brook ' in Pelsall.
The right form is ' Clack,' i. e. the clapper, which by striking
the hopper caused the corn to be shaken into the millstones.
The word, in this sense, is probably now obsolete, the old
process having been superseded by modern machinery. The
' clappe or dakke of a mill ' is found in Prompt. Parv., circa
1440; Hollyband's Treasury of the French Tongue, 1580,
translates Claquet de Moulin, the dacke or clapper of a mill ;
and in 1 708 we read : ' The Miller's Clacks and the Lawyer's
Clacks are in perpetual motion.' The word ' clack ' is still
retained in mechanics e. g. ' clack '-valve, ' clack '-box ;
and ' clack-mill ' is still applied to a windmill-rattle for
scaring birds.
42 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Cloud is a word used in N. Staffs, but not in the South.
Exs. : Cloud house, Cloud side, Thorpe Cloud. It is A. S.
clud (uou), M. E. clode, elude, cloud, a mass of rock, a hill.
It is the same as Mod. Eng. cloud (of the sky), but used in
a different sense.
Clough. A common name in the N. Staffordshire
moorlands, but unknown S. of Stone. Exs. : Pye Clough,
Clough Head, Ravens Clough, Out Clough, Hollins Clough,
Oaken Clough, Wren Clough, Colclough, Hell Clough, Bull
Clough, &c. It means a ravine or narrow valley, with steep
sides, usually forming the bed of a stream. The old pro-
nunciation was as in ' bough,' but in modern dialect it has
become ' cluff.' In the N. of England, where the word is
common, the forms and pronunciation are cleuch and clowe.
The word is not admitted to be A. S., and is probably of
Norse origin, as it has never been found in any A. S. docu-
ment, and is confined to the Northern counties.
Cocknage, h., in Trentham, N. Staffs. 1194 Cokenache.
The terminal is M. E. ache, oke, ake, oak (tree). I think Coc,
or Cocca, was an A.S. p. n., because we find Cocbroc and
Coccanburh as A. S. pi. names ; but I have not met with Coc
or Cocca alone as an A.S. name. After the Conquest Coc
and Cok became common p. names. The would be the
gen. addition, and we may read this as Cok's oak. In A. S.
and M. E. coc is a cock, and coc a cook ; as accents
dropped off it becomes difficult to say whether ' John le Cok '
should be read John the Cock, or John the Cook.
Codsall, 4 m. NW. of Wolverhampton. 12 c. Coddeshal;
13 c. Codeshale; later Codeshale, CodeshalL Code (also spelt
Coda and Codda) was an A. S. p. n., and Codsall means
Code's hall (v. Hale). A prefix in gen. form, being possessive,
is evidence of a p. n.
Cold Norton, v. Norton (Cold).
Colton, 2 m. N. of Rugeley. D. Coltone, Coltune ; after-
wards regularly Colton. There are seven Coltons in England,
CLOUD COMPTON 43
and many names commencing Col-. Cole, Coll, Colla, was
an A. S. p. n. ; but the possessive s is lacking in all the
forms. Co! is only to be found in A. S. as meaning ' coal '
not mineral coal, but ' wood for burning,' ' charcoal.' Sea
coal, as earth coal was termed, was almost unknown before the
Conquest. Charcoal was exclusively employed in smelting,
and largely for domestic purposes. I see no reason therefore
why a locality where charcoal was produced should not be
called Co/fun (as the form is found in A. S. charters). On
the continent col is commonly used for a mountain pass,
e. g. Col du Balme, Col du Geant, Col du Bonhomme, Col de
Tenda. In W. col signifies a sharp hill, peak, headland ;
in Manx koll is a top, summit. In G. and I. coll is ' a head,
the neck ' ; in Cornish ' the hinder part of the neck, the ridge
or neck of a hill.' I have suggested to an eminent philo-
logical friend that Col, though in compound with an A. S.
terminal, may be a Celtic survival; but his judgement is,
' Impossible.' ' Colton ' and ' Walton,' though common, and
apparently simple names, are difficult to construe.
Colwich, 3 m. NW. of Rugeley. 1166 Calewich ; 13 c.
Colewich,Colwych, frequently. The terminal is A. S. wic (wich),
a village. For Col v. Colton. The church and village lie in
a plain at the foot of the high range forming Cannock Chase.
Comberford, 2 m. NW. of Tamworth. 12 c. Cumbre/ord.
A. S. cumb, a valley, hollow among hills, of which cumbra is
the gen. pi., and ford the ford of the valleys. There are
two valleys here, one near the hall, the other near the village
arid mill. The Tame river runs by. Combe, a form of
cumb, is a common word for valleys in the S. of England, but
rare in the Midlands.
Combridge, h., on the Churnet, 4 m. NE. of Uttoxeter.
13 c. Comoruge, frequently. The terminal is a M. E. form
of brugge, brigge (A. S. dry eg), a bridge. The prefix prob-
ably represents A. S. cumb, comb, a valley Valley bridge.
Compton, h.. 2 m. W. of Wolverhampton. D. Con/one;
44 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
140. Cump/on, Comptone. The D. n is not a slip for m
that record registers thirty-two manors as Con/one, which
should have been Com/one. The Norman scribes would
pronounce Com/one contone, as the French still pronounce
Comte conte. This is plain A. S. cumb, comb, a hollow,
valley, and ion (q. v.) the town in the hollow. The vill
lies in a hollow.
Congreve, h., i m. SW. of Penkridge. D. Comegrave ;
1 3 c. Cunegrave, Cumgrave. The terminal is A. S. grdf,
a grove, small wood. The prefix perhaps represents A. S.
comb, a valley the grove in the valley but the forms are
all in conflict.
Cooksland, h., in Seighford, 3 m. NW. of Stafford.
D. Ctichesland. Cue, Cuca, was, I think, an A. S. p. n.
Though unrecorded, it is found in composition in A. S. char-
ters as Cuceshamm (Cuxham, in Oxon.) and Cucanhealas
(Cue's meadows). Here the possessive es points to a p. n.,
and I think we may read this as Cue's land.
Coppenhall, 3 m. SW. of Stafford. D. Copehale; 12 c.
Coppenhale. The later form, which is the most trustworthy,
gives us ' the meadow-land of Coppa.' The correct A. S.
form would be Coppatihale, n being the gen. addition. Copp,
of which Coppa is a declension, is our modern ' cup,' and
is now probably represented in the family name ' Cope.'
Coppenhall, in W. Cheshire, is Copehale in D., but Copenhale
in subsequent records.
Coseley, 3 m. SE. of Wolverhampton. From 1357 to
1664 the forms are Colseley, Coulsley, Colsley (repeated),
afterwards Coseley. The gen. (possessive) s points to a p. n.,
and I read this as Cole's lea (v. Ley). Cole, Col, Cola, was
an A. S. p. n.
Cotes, 4 m. NE. of Eccleshall. D. Co/a. Co/a is a
latinized form of cote, the dat. sing, of A. S. cot, a cottage.
D. records Cola (2), Cote (8), and Cotes (20), all declensions
or forms of the same word.
CONGREVE COWLEY 45
Coton, h., i m. NE. of Stafford. D. Cole; 12 c. Cotes.
Co/an is a plural form of A. S. cot, a cottage. The meaning
of Coton is therefore ' cottages ' ; it is a common name.
Coton Clanford, h., 3 m. W. of Stafford. D. Cole.
V. Coton. Clanford is not, as one might suppose, the
name of an early lord ; but, like Coton, is a hamlet in Seigh-
ford. It is A. S. cl&ne, clane, clean, pure, clear; and ford
the clean ford ; it is situate on a tributary of the Sow.
Coton Hayes, h., in Milwich, 6 m. E. of Stone. D. Cote.
V. Coton and Hay. Original meaning 'cottage'; now
' the cottage enclosures.'
Cotwalton, h., 2 m. NE. of Stone. About 1004 Cole-
waltune\ D. Cotewoldestune, Codewalle; 12 c. Codewalton.
The first form being in an A. S. charter is the most reliable.
I think it is a double name, Cole and Walton. There is
a Walton in the same manor, Stone. For Cote v. Cotes ;
for Walton v. Walton, in Stone.
Coven, h., 2 m. SE. of Brewood. D. Cove; 12 c. Covene,
Coven. I think this must represent A. S. cofa, gen. cofan,
which Bosworth-Toller renders a 'cove, cave, repository,
inner room, chamber, ark/ After the Conquest a medial f
commonly became v, the Normans introducing that letter.
But the H. E. D. does not acknowledge 'cave' as an A. S.
word, nor does it appear to have found a place in our
language before 1220. A. S. cofa appears to be the root of
cove, the old meaning of which the H. E. D. gives as ' a small
chamber, inner chamber, bed-chamber, cell, &c.' Coventry,
.in A. S. charters, is Cofan-treo (tree). There must have
been ancient ironworks at and around Coven, as the locality
was denuded of timber of eld time, and there were at least
four 'smiths' living there in 1425 (Subsidy Rolls). I think
we have the right root, but I do not know how to apply it to
the place. Possibly a charcoal-burner's hut in the woods
may have given rise to the name.
Cowley, h., in Gnosall, 6 m. SW. of Stafford. D. Cove-
46 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
lau (the v = u) ; 12 and 13 c. Coule, frequently. The
original nom. form in A. S. would be Cue-leak, the Cow lea
(pasture). The terminal ley (q. v.) often appears in M. E. as le.
Crakemarsh, h., in Uttoxeter. D. Crachemers ; 13 c.
Crakemershe. The terminal is clearly A. S. mersc (sc = sh),
a marsh. In the N. crake means a crow or raven, from O. N.
Here the landrail is also called cam-crake; but although
crake is apparently an A. S. word, being found in D., none
of our dictionaries help us with it. There is an A. S. verb
cracian, to crack, quake, of which crake may be an unrecog-
nized product, and 'the quaking marsh' would not be an
unlikely meaning. Crakemarsh is not only a unique name,
but crake, as part of a name, is also unique S. of Yorkshire.
Cf. Crakehall and Crakehill, both in Yorkshire. I have else-
where observed on the existence of Norse words in N. Staffs
as pointing to a settlement of Northmen there.
Crane Brook, in Norton and Shenstone parishes, 4 m.
S. of Lichfield. 1300 Crone brouke; afterwards Crane brook.
Crone is a M. E. form of A. S. cran, which the dictionaries
give as ' a crane ' ; but in the Midlands it meant, as it means
now, a heron. It may have been otherwise in the fens, but
I do not believe that cranes ever inhabited the Midland
Counties. I deal with this little stream because we have so
many Cranmeres heron's pool and other pi. names com-
mencing Cran-, which are erroneously supposed to refer to
the crane. All Midland dialect dictionaries, including Pro-
fessor Wright's great work, now give crane as a heron.
Crank Hill, Crank Hill Lane, 2 m. E. of Wednesbury.
Crank is a M. E. word of doubtful origin, meaning ' bent,
crooked, twisted,' e. g. the ' crank ' in machinery ; a ' crank,'
a man of eccentric opinions, of twisted mind. The word,
applied to pi. names, is not uncommon, e.g. Cronk Hill,
nr. Emstrey, Salop; Cronk Hill and CV0wall, Tettenhall ;
Cronkslon Low, nr. Longnor, N. Staffs ; Cronk Hill, nr.
Butterton ; Crank Wood, nr. Derby ; Cronk Hill, nr. Atcham,
CRAKEMARSH CROXALL 47
Salop. I think here it means crooked, bent, or twisted hill.
The base of the hill is decidedly tortuous.
Creighton, h., 2 m. NW. of Uttoxeter. 1241 Cratton.
With only one root, and that a 13 c. one, our material is
slight, but I think sufficient. A. S. crcei, crat means a cart,
and the probable origin of the name is a cart-house. A. S. tun
meant any enclosed place (v. Ton; v. also Drayton and
Mixon). Crat, in M. E., becomes carte, and I have no doubt
is the root of ' cart ' (by metathesis or shifting of the r). The
H. E. D. suggests, without adopting, this view.
Cresswell, 2 m. NW. of Stafford. D. Cressvah; 13 c.
Cresswalle. This is a common local name, frequently met
with in A. S. charters. Both forms are corrupt on their face.
Vale was not an A. S. word, being M. E. from O. F. D.
scribes often blundered between v and w. Walk is a mistake
for welle, a common error in mediaeval times; cress (water-
cress) does not grow on walls, but by wells, i.e. springs.
The original form would be Ccerse, or Cerse-wiell, the (water)-
cress well. I have alluded (v. Birchills) to the remarkable
manner in which r sometimes shifts its position, and precedes
or follows the vowel. This is an example. From A. S. cerse
we have Mod. Eng. cress. The change occurred in M. E.,
where we find cresse and kerse used indifferently. Hence
our saying, ' not worth a curse,' means ' not worth a kerse,'
i. e. a leaf of cress.
Crowborough, h., 6 m. W. of Leek. 13 c. Crowbarwe.
A. S. crdwe, M. E. crawe, crowe, a crow, raven, and bearwe,
dat. form of bearu, a wood the Crow's wood. In common
parlance rooks are and were called crows, and probably the
meaning is ' a rookery.' Strictly speaking, A. S. and M. E.
hrdf means a rook. Crows are not gregarious birds, and are
therefore less likely than rooks to attract attention. Exs.:
Crowborough, Crowbutt, Crowcombe, Crowhurst, &c.
Croxall, 6 m, NE. of Lichfield. 773 Crokeshalle ; D.
Crocheshalle ; 13 c. CroxhaJe, Crokeshale, Crocsal. A. S. p. n.
48 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Croc Croc's hall (v. Hale). A family of Croc (descended
from Richard the Forester) were hereditary foresters of
Cannock Forest, until 1167. William Croc then had the
misfortune to be hanged, with two other knights and a
sergeant-at-arms, for killing Gilbert, the king's cup-bearer,
in a brawl at Lichfield, where the king then held his court.
Our family names of Croke and Crook probably represent
an A. S. Croc. Mr. Ussher, in his History of Croxall (a
most estimable work), gives a different etymology of the
name, but I cannot bring myself to accept it.
Croxden, 5 m. NW. of Uttoxeter. D. Crochesdcne ;
1227 Crokesduti) Crokesden. The correct terminal is prob-
ably dene, a valley, as Croxden lies in a valley. The prefix
is the common A. S. p. n. Croc. Croxall, Croxby, Croxton,
Croxdale are examples.
Croxton, h., 4 m. NW. of Eccleshall. D. Crochestone.
Croc's town ; v. Croxall, Croxden.
Cuddlestone or Cuttlestone (hundred of). D. Culves-
/, Cudolvesian ; 1 3 c. Cuihulfesian, Cothelstonbrugge.
I read this as Cuthwulf's stone (the name often appears as
Cuthulf}. Except as a hundred, Cuttlestone has no local
habitation beyond ' Cuttlestone bridge,' over the Penk at
Penkridge. It is said a hamlet once stood beside the bridge,
which carries an ancient thoroughfare called ' King Street,'
leading from Penkridge to Newport and the west.
Cunsall, h., 3^ m. SW. of Leek. D. Cuneshala ; 1227
Cuneshale. Cuna was an A. S. p. n. 1'he s is apparently
a gen., but the gen. of Cuna (p. n.) should be Cuna. The
terminal I construe ' hall ' (v. Hale).
Curborough, h., 2 m. N. of Lichfield. 13 c. Curburg ;
14 c. Curborowe, Curborough, Currebourgh. The terminal
is probably bury (q. v.), a walled or defended enclosure, and
the prefix a remnant of some name like Curda or Creoda.
Curdworth, in Warwickshire, in D. is Credeworde, Creoda's
land (v. Worth).
CROXDEN DELVES (THE) 49
Dane (The), river, forms the boundary between N. Staffs
and Cheshire, and falls into the Weaver nr. Northwich. I
have not met with any early forms ; but Davenport, which is
on the Dane, and doubtless derives its name from it, is Dene-
port in D. I therefore assume its then form to be Dene.
Nothing can be made of this in A. S. as applicable to a river,
and I think it is a Celtic survival. There are two rivers Dean
in Scotland, and a river Deanagh in Ireland. The root is
perhaps to be found in G. and I. deann, impetuous, swift.
Darlaston, 2 m. NW. of Stone. 954 Deorlavestun,
Derlavestone ; 1004 (Wulfric Spott's Will) Deorlafestun ; later
(endorsement on same) Deorlavestun ; D. Dorlav estone ; 12
and 13 c. Derlavestone, Dorlaveston. The form of 1004 is
perfectly correct, and gives us ' Deorlaf's town.' The en-
dorsement, having v for/; was probably made after the Con-
quest ; and the charter of 954, also having v, is probably
a copy made by a Norman scribe, the A. S. having no
v ; f between vowels was pronounced v. Darlaston nr.
Wednesbury, and Darliston in N. Salop, have a similar
origin.
Darlaston, i \ m. N. of Wednesbury. 1 2 c. Derlavestone
Deorlaf's town. V. Darlaston, nr. Stone.
Daw End, h., in Rushall parish, 2 m. NE. of Walsall.
17 c. Daw and Dawe End\ I have met with no earlier
forms. Dau, Daw, Dawe, was, in mediaeval times, a short
or pet form of 'David'; hence the family names Dawson,
Dawkins (kin being a diminutive or pet suffix). End, in
pi. names, means not a terminal point, but a mere locality.
Hence Daw End equals ' David's End/ i. e. residence or pro-
perty. The hamlet is situate on an ancient thoroughfare.
Cf. East End, West End, Southend.
Delves (The), Delves Green, h., in Wednesbury manor,
2 m. S. of Walsall. Always written as now, but sometimes
Walstede Delves, from an old family named Walstead who
lived at Walstead Hall, on the N. side of the Common, now
(1901) occupied by Mr. Boddiley. This is a M. E. word
50 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
(from A. S. dalf, del/, to dig), and, in plural form, means
' the Diggings/ The lower measures of ironstone are close
to the surface on Delves Common, the whole of which has
been dug over to extract them. These diggings were pro-
bably made by an early lord of the manor of Wednesbury,
and the ore smelted at his furnace, which stood by the side
of the Tame nr. Bescot station. Delph is another form of
the word (singular) applied to pi. names, e.g. Delph in
N. Staffs, Delph nr. Rochdale.
Denstone, h., 5 m. N. of Uttoxeter. D. Deneslone; 12
and 13 c. Denes/one, frequently. The possessive s points to
an A. S. p. n., which we find in Dene, Dena Dene's town
(v . Ton).
Derrington, h., 2 m. W. of Stafford. D. Dodinlone;
1228 Doddinton ; 1288 Dodington ; 1318 Dudynlon, Dodyn-
ton. Dodd, Dod, Dodda, was a common A. S. p. n., the gen.
form of which was Doddan. The gen. an to weak nouns has
frequently passed into ing. The change from Doddan to
Derring is strong, but the forms support it. This is plainly
Dodd's or Dodda's town (v. Ton).
Dilhorne, 3 m. W. of Cheadle. D. Dulverne ; 1 2 c.
Dulvern, frequently ; 1 3 c. Dulverne. The A. S. form would
probably be Dulfern. Dulf is a pi. form of de!f, a delving
or digging ; the v is a Norman substitute for f. The suffix
appears to be A. S. cern, ern, a place the place of the
diggings. I do not know Dilhorne, but I should think it
probable that coal, or some other mineral, had been ' quarried '
(got openwork) in A. S. times, or perhaps earlier.
Dove, river, N. Staffordshire. 890 an dufan, and long
dufan; about 1000 ALrest of dufan ; 13 c. Duve, Douve.
Here we have three A. S. dat. forms, giving us a nom. dufa
or dufe. Later, according to custom, the f becomes v. In
A. S. dufan means ' to dive, to sink,' and, although not re-
corded in any A. S. dictionary, dufa must have been the A. S.
word for a ' diver ' ; the pelican was dufe-doppa, the dipping
diver. The Dove, as we now know it, does not dive or sink,
DENSTONE DRAYTON BASSETT 51
but its head waters, the Manifold and the Hamps, do so, the
Manifold diving into the earth at Grindon, and reappearing,
with the Hamps, at Ham a distance of three miles. It is
often difficult to say where a long river commences, and still
more difficult to say where it commenced in name fifteen
centuries ago. Sometimes head waters carry, in records, the
name of the principal stream, but are now known by some
local name. Small streams are apt to change their names ;
great ones never. I suggest that the Dove means ' the Diver.'
(W. H. S. does not approve of this interpretation, and says
the name is pre-English.)
Doveridge, i| m. NE. of Uttoxeter, and on the river
Dove. D. Dubrige ; 1 3 c. Doubrig. Don here represents
Dove (river), q. v. ; brig is a late form of A. S. Irycg, a bridge
Dove Bridge.
Doxey, h., 2 m. NW. of Stafford. D. Dochesig\ 12 c.
Dokesei. The possessive J points to a p. n. Dacca was an
A. S. name, but the gen. form should be Doccan, Doccanig
(g =y) Docca's island. D. records four manors in Cam-
bridge county (which I cannot now identify) as Dochesworde
= Docheszvorth, which I construe Docca's property, notwith-
standing the ungrammatical s. Docce in A. S. means a duck,
and this may be Duck's island ; but again the gen. of Docce
is Doccan, and the s is unaccounted for. The locality of
Doxey is low-lying, and in remote times would be marshy.
The terminal ig, island, is frequently applied to a slight
elevation in a marsh. Ely, Cambridgeshire, in A. S.
records, is Elig\ it is no island, but a slight elevation in
the fens.
Draycot-in-the-Clay, 3 m. SW of Cheadle. 13 c. Dra-
cote, Draycote. Draycote under Needwood. 13 c. Dray-
cote under Nedwode. I translate Draycote 'the cottage of
the drag '-(net). V. Drayton Bassett.
Drayton, in Penkridge. D. Dray tone; 13 c. Draitun.
V. Drayton Bassett.
Drayton Bassett, 2 m. SW. of Tamworth. D. Draitone^
TL 2
53 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Drat/on ; 1 2 c. Draiton. Bassett is a mediaeval addition to
distinguish it from other Draytons, and because the Bassetts
were its early lords. D. records ten Draicotes and thirty-
seven Dray/ones. The name abounds in A. S. charters, and
is always found as Dragetun. The prefix is not a p. n., but
drcege in A. S. means a drag, a drag-net, and I construe
Drayton ' the town of the drag,' probably drag-w/, as all
Draytons known to me are on streams where, in remote
times, fishing would be a common occupation. (This is on
the Tame.) Drag however was a name applied, very early,
to agricultural implements, like a harrow; to floats for the
conveyance of goods by water ; and to conveyances without
wheels, a rough kind of sledge (H. E. D. s. Drag) ; and these
meanings may apply to some of the many places named
Draycote and Drayton; but I think 'drag-net' much more
likely to apply. Berne, in Switzerland, has, radically, that
meaning. It is Teutonic, Bern, Bernen a drag-net ; the
town is on the Aar. The local tradition is that the root is
Beer en, a bear ; a bear consequently forms part of the arms
of the town and canton, and bears are maintained in pits by
the municipality. These old myths are common, v. Lichfield.
(W. H. S. thinks the interpretation ' highly improbable,' but if
places can acquire their names from a cart-shed (v. Creighton),
or a dunghill (v . Mixon), or a cattle-fold (v. Penn), I can see
no improbability in a place taking its name from a drag, or
drag-net, kept there, and probably used in common ; besides
the word drcege bears no other interpretation.)
Drointon, h., 5^ m. NW. of Abbots Bromley. D. Drege-
tone 1 3 c. Drengeton, frequently, Drenkton, Drangeton. The
D. scribe has clearly omitted a medial . The A. S. form
would be Drengestun, 'the town of the warrior, or soldier,'
and I should be glad to give that construction to it, but Dreng
was also a p. n., and it is more likely that the place was
named after a known individual, than a nameless warrior..
Our forefathers had little poetry in their souls. Their hearts
were in their homesteads, and 'their talk was of bullocks.'
DROINTON DUNSTALL 53
I think, reluctantly, we must construe this as ' Dreng's town.'
(W. H. S. adds: ' Dreng is O. N., and the name is therefore
a late one.') It does not appear in our records until the end
of the 10 c.
Druid Heath, Aldridge. 13 and 14 c. Druwood, Dre-
wood. The locality was formerly heath-land in Cannock
Forest adjoining Sutton Chase. A Norman family of Dru,
deriving their name from Dreux, department of Eure-et-Loir
in Normandy, were mediaeval lords of Aldridge. (The
latinized and D. form of the name was Drogo. Later it
appears as Dnw.) The heath, being waste, belonged to the
lords, and so acquired the name of Dru- and Drav-\\ood
(v. A Brief concerning the Manors of Barr and Aldridge, Brit.
Mus. Add. MS. 24822). Shaw (Hist, of Staffordshire,
General Hist. p. ii) says, 'Drood heath is certainly Druid
heath/ and he forthwith assumes that the Druids had a
summer residence here, and a winter residence in a camp
near Bourne Pool, in the valley below. Shaw's theory has
passed into general acceptance, but, though we are greatly
indebted to him, he was no etymologist. The evidence that
' Druids ' ever had any existence is very slight.
Dunstal, h., i \ m. W. of Tamworth. Formerly TunstalL
Anciently within the hay of Hopwas, Cannock Forest. V.
Dunstall.
Dunstall, h., 4^ m. SW. of Burton-on-Trent. 1272
Tunstall; 13 c. Tunstall. The A. S. form would be Tun-
steall, an enclosed farmstead, or cattle-yard. All Dunstalls
appear to be corruptions of Tunstall, d and / being commonly
interchanged. I have observed that places bearing this name
are generally to be found on the borders of ancient wastes,
as if they had been outlying farm-yards without homesteads,
similar to those commonly seen on the downs in \\jlts.,
known as ' bartons.' This place was in the Forest of Need-
wood.
Dunstall, an ancient homestead, i m. N. of Abbots
Bromley. 1327 Timstal; 1355 Tunstal Maner (Manor).
54 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Formerly within the limits of Neechvood Forest. V. Dunstall,
nr. Burton-on-Trent.
Dunstall, h., \\ m. NW. of Wolverhampton (on i in.
Ordnance map, Tunstall). 1356 Tunstall near Hampton ;
1450 and 1563 Tunstall. Half a mile outside the ancient
boundary of Canncck Forest. V. Dunstall, nr. Burton-on-
Trent.
Dunston, 2 m. NE. of Penkridge. D. Dunes/one; 12
and 13 c. Donestan and Doneston. Dun, Dunn, Duna, Dunna
(all from the same root dun, dark, dusky, swarthy), were
common A. S. p. names, of which Done is sometimes a late
form. We have here an irregular gen. es pointing to a p. n.,
and although the correct gen. is an I see no reason to distrust
it. Norman scribes knew very little A. S. grammar. I trans-
late this ' Dun's town.'
Eaton (Church\ 2 m. SE. of Gnosall. D. Eilone.
Eaton, Eton, Eyton, are common pi. names, the A. S. form
of which would be Eatun, the town (v. Ton) on the stream ;
ea also means ' water,' but generally running water. There
was a church here before Domesday; but 'Church' is a
mediaeval addition to the name.
Eaton (Water), in Penkridge. D. Etone. V. Eaton
(Church).
Eaton (Wood), 8 m. from Stafford. 1 3 c. Wodeyion, Wode-
Eyton. V. Eaton (Church). M. E. wode, a wood.
Eccleshall. D. Ecleshelle; 13 c. Eccleshale, Ecchshall;
1 4 c. Egleshale. A. S. p. n. &cle, sEcel, yEcle's hall (v. Hale).
&gel, sgle, was also a p. n. ; but g =_y, and would become
Ayles, as in Aylesbury, Aylesford, Aylesthorp, all from the
p. n. ^Egel.
Edingale, 5 m. N. of Tamworth. D. Ednunghalle ; 12 c.
Eadinghall, Ederingehale, Edenynghal; 13 c. Edenyngehale.
The terminal is plain enough, but the rest is difficult. Sup-
posing the original A. S. form was Ead-mg-hale, we nrght
read it ' the hall of the descendants of Eada ' ; but we have
DUN STALL ELKSTONE 55
no such exact form, and ing, following a p. n., may be
a patronymic, as suggested, or it may be used in a gen. or
possessive sense ; e. g. ^Ethelwulfing lond means yEthelwulf 's
land, and, according to the best authorities, Barlavington
(A. S. Beorlafingtun) means Beorlaf's town, Woolbedington
(A. S. Wulfbcedingturi) Wulfbaed's town, Wool Lavington
(A. S. Wulfldfingtun) Wulflaf's town, and so on. I suggest
that the Ed in Edingale represents the p. n. Eada, and I
think it will be safer to construe the name as 'the hall of
Eada.' The use of ing, in a patronymic sense, is rare, and
should be accepted with caution. Places were frequently
named after saints; Attingham (Atcham), nr. Shrewsbury,
means ' the home of the children or disciples ' (ing having
also those meanings) ' of Eata.' It could not be read as ' the
home of Eata,' because the saint never lived there ; but
the church is dedicated to him. (W. H. S. suggests that the
name here was Ead(h}un, and I think he is probably right.)
Edjiall, h., in Hammerwich, 3 m. SW. of Lichfield.
1379 Edysale; 1416 Edihall ; 16 c. Edyall, Edihall. I
incline to think this would be, originally, an A. S. Eadgeates
hah, Eadgeat's hall (g=y), the pronunciation of which would
become Edyatshale, later Edyale and Edgale (g soft).
Elford, 4i m. NW. of Tamworth, on the Tame. 1004
Elkford ; D. Eleford. Elle, Ella (earlier &lle, JElla], was
a common A. S. p. n. The correct original form would be
Ellenford, the ford of Elle. The bridge over the Tame here
was erected in the early part of the 1 9 c. ; previously the
river was forded at Withyford, half a mile below the bridge.
It may be suggested that the prefix represents A. S. eel, eel
Eel ford ; but I think the p. n. much more likely. V. Ellenhall.
Elkstone, 6 m. NE. of Leek. 1227 Elkesdon\ 13 c.
Elkesdon, frequently. The terminal is A. S. dun, a hill (v.
Don). The possessive s in the forms points to a p. n. I
cannot identify Elc as one, but it formed the prefix to names
such as Elcbeorht, Elcwold, &c. ; it may be a short or pet form,
or, the forms being late, the terminal of the name may have
56 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
dropped out (v. Bescot). D. records Elchesleie (ch = k), now
Elksley, in Notts, and Elchestane, now Elkstone, in Gloucester-
shire, so that it is not unlikely that Elc may have been a p. n.,
though not found in any existing record.
Ellastone, 5 m. SW. of Ashbourne. D. Edelachestone,
Elachestone ; 12 c. Edelachestone, Athelaxton, Adelakestonc,
Ethelaxton. A. S. p. n. jfcthelac vEthelac's town (v. Ton).
Ellenhall, 2 m. SE. of Eccleshall. D. Linehalle ; 1 2 c.
Ellinhale. The D. scribe has blundered. I think the prefix
is the gen. form of the p. n. Elle, which would be Ellen,
giving us ' the hall of Elle.' In A. S. charters we find such
names as Ellenbeorh, Ellebeorh, Ellesbeorh, Elle's hill ; Ellen-
cumb, Elle's valley ; Ellenford, Elle's ford ; Ellnvyl (whence
our family name Ehvell), Elle's spring ; Ellewurthie (whence
Elworthy), Elle's farm. In later A. S. charters the gen.
forms became confused, an and es being used indifferently.
Language was then, as ever, in a transition state. Printing,
the Bible, and Shakespeare, all tended to stereotype it.
Ellowes (The), Sedgley. In an inquisition of the manor
of Sedgley in 1272, 'the moor of Ellen vale ' and 'the house
and garden of Ellenvale ' are mentioned as portions of the
manor. Shaw's History of Staffordshire, v. 77, App. 19, in
the pedigree of ' Jevons,' gives ' Ellavales ' as the property of
the Jevonses (who lived at Sedgley Hall) in 1573. As I do
not find in any ancient records relating to Sedgley any other
name which could possibly apply to the Ellowes, and there is
now, I believe, no other place in Sedgley at all like Ellenvale,
J think it maybe assumed that in 1272 the name of the
Ellowes was Ellenvale, and that by 1573 it had become Ella-
rales ; and in later times became Ellowes. These changes
are quite in accordance with usage and phonetic law. As-
suming the correct form to be Ellenvale, the meaning of the
name is ' Ella's vale.' Ella, Elle, was an A. S. p. n., of
which Elian or Ellen (according to the form used) was the
correct gen. Vale is not an A. S. word, having been
introduced here after the Conquest. If the original form
ELLASTONE EN SON 57
Ellenvale was applied to the ancient messuage now called
' the Abbey/ vale would be an accurate description of the
site, but ' the moor of Ellenvale ' would appear to include a
wide locality.
Elmerson, h., in Whitgreave, 3^ m. NW. of Stafford.
1252 Elmer -skull. ^Elfmcer (sometimes written jElmar, and
later Elmer) was an A. S. p. n., meaning ' glorious elf.' I
read this as originally '^Elfmser's (later Elmer's) hill.' The
conversion of the M. E. terminal hull into on is unusual ;
but there is no doubt about it here.
Elmhurst, h., 2 m. N. of Lichfield. 13 c. (Kirkby's
Quest) Elinghurst; always afterwards Elmhurst, Elmehursl,
or Elmeshurst. A. S. elm means an elm, and hurst a wood
the elm wood ; but the prefix Eling-, in the earliest form,
is perplexing. Assuming an original A. S. form Ellenhursl
(meaning Elle's wood) it would readily pass into Elinghurst
and Elmhurst. Kirkby's Quest was made about 1275, and
an earlier form would be desirable, but is hardly likely to be
found, as Elmhurst is not mentioned in D., or in any known
A. S. record.
Endon, 5 m. SW. of Leek. D. Enedun ; 13 c. Henedun,
Enedun. A. S. p. n. sna m., dSne f., and dun, a hill
^Ene's hill. jne means ' once, one/ and it would be diffi-
cult to attach any other meaning to it here than a p. n. This
appears to be a woman's name.
Engleton, h., i m. NE. of firewood. 12 and 13 c. Engle-
ton always. Engle, Angel, Engel, Angle (variant forms of
the same word, from Angeln in Denmark), means an Angle,
or English(man), whence A. S. Englalond, England. The
meaning of this name is therefore ' English town.' Perhaps
some Angle from Schleswig-Holstein may have been an early
settler here. Cf. Englebourne, Englefield. D. records eleven
Englebys which are now ' Ingleby ' (by, a village). Engel
was not a p. n., though it formed the prefix to some late A. S.
names ; but the possessive s is here lacking.
Enson, h., 4 m. NE. of Stafford. D. Hentone (?); 13 c.
58 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Enson, Heneslone, Eneston. I think this is ' ^ne's town '
(v . Endon). Here we have a clear terminal ton passing to on.
Enville, 5 m. W. of Stourbridge. D. Efnefeld; 12 c.
Evenesfeld, Evenefeld, Efnefeld', 13 c. Evenefeld, frequently.
Ville may be always rejected as a terminal in pi. names, unless
they have been named after the Conquest, as it is O.F. D.here
is perfectly correct, as Efnefeld means ' the even (level) field or
plain ' (v. Field). The locality accords with the name. This
example shows how regularly f became v after the Conquest.
Essington, 4^ m. NW. of Walsall. 994 Esingelun; D.
Eseningeione ; 13 c. Eseningeion, Esynlon, Esnyngton. Esne
was a common A. S. p. n., and, though it means ' servant,'
was borne by men of rank. Here the ing is original, but
whether it is used in a patronymic or possessive sense I can-
not say. A very early form would probably be Esn-ing-lun,
which may be translated either ' the town of the descendants
of Esne,' or ' the town belonging to Esne ' (v. Ton).
Ettingshall, h., 2 m. SE. of Wolverhampton. 994
Ettingeshall ; D. Eiinghale ; 1 3 c. E/tingeshale, Etyngeshale.
Etinges heale is found in Cart. Sax. 586, an. 901, in the
description of the bounds of a manor in Wiltshire. That
form I translate ' the meadows of the sons of Etti,' Etting
not being a p. n. In this case, however, the fo ms of the
terminals point to 'hall' rather than to meadow-land
(v. Hale). The p. names Etta and Etti are late (n c.),
and probably represent an older Eaia, a common name in
the 7 and 8 c.
Extall, h., in Ranton, 5 m. W. of Stafford. 1220 HecstalL
A. S. hcKc, gen. hacce, M. E. hec, hek, hacche, &c., a hatch,
and A. S. steal, M. E. stall, a stall. Stall has various mean-
ings, but, in pi. names, may, like 'stead,' generally be
translated ' place, station.' ' Hatch ' again is used in many
senses the lower part of a divided door, a wicket gate, a flood-
gate, a trap for catching fish on a stream in the form of lattice-
work or grating. The meaning of the name is therefore ' the
place of the hatch/ but the sense in which ' hatch ' is here
ENV1LLE FAZELEY 59
used requires early local knowledge. The dropping of an
initial H is not uncommon. V. Hextons.
Fallings (Old), an ancient estate in Bushbury parish,
2 m. N. of Wolverhampton. 12 c. Olde Falinge. This
form is good M. E., derived, probably, from A. S. feallan, to
fall. It means the ' Old falling, felling (of timber), clearing.'
It lay within the limits of Cannock Forest, close to its western
boundary, and was doubtless a very early enclosure. New
enclosures were a fertile source of pi. names; v. Birchills,
Long Birch, Riddings, Stubbock Green, Stockings, Bratches,
&c. Old Falls is the name of an ancient farm on Cheslyn
Hay, nr. Shareshill. We speak of ' falling ' limber, or of
a ' fall ' of timber.
Farewell, 2\ m. N. of Lichfield. 130. Fayrwell, Four-
well, Fagereswell, Fagrtwelle, Fagerwelle, Farewell. A. S.
fffger, M. ~5L.fayr,fager,fare (all pr. ' fair '), and A. S. wiell,
M. E. welle the fair or clear spring. There are springs
here in the red sandstone. A priory of Benedictine nuns
was founded at Farewell about 1140, before which it was
a hermitage in the Forest of Cannock.
Farley, h., 4m. NE. of Cheadle. D. Fernlege (g y\
A. S.fearn, M.E.ferne, and leage (v. Ley), pasture the fern,
or ferny, lea. M. E. er was pronounced ar ; from Farnley
to Farley is an easy step. Farleigh and Farnley are
common pi. names with similar roots ; the n is more
frequently elided than retained.
Fauld, h., in Hanbury, 7 m. SE. of Uttoxeter. D.
Feletfe; 13 c. Falede, Fauld, Fold, Feld, Felde. The forms
point to A. S. fold, falde, falod, a fold, farm-yard. In
Scotland the form is still /aid and fauld.
Fazeley, i m. S. of Tarn worth. 1300 Faresleye\ 14 c.
Faresleje, Fareshe. A. S.fearr (gen./earres) means a bull,
ox. The A. S. form of the name would probably be Fearres-
leah, the bull's (or ox) pasture. Farcet, in Hunts, was
Fearres-heafod (heafod = head), Bull's head. (W. H. S.)
60 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
ITeatherstone, 6 m. E. of Wolverhampton. 994 Feo-
therstan,Feolherestan\ D. Ferde stan ; \zi\Fethereslon. The
terminal is clearly A. S. sldn, stone. A large stone, at
' Warstone/ called in a charter of 994 Horestan, marks
the boundary of P'eatherstone. In A. S. felher means a
feather ; but it is unlikely that ' feather ' and ' stone ' can
form a compound, and I think we must look elsewhere.
Fader, Feader, Fader (only different modes of spelling
' father '), was a somewhat common p. n. ' Feader ' was
murdered by a mob, at Worcester, when collecting taxes for
Hardicanute, in 1041. The charter of 994 is lost, and only
a corrupt copy of it remains, so that I do not feel bound by
its exact spelling. I think we shall be right in reading
this as ' Feader's stone.' We have Featherston nr. Halt-
whistle, Featherstone nr. Pontefract, and Featherstal nr.
Rochdale.
Fenton, h., in Stoke-on-Trent. D. Fentone; 13 c.
Culverdes/enlon, Fen Ion, Fenion- Vivian, Fenion- Culvart. A . S .
fen, a fen, marsh, and tun (v. Ton) Fen town. A Vivian
was Rector of Stoke in the 1 2 c. , and probably impressed
his name on the place, for a time. Culverd is a family name,
and Culverd s-low is a pi. name met with in mediaeval charters
relating to Fenton.
Finchfleld, an ancient estate in Tettenhall, 2^ m. W. of
Wolverhampton. 13 c. Fynchenesfeld, Fynchingefeld ; 14 c.
Fynchenefeld. A. S.finc (c = ch), M. E. finch, fynch, means
a finch (bird); but Fine was also a p. n., which in M. E.
became Finch. The family name Finch is not uncommon.
Holloway Bank, Wednesbury, was anciently Finchespath, the
road to Finch's house. We have Fincham in Norfolk, Finch-
hamstead in Berks., Finchdean in Hants, Fichenfield in
Essex, and Finchley in Middlesex, probably from the
same root. The earliest form, Fynchenesfeld, shows our
language in a transition state; the correct form would be
Fynchenfeld, ' the field of Finch ' (/' and y interchangeable) ;
but the scribe adds also the modern gen. es.
FEA THERS TONE FLASHBROOK 6l
Fisherwick, h., on the Tame, 3^ m. NE. of Lich field.
1 2 c. Fischerewich 5130. Fisheruyke, Fysscherwik, Fyscheres-
wick. A. S.fiscere (sc=sK], M. E. fishere, a fisherman, A. S.
zt7<r,M. E. wick, wyke, a dwelling, village, &c. ' the fisherman's
dwelling.' It might be suggested that ' Fisher ' represents
a p. n., but it was not one before the 130., and then only
a second or descriptive name, such as ' John the Fyschere.'
Fishley, h., 3 m. N. of Walsall. 17 c. Thistley, Fishley,
Fistley, otherwise Thistly Ridding, Lower Fistley otherwise
Thislling Ridding, Thistley field. Fishley has nothing to do
with 'fish.' The locality was in the 18 c. an open field,
part of Essington Wood, and anciently within Cannock
Forest. A. S. and M. E. thistel, a thistle ' the thistley lea.'
Mr. R. Thomas, of the Fishley Colliery, told me (January,
1896) that the place was still often called 'Thisley,' and he
showed me a letter addressed to him at ' Thisley.' Fissle
and Fistle are dialectic forms of Thistle (E. P. N.). ' Ridding '
means a clearing, an enclosure and cultivation of wild land
(v. Ridding).
Flash, h., parish of Alstonefield, 4 m. NW. of Longnor.
1 6 c. Flashe. This is the earliest form of the name I have
met with, and I assume it to be correct. Plash and Flash
are synonyms. Neither form is admitted into any A. S. dic-
tionary, yet the word Plesc (pr.plasK) is to be found in a charter
of 963 (Cart. Sax. 1119), and is now represented by Plash,
a parish 5 m. NE. of Church Stretton, Salop. The pi. form
plesces (pr. plashes'] is also in the same charter. Prompt. Parv.
(an. 1440) says : ' Plasche or flasche, where reyne water stond-
ythe.' The name is applied to wet flat land where water
lies after rain and gradually disappears. Our word splash is
only the old form with an excrescent s. Modern drainage
has changed the aspect of the kind of land referred to.
Flashbrook, h., 4 m. N. of Newport. D. Fletesbroc; 1227
Flotesbroc; 13 c. Flotesbroc. The terminal broc, brook, is
plain, but the prefix is perplexing ; its gen. form points to
a p. n. which I cannot identify. It may be a diminutive of
62 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
some name commencing Fl&d-, Flod- t or Flote- ; d and / are
frequently interchanged.
Footherley, h. and hall, in Shenstone, 3^ m. S. of Lich-
field. 1 2 c. Fulwardlee ; 1 3 c. Fodereslege, Fulverk ; 1 4 c.
Fuller ley e, Folverleye, Fulverleye, Fulfordleigh; 16 c. Father ley
otherwise Fulderley. The forms are very conflicting and
corrupt. The earliest appears to be the most reliable, and
points to the p. n. Folcweard Folcweard's lea (v. Ley).
Ford Brook, Pelsall, 3 m. N. of Walsall, forms the eastern
boundary of Pelsall. 994 Ordes-iege (ey), Ord's water. A
family named de Ordeseye were living on or near the stream
in the 13 and 14 c. Ord does not appear to have been an
A. S. p. n., but it formed the prefix to many names, e. g. Ord-
beorht, Ordgar, Ordfrith, &c.,'and 'Ord' was an early M. E.
family name. There are traces and tradition of an ancient
watermill and pools, probably occupied by the de Ordeseyes.
The F 'in the modern form is of course -excrescent.
Fordhouses, h., in Bushbury, 3 m. N. of Wolverhampton,
on the main road to Stafford where it crosses a stream.
Persons living here in the 14 c. are described in subsidy
and other rolls as William, &c., 'atte forde.'
Forton, h., in Meer manor, 2 m. N. of Newport. 1199
For Ion; 13 c., and afterwards, Forton. The terminal is
plain (v. Ton) ; but it is impossible to make anything of For
in A. S. Some intermedial letter has dropped out, perhaps d,
and an A. S. form would probably be Fordtun, the town of
the ford, or Fordun, the hill of the ford, d and / frequently
interchanging. There are five other Fortons in England,
and D. records one Fortune and two Fordunes, all of which
have become Forton. Fordham, Fordwich, Fordley (v. Ham,
Wich, and Ley), are pi. names which have retained the d, as
the result of accent. I should expect to find that the w
in Fordwich is not sounded, as Adwick is pr. Addick ;
Bromwich, Bromich; Catwick, Cattick; Colwich, Colich;
Crostwick, Crossick; Greenwich, Grenich; and so on.
Foxt, h.. in Ipstone manor 3 m. N. E. of Cheadle. 1253
FOOTHERLEY FRIEZELAND 63
Foxiaie; 1292 Foxivyst. In A. S. fox means* 'a fox.' If
we could read the first form Foxyate we should have Fox
road,ya/e being a M. E. form of gate, a road; but the ter-
minal wyst in the second form is incomprehensible. Fox is
not uncommonly found in A. S. charters as a prefix to pi.
names, certainly with reference to a fox, as it was not a p. n.
till after the Conquest.
Fradley, h., 4^ rn. NE. of Lichfield. 1262 Fodresleye,
Foderesleye ; 1286 Frodeleye. The prefix doubtless repre-
sents a p. n., perhaps Fader, Feader (father) Feader's lea
(v. Ley) ; or it may be Frod Frod's lea (v. Fradswell). The
r appears to have shifted in the 1 3 c., as to which v. Birchills.
Fradswell, 7 m. SE. of Stone. D. Frodeswelle; 13 c.
Frotheswell, Frodeswall, and Frodeswell frequently. A. S.
p. n. Frod Frod's well. Frod means ' wise.'
Freeford, i m. SE. of Lichfield. D. Fraiforde; 12 c.
Freiford; 14 c. Freforde; 16 c. Friesforde. Freeford is on
an ancient road between Lichfield and Tamworth, where
a small stream thwarts the road, and a once great heath,
called Whittington Heath, commenced. A.S./reo means free,
but the ford is too insignificant ever to have been other than
'free.' The 16 c. form, Friesforde^ points to a heath, Fries-
land being always 'heath-land,' from A. S. fyrs, M. E.firse,
and then comes the common shifting of the r ; v. Friezeland.
The meaning may be ' the heath ford ' ; but many p. names
commenced Fred-, and earlier forms are desirable.
Friar Park, i| m. NE. of Wednesbury. 1606 Fryars
Park ; so called because it belonged to the monks of Sandwell.
Their grange, of which the Park was part, was on Cronk
Hill. Park in M. E. did not necessarily mean a place set apart
for ornament or game ; it meant, originally, any ' fenced land.'
Friezeland, Walsall Wood. Friezeland, Tipton. This
is a common name, e.g. Friezland nr. Market Bos-
worth, Friezland nr. Rochdale, Friezeland nr. Lincoln, Fris-
land on the Cotswolds, &c. All Friezelands I know are upon
or near ancient heaths. The root is A S. fyrs, M. E. first,
64 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
furze. Then by metathesis, or shifting of the r (v. Birchills),
we get frise = heath-land.
Frith. A N. Staffs word, unknown, I think, in the S. of the
county, though commonly used in various parts of England.
It is of doubtful origin, and means a wood, or wild land. The
name is always found on the borders of ancient forests, and,
I think, was applied to enclosed or defined woods or wastes
belonging to a subject, though part of, and subject to the
laws of, the forest. Formerly no subject could hunt in his
own woods without royal licence, express or implied. The
word, by the shifting of the r, is sometimes found as firth.
Frog Hall, h., 7 m. SE. of Leek. 150. Frogholle, Frog-
hole, frequently. The terminal is clearly M.E.^0/<?, meaning, in
pi. names, a small valley, hollow, or depression. The prefix
is A. S. frocga, M. E. frogge, a frog Froghole. Frog- is
a very common prefix, e. g. Frognall, Frogmoor, Frogham,
Froggatt, Frogden, Frogwell, Frogbrook, Frog Lane, &c.
The association of Frog- with some of the terminals is hard
to reconcile. All these names appear to be of M. E. origin.
D. does not record a single manor commencing Frog- (or
Frox-, another A. S. form for Frog). Froxfield, 3 m. NW.
of Petersfield, in Hants, is Froxafelda, Frogfield, in Cod. Dip.
593, an. 965. There is also a Froxfield in Wilts, 3 m. W. of
Hungerford (not in D.), which has probably a similar origin.
Pulfen, \\ m. E. of Lichfield, an ancient farm and
small post-D. manor. 14 c. Fulfon, Fulfen, frequently.
A. S.ful means ' full,' and ful ' foul, muddy.' Accentuation
is of great importance in A. S., but was neglected, especially
in late MSS. The probability is that we should read this ' foul
fen.' Ful- forms the prefix to a large number of pi. names,
mostly connected with streams or water, e. g. Fulford,
Fulbrook, Fulbourn, Fulbeck, Fullwood, Fullwell, &c. ; we
have only the terminals to guide us in the construction.
Fulford, 4 m. NE. of Stone. D. Fulefordc ; 1 3 c. Fule-
forde, Folford, Fuleford. The terminal of course is plain
'ford/ but whether ful must be construed 'full' or 'foul'
FRITH GAILEY 65
we have nothing to guide us. V. Fulfen. (//, foul, muddy,
no doubt. W. H. S.)
Gaia Lane, Lichfield. 1199 Gaia; 1200 La Gaia;
afterwards Gaia Lane, Gaiafields, Prebendary of Gaia Major,
Prebendary of Gaia Minor. Gaia is a mediaeval L. name
for a jay, and in N. F. gai, gay (g soft) has the same meaning.
I translate this 'Jay Lane.' It is rare to find a L. word
surviving in a pi. name, and its exact form preserved. In
this case I think it probable that, as the word is only to be
found in mediaeval L., it was derived from O. F.
Galley, h., 4 m. W. of Cannock, on Watling Street.
1004 Gageleage; D. Gragelie; 13 c. Galewey, Gaule, Gaue-
leye. The ' district ' is called ' Gailey Hay ' ; it was one of
the hays of the Forest of Cannock, and lies flat and low.
Until the country was enclosed and drained it would be
mainly marsh-land. This is A. S. gagel (medial g =_y),
M. E. gawl, gaule, gagel, Mod. E. gale, the wild myrtle
(Myrica Gale, L.). The name is commonly found in Forest
records as the ' Hay of Gauley.' ' Myrica Gale is known by
many names, such as bog-myrtle, gale, gaul bushes, gaul,
moor myrtle, &c.' (E. P. N.). Halliwell's Diet, of A. and P.
Words gives, ' Galey, swampy, marshy ' ; ' Gale, wild myrtle.'
Collinson's Hist, of Somerset, under ' Mere,' says : ' The
moors also abound with the Myrica or sweet gale, a low
shrub with spear-shaped or serrated leaves bearing catkins
and a dry berry. The northern nations formerly used this
plant instead of hops. The catkins, boiled in water, throw
up a waxy scum which will make candles. Gathered in
autumn it dyes wool yellow, and it is used in tanning calf-
skin. Horses and goats eat it. It was also used medicinally.'
See further H. E. D., s. ' Gale.' I have dealt rather fully
with this, because our dull practical forefathers seldom give
us so pretty a name as 'the hay of the wild myrtle.'
A writer in the Gentleman's Magazine, 1786, Pt. i. 408,
66 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
says: 'At a place called Foulmire ' (now Fulmer), 'about
a mile from the Four Crosses' (an ancient inn on Walling
Street, and in Gailey Hay), ' an aromatic shrub of the myrtle
kind grows spontaneously. It is called gale or sweet gale,
and gives name to a hamlet near it. Where it flourishes
is a black morassy ground between two copses, greatly
sheltered from the bleak winds, which no doubt contributes
greatly to its safety. It thrives not anywhere else, and seems
confined to this small spot of a few acres.' V. Wyrley.
G-arshall, h., in Milwich, 4 m. E. of Stone. 14 c.
Geringeshalgh, Geryngeshalgh, Geryngeshawe. The terminal
halgh is seldom found in the Midlands in so perfect a form ;
in the N. it is common. Its root is A. S. healh, M. E. halh,
of which halche, haugh, and haw are also forms, meaning
meadow-land (generally, I think, river-side). Garinge was an
A. S. p. n. I read this as ' Garinge's meadow-land.'
G-ayton, 6 m. NE. of Stafford. D. Gaitone; 1227 Gaidon.
We have in England one 'Gaydon,' nine 'Gaytons/ and two
' Gaywoods,' so that the meaning of Gay is worth settling.
The conflicting terminals in the forms may be read ion,
a town, or don, a hill (v. Ton and Don). The prefix is not
our mod. gay, a French word introduced here after the
Conquest. It is certainly not a p. n., and I think it must
represent A. S. geat, gat, yat, M. E. gate, gayte,yate, a gate,
narrow way = Gate town, probably from a primitive enclosure
approached by a gate or narrow way. The words gate and
yate (synonyms) are, however, sometimes applied to thorough-
fare roads. Gate, as an original prefix, has frequently
permanently passed into yate, e. g. Yate, S. Gloucestershire ;
Yatton, Somerset; Yateley, N. Hants; Yatton, Hereford-
shire, &c.
Gentleshaw, h., in Longdon parish, 5 m. NW. of Lich-
field. 1505 Gentylshawe ; 1529 Gentylshawe. The name
was originally applied to a grove of ancient oaks on a lofty
part of Cannock Chase, now fast decaying. The terminal
GARSHALL GORNALL 67
is M. E. shawe, schawe, a grove. In 1341 a John Gentyl
was sued by Simon de Ruggeley for cutting down his trees
in Longdon (Gentleshaw is in Longdon) ; and about the
same time a Simon Gentil was executor of the will of Roger
de Northburgh, Bishop of Lichfield. I think it probable
that this family gave name to the grove by planting it ; it is
mentioned as a 'grove of oaks' in Forest records, temp.
Elizabeth.
Gerrards (Bromley), v. Bromley Gerrards.
Gillotty Greaves, h. and ancient farm, i m. S. of
Walsall. In deeds of the 14 and 15 c. the place is regularly
called ' le greve,' M. E. for a grove or wood. Later it is
found as greves and greaves (woods) ; later still it is mentioned
as ' Gillott o' th' Greaves.' Probably a family named Gillott
went to reside there, and impressed its name on the place.
The adjoining localities still bear the names of Wood End,
Hay Head, and Barr Common; in the 14 c. the country
for miles round was wild and waste.
Gnosall, 6| m. W. of Stafford. D. Geneshale; 1199
Gnodweshall, Gnodeshall ; 1204 Gnoweshale; 1223 Gnoushale.
The D. scribe was probably as much perplexed by this name
as I am, and I disregard his entry, which conflicts with the
later and modern forms. The terminal may be construed
' hall ' (v. Hale), and the prefix probably represents some
unrecorded A. S. p. n. The forms of 1199 point to the rare
p. n. Cnofwealh. The passage of C to G before n would be
likely.
Gornall, h., in Sedgley, 2 m. NW. of Dudley. 15 c.
Gwarnell, Guarndl. The forms are late, but I think this is
clearly A. S. cweorn, M. E. quern, cwerne, a mill. In Mod. E.
quern means a hand-mill, but formerly it meant any kind of
mill for grinding. Exs. : Quarnford=Millford, Quarndon=
Mill hill. In M. E. er = ar. It is difficult to say whether
the terminal ell, in the forms, represent an original hale, or
hull. If hale then I should translate Gornall, Mill meadow
F 2
68 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
(v. Hale) ; if hull, Mill hill. The probability is in favour
of Mill meadow, as Gornall lies at the base of the Sedgley
hills. Originally all mills were hand-mills. They were
followed by ass or ox-mills ; then by water-mills, and after-
wards by windmills. There is no record of a windmill
before the 13 c., and all the mills mentioned in D. are water-
mills. When we read, ' Two women shall be grinding at
the mill ; the one shall be taken and the other left,' we must
understand a hand-mill or quern, with the women sitting
close together, turning by upright handles the revolving
upper stone.
Gosbrook, h., in Bushbury, i m. N. of Wolverhampton,
takes its name from a brook which in 14 and 15 c. deeds
appears as Gosbroke and Gosebroke. A. S. gds, M. E. gos,
goos, a goose, becomes gos- in pi. names, as in gosling and
goshawk, Gosebroc, Gdsden (den, valley), Gosford, Gosleah,
Gdswe/l, Gosfeld, are forms frequently met with in A. S.
charters. The word included, and includes, many varieties
of wild aquatic birds, as well as the tame species.
Goscote, h., 2 m. NE. of Walsall. 13 c. Gor sty cole;
14 c. Gorsltcole, Gor scale. A. S. and M. E. gorst, gorse,
gorse, furze ' the cottage in the gorse,' or, ' on the heath.'
The locality was formerly within the limits of Cannock
Forest, and two centuries ago had much heath about it.
Gospel Oak, h., ij m. W. of Wednesbury, is on the
boundary of the parishes of Wednesbury, Tipton, and Sedg-
ley. The Oak has long ago succumbed to ironworks and
collieries. Gospel Oak, Gospel Tree, and Gospel End are
common names on parish boundaries. They originate in
the perambulations of parishes, which, before maps were
used, were made at irregular intervals, generally in Rogation
week. The custom is very ancient, being referred to in the
Canons of Cuthbert, Archbishop of Canterbury, A. D. 747 ;
and Rogation days are called ' gang days ' (gang = going) in
the laws of King Alfred. The minister, accompanied by his
COSBROOK GRANGE 69
churchwardens and parishioners, then ' beat the bounds ' of
the parish, and, at certain accustomed spots on the border read
portions of the Bible. An oak tree, a great stone, spring,
or other notable landmark, was usually adopted as a ' Gospel
place.' These perambulations were carefully recorded, and
concluded with a free feast. The following is an extract
from a perambulation of Norton Canes made in 1775:
' . . . and so to Newlands Well, which well is a Gospel Place,
and a Psalm was sung and a Gospel read by the said
Mr. Jno. White, the Curate ; and from the said well up the
Lane on the North side to the top of the said little Newlands
Lane, and from thence across and over a small inclosed
piece of Land to the Gravelly Path on the Road from
Cannock to Lichfield where there is a Foot Bridge, which is
a Gospel Place, and a Gospel was read, and a Cross was
made, and from thence along the publick Road and Highway
leading from Cannock towards Lichfield, across the Common
or Heath called Cannock- Wood untill you come over against
the Round Turrett which lieth on the Southern Side of the
said Road at about an Hundred yards distance from it in
which Road a Cross is made, and on the Turrett is a
Gospel Place, where the said Curate read a Gospel, and
a Psalm was sung,' &c.
Gothersley, h., 3 m. NW. of Stourbridge. 14 c. God-
richeshy, Godericheley. A. S. p. n. Godrich (f = cK) Godric's
lea. Hence the family names ' Godrick ' and ' Goodrich.'
Grange, a name borne by many ancient farms, is a
M. E. word, derived from O. F. grange, graunge, the original
meaning of which was properly a barn ; but was applied to
outlying farms belonging to the abbeys. The manual
labour on these farms was performed by an inferior class
of monks, called lay-brothers, who were excused from many
of the requirements of the monastic rule ; but they were
superintended by the monks themselves, who were allowed,
occasionally, to spend some days at the grange for that
70 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
purpose. At the suppression of the monasteries many of
them were dismantled and turned into ' granges.' ' At the
moated grange resides this dejected Mariana ' (Shakespeare,
Measure for Measure, iii. i).
Graseley or Grazeley, h., i\ m. SW. of Wolverhampton.
1282 Graseley. A. S. gars, gers, grass, becomes in M. E.
grces, gras, and gives us here ' the grassy lea.' This is
another example of the shifting of r. Gres-, Gras-, and
other forms meaning ' grass,' form the prefix to many
pi. names.
Gratwich, 4 m. SW. of Uttoxeter. D. Gratewich ;
12 c. Grotewich; 13 c. Grefewyc, Gretewych. A. S. great,
M. E. grete, and A. S. wic, M. E. ivich, wych great village.
Great Barr, v. Barr (Great).
Great Bridge, h., 2 m. SW. of Wednesbury. 14 c.
Grete', 16 c. Greete ; 17 c. Greet Bridge. Stands on a
stream formerly called ' Greet,' which divides the parishes of
Westbromwich and Tipton, where it is crossed by the main
road from Birmingham to Dudley. Greta and Greet are
common river names. The root is perhaps A. S. grit (from
greolan, M. E. greten), to greet, wail, murmur, &c. Poets
write of ' murmuring streams ' and ' babbling brooks/ and
this river name appears to be one of the few of A. S. origin
which have any poetry in their meaning. Indeed, as Greta
and Greet are Scottish and Northern names, it is not unlikely
that they have a Celtic origin.
Grindley, h., 4 m. SW. of Uttoxeter. 13 c. Greneleye,
frequently. A. S. and M. E. grene, green the green lea
(pasture), v. Ley. There is rich meadow-land here on the
Blythe river.
Grindon, 5 m. NW. of Ham. D. Grendone; 12 and
13 c. Grendon. A. S. grene dun Green hill. Grendon and
Grindon are common pi. names.
Gunston, h., 3 m. SW. of Brewood. 13 c. Goneslon,
Gonestone, Gunstone; 14 c. Gunston. The gen. s points to
GRASELEY HALES 71
a p. n. Neither Gon nor Gun alone was a p. n., but both
formed prefixes to many names of which Gon or Gun may
be a short form. Gunnr was an O. N. name introduced
in the 10 c., and Gun- may here represent it. Our family
name Gunn is probably O. N.
Haden Hill, Haden Cross, High Haden, h., in Rowley
Regis, 4 m. SE. of Dudley, takes its name from a family of
repute named Haden, living in Rowley Regis in 1417, and
probably long before. Their descendants still live in the
neighbourhood.
Halford, h., 2 m. NW. of Stourbridge. 1343 Oldeforde
(juxta Stapenhult). This place is near the Stour river, where
it is crossed by an ancient road from Shropshire (and Wol-
verhampton uniting at Himley) to Kidderminster, Worcester,
and the South. The form explains the meaning.
Hales, h., 3 m. E. of Market Drayton. D. Halas (?); 13
and 14 c. Hale, Hales. Hales and Halas are plural forms
of healh, which A. S. dictionaries treat as ' a word of doubtful
meaning,' or misconstrue; but a reference to the charters
Jeaves no doubt that it means ' meadow or pasture land,' and
Stratmann (M. E. Diet.), under halh, so interprets it. In
mediaeval deeds ' in le Hale ' or ' in Hales ' (meaning in the
meadow, or meadows) are common forms ; hence our family
names Hale, Hales, and the numerous pi. names Hale, Hales,
Haile, Hailes. Halesowen, in Worcestershire, in D. is Halas,
a correct plural form of healh ; and there the ' Leasowes '
(A. S. IcBswe, meadow-land), the residence of the poet Shen-
stone, repeats the meaning of the locality. ' Owen ' is a
mediaeval addition given to distinguish it from other Hales,
and because the manor was given by Henry II to his sister
Emma, on her marriage with David ap Owen, Prince of North
Wales, and their son Owen succeeded them. Some pi. names
have ' Hales ' as a suffix, e. g. Dray ton- in-Hales, Betton-in-
Hales, Sheriff-Hales, &c.
72 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Hammerwich, 3 m. SW. of Lichfield. D. Hume rwic he ;
12 c. Hamerwich, Hamerwiche ; 13 c. Homerwich. The
terminal is plainly A. S. wic, M. E. zuich, a village. A. S.
hamor, hamer, homer, means a hammer; but 'hammer
village' is a very unsatisfactory interpretation. I think
the prefix represents an A. S. p. n. Homa and Hama
were p. names, and I should read this as Homa or Kama's
village.
Hamps, river, NE. Staffordshire, tributary of the Manifold.
I have not met with any early forms of this name. I think it
is M. E., and probably related to our verb ' hamper,' some of
the meanings of -which are ' to entangle, restrain, clog, hold
back, fetter, shackle,' &c. The origin of the word ' hamper ' is
unknown, and it first occurs in our language circa 1350, when
it is found as hampre, hampres, hampris, forms which might
readily pass into ' Hamps.' The name, if my suggestion is
right, would be in allusion to the eccentricity of the stream,
which totally disappears into the earth and rises again, like its
twin the Manifold. V, Dove.
Hams tall Rid ware, v. Rid ware (Hamstall).
Hamstead, h., in Handsworth, 3 m. NW. of Birmingham.
14 c. Hamstede, Hamps tede, Hamstid. A. S. hdm-stede, home-
stead. When p is introduced it is excrescent, and should be
rejected.
Hanbury, 6 m. NW. of Burton-on-Trent. 13 c. Hamburg
Hambyri, Humbert, Hambery, Hambury; 14 c. Hanbury,
Hambury; 1430 Hambury. These forms are late, but, if we
can trust them, Hanbury is properly Ha/bury. The change
from m to n appears to have 'commenced' in the 14 c.
Hanbury, in Worcestershire, was in A. S. Hedn-byrig, high
burgh (v. Bury). Here, upon the forms, the construction
is ' the home burgh/ but I do not find Hamburh in any A. S.
charter, and I doubt the accuracy of the m. If the m
should be then we have plain Heanburh, the high burgh, or
borough.
HAMMERWICHHANYARD 73
Hanch, Hanch Hall, h., 3 m. NW. of Lichfield. M. E.
hanche, from O. F. hanche, is an occasional field name, arising
from the shape of the enclosure. Ex. : Haunchwood, nr. Tarn-
worth. ' Haunch/ now the common form, displaced ' hanch '
only in the 18 c.
Hanchurch, h., in Trentham, 3 m. SW. of Stoke-on-Trent.
D. Hancese; 1296 and 1300 Hanchurch, frequently. The D.
terminal cese represents A. S. circe (church). An A. S. form
would probably be Heancirce, high church.
Handsacre, 4 m. NW. of Lichfield. D. Hadesacre ; 12 c.
Hendesacre, Hundesacre. The terminal is A. S. cecer, which
in pi. names is not a measure of land, but a field or fields of
enclosed or defined land of any quantity. Hund, Hunda,
meaning ' hound,' was an A. S. p. n., and I read this as
Hund's field (or farm).
Hands-worth, 3 m. NW. of Birmingham. D. Honesworde ;
1 2 c. Hunesworth, Honesworth ; 1 3 c. Honesworth, Hunnes-
worth. The terminal is A. S. worth, a farm, property
(v. Worth). Hun, Hune, Huna, was an A. S. p. n., giving
us here ' Hune's property (or farm).' Hone was not a p. n.,
and the form doubtless represents Hun. There was, in
Warwickshire, a D. hundred of ' Honesberie/ now part of
Kineton hundred.
Hanford, in Trentham, 3 m. SW. of Stoke-on-Trent.
D. Heneford\ 14 c. Honeford, Honford. I think these forms
represent an A. S. Heanford, high ford. The village stands
on a hill, near the foot of which the Trent is crossed by the
great NW. Road.
Hanley, Potteries. 1332 Hanley. Having only one form,
and that a late one, any opinion is liable to error. The best
construction I can give is that Hanley represents an A. S.
Heanleage, ' high lea ' (v. Ley). An A. S. hean generally
becomes han in M. E.
Hanyard, h., in Tixall, 3^ m. E. of Stafford. 1227
Hagonegate, Hageneyate; 13 c. Hanberyate, Hanyate. This h.
74 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
is now represented by two farms, Upper and Lower Han-
yard, on the borders of Tixall Park, an ancient enclosure,
and near one of its entrances. The early forms look like
the p. n. Haguna, gen. Hagunan, dat. Hagan of the Nibe-
lungen-Lied. Hagunan-geat would give M. E. Hagone-yate,
Haguna's gate. V. Haunton.
Harborne, 3 m. SW. of Birmingham. D. Horeborne;
1 2 c. Horeborne ; 1 3 c. Horeburn, frequently ; 1 4 c. Hor bourne.
The terminal is A. S. burn, burne, M. E. borne, bourne, a brook,
stream. The prefix is undoubtedly A. S. har (a = 0), M. E.
liar, hor, hore, hoor, the meaning of which our dictionaries
give as ' hoar, hoary, grey, old.' I do not dispute this inter-
pretation, but contend that the word had another meaning
(at least in compound), viz. ' boundary.' It is continually met
with in those parts of A. S. charters which describe the bounds
of the property dealt with, and never elsewhere. Bosworth-
Toller translates har-hoeth, grey heath, haran-hcesel, the
grey hazel (and feels obliged to add ' with lichens' !), haran-
apuldran, the old apple tree, haran-stan, grey stone, &c. We
find in charters (always on boundaries) haran-wythie (withy),
hore-wythege, hore-thorne, hare- and hore-mapeldre (maple-tree),
hare-lane, ^ore-cross, ^oar-law (tumulus), horpyt (pit), hore-ac
(oak), hore-dive (hill), hdran-lceh (lea), hore-hyrne (corner),
horestok (now Warstock), &c. These extracts might be
greatly extended. It would be manifestly absurd to translate
some of these forms as ' grey,' or even ' old.' Harbourn
(according to authority) must be translated ' grey brook ' ;
if ' old ' was meant the form would be ealdbourne, and that is
never found in A. S. charters. Harborne, being in Stafford-
shire, is divided from Worcestershire by a stream called
Bournebrook, and I submit that the plain meaning of the
name is ' boundary brook.' Mr. William Hamper published
an exhaustive article in Archaeologia, 1832, p. 30, on
' Hoar-stones,' and the meaning of the word ' Hoar,' which he
contends to be ' boundary.' The Century Dictionary trans-
HARBORNE HARTWELL 75
lates 'hoar-stone' as 'a stone marking the bounds of an
estate ; a landmark.' The H. E. D. has not yet reached the
word. (PS. It has now; and under 'Hoar,' says (3) :
' Used frequently as an attribute of various objects named in
ancient charters as marking a boundary line. Obs. Hence in
many place names.' ' Hoar-stone ' is also accepted as meaning
' an ancient boundary stone, mere-stone.')
Harden, h., 2 m. N. of Walsall. 14 c. Haworthyn,
Hawerthyn, Hawardyn ; 1 5 c. Hawardyne ; 1 6 c. Hawrden,
Hawredene ; 1648 Harden, This is an A. S. name, the
original form of which would be heahworthyn, the high farm
or estate. For the passage of worthyn into ivardine v. Worth.
The hamlet stands very high, and is an ancient enclosure in
the Forest of Cannock. The adjoining locality is still called
'the Forest.' Hawarden, in Flintshire, has the same root,
and is pronounced Harden.
Harlaston, 4^ m. NE. of Tamworth. 1004 Heorlfes-
lun; c. noo Heorlaveston] D. Horulvestune ; 12 c. Her-
lavesione, Erlaveston; 13 c. Horlaveston. The terminal is
A. S. tun, town (v. Ton), and the gen. es points to a p. n.,
the original form of which would be Heorulaf- Heorulaf's
town.
Harracles Hill, Harracles Mill, 2 m. W. of Leek.
13 c. Harecheles-, 17 c. Haracles, Her racks. The 13 c. form
is entitled to the most credit, and I think must be treated as
a compound of Har and echeles. I construe Har as meaning
boundary (v. Harborne), and echeles a ladder or staircase
(v. Nechells) = the two-storied house on the boundary. I do
not know what boundary Harracles is near.
Hartwell, 4 m. N. of Stone. 1361 Hertwalle. The
M. E. terminal welle. a spring, frequently passes into walle.
I have no doubt the right form is well, giving us ' the Hart's
spring ' (A. S. heort, M. E. hert, hart, male red deer). Hart-,
as a prefix, plays a great part in pi. names, as does
Hind-, female red deer. Before the 14 c. red deer evidently
76 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
overran the country, and every man was more or less
a hunter.
Haselour, 5 m. N. of Tamworth. 1 3 c. Hazeloure ;
14 c. Haselovere\ 1796 Haselover or Haselor. A. S. hasel,
M. E. hasel, hazel, hazel, and A. S. ofer, of re, a bank, margin
(of a stream or hill-side) ' the hazel bank.' There was no
v in A. S.,y performing its functions.
Hatherton, 2 m. NW. of Cannock. 996 Hagenthorndun ;
D. Hargedone; 13 c. Hatherdene, Helherdon, Halherdone.
This is an illustration of the value of early forms : without
the record of 996 we should be led astray. Hagathorn is
A. S. for hawthorn, and hagen- is the gen., so that we have,
very accurately, ' the hill of the hawthorn.'
Hatton, Hattons (The). These are common names in the
Midlands ; but, as they are generally single homesteads, or
hamlets, it is rarely that they can be traced to A. S. roots.
By the 1 3 and 1 4 c. they had become ' Hatton ' ; but, when-
ever I have been able to trace them, the A. S. form has been
H&thtun, heath town. So Hathfdd has become Hatfield ;
Hathhah., Hadleigh or Hatley ; and H&lhdun (heathy hill),
Haddon or Hatton.
Haughton, 4 m. SW. of Stafford. D. Haltone; 12 c.
Halecton\ 13 c. Hating ton, Halechlone, Halclone, Halegtone,
Haluchtone ; 1 4 c. Haleughlon. The root of this is A. S.
healh, of which halch, halech (pr. something like haluch)
are M. E. forms. All the forms are corruptions, or dialectic
forms, of halch. Haughton is a common pi. n. ' Halloughton '
is only another form of it, both meaning ' the town in the
meadows.' V. Hales.
Haunton, h., in Clifton Camville, 4 m. NE. of Tamworth.
942 Hagnatun; 13 c. Hagheneton, Hannelon, Anneion.
Hagan, Hagana, Haguna, Hagene, (variants) was an A. S.
p. n. The original form, taking the last variant, would be
Hagenan-tun, passing, in M. E., to Hagene-lun, Hagene's town,
g between vowels having the sound of y. V. Hanyard.
HASELOUR HEIGHLEY CASTLE 77
Hawkbach, an ancient homestead in Upper Arley, on
Severn, 2 m. NW. of Bewdley. 14 c. Haukebache, Hawke-
bache. A. S. hafoc, M. E. hauke, hawke, a hawk. The terminal
bach is a common one in Salop, and rare in Staffordshire ;
Hawkbach is on the border. It is A. S. beech, bcBce (ce = cK),
a bottom, valley with a stream through it. The word is not
yet recognized in A. S. dictionaries, though it is frequently
met with in the charters, and is perversely translated ' beech '
(tree). Layamon, who lived at Lower Arley, and wrote his
poems in the 12 c., frequently uses the words beech, bache
(according to the case), in the sense of ' valley.' This is
clearly ' Hawk valley.' The H. E. D. recognizes bache as
of ' origin doubtful,' meaning ' the vale of a stream or rivulet.'
Hawke was a M. E. p. n., and it is possible (the forms being
only 14 c.) that the prefix may represent the p. n.
Haywood (Great), h., 5 m. NW. of Rugeley. D. Hai-
wode; 12 and 13 c. Haywode, Heywood, Heiwode. Haywood
abuts on the ancient bounds of Cannock Forest (the Trent).
Haywood Park was within the Forest, and was enclosed
by the bishops of Lichfield, who were great landowners
hereabout. The meaning of the name is 'the fenced or
enclosed wood ' (A. S. haga, an enclosure). ' Great ' is a
late M.E. addition, made, probably, when Little Haywood
sprang up. The earliest record I have of Little Haywode
is in 1432.
Hednesford, h., 2 m. NE. of Cannock. 13 and 14 c.
Hedenesford, Edenesford. A. S. p. n. Heoden, It appears in
Hednesdene (Heoden's valley), Cart. Sax. 544. Henshaw,
in Haltwhistle, was anciently written Hednes-halgh (Heoden's
meadow-land). An ancient road, I believe a British trackway
from London to Chester, passes through Hednesford, and
fords a stream in the middle of the ' old ' village.
Heighley (or Helegh) Castle, 4^ m. W. of Newcastle-
under-Lyme. D. Heolla; 13 c. Helley, Helegh. Nothing
can be made of these forms in A. S. I think the root is
78 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
W. heoi, heolau, a road, way. Heol-y-gwint is the Milky Way.
If this assignment is correct D. has done extremely well with
a W. root. Heleigh does not appear to be situate on any
' Roman ' way, but it is upon, or close to, a thoroughfare
road from the SE. to Nantwich, and all salt towns were
anciently the centres of considerable traffic.
Hextons or Extons, homestead and farm in Upper Arley,
3 m. N. of Bewdley. 1227 Hekstane ; 1295 Hexton; 14 c.
Hekslane, Hexlane, Hecslon, Hexton, Hecstan. This is A. S.
hce.c, gen. hacce, M. E. hec, hek, hacche, &c., a hatch, and A. S.
stan, stone the hatch stone. Hatch has various meanings,
the lower part of a divided door, a wicket gate, a flood gate.
The word is also applied to an instrument for catching fish,
made in the form of lattice-work or a grating, and as Extons
is close to the Severn the word may be used in that sense.
The place gave name to a family of Heggeston, Exston, or
Hexton (as they variously spelt themselves). One of the
Hextons was a Bristol merchant, and in 1485 gave ' Hextons '
to the Collegiate Church of Westbury-on-Trym. They
parted with it in 1501. Though this is a place of small
importance, it is a good illustration of the way in which
pi. names and family names are built up. ' Excellent grindle-
stones are dug out of a quarry at " Hextons," and when first
discovered (about 1680) proved a great benefit to the country,
which abounded then, as it does now, with numerous manu-
facturers in iron, who, before that time, were obliged to
procure their grindle-stones from Derbyshire and other dis-
tant parts. Of late years several quarries of the same kind
of stone have been found in this neighbourhood (Upper
Arley), so that the Hexton grindle-stones are not now so
much sought after' (Nash's Worcestershire, ii. App. I).
(This was written by Bishop Lyttelton of Carlisle about the
middle of the 18 c.) V. Extall.
High Offley, v. Offley (High).
High Onn, v. Onn (High).
HEXTONS HINKSFORD 79
Hilderstone, 3 m. E. of Stone. D. Heldulveslune ; 13 c.
Hildulveston, Hildelveston, Hyldeleslon, Hyldresion. A. S. p. n.
Hildewulf Hildewulf s town (v. Ton). The meaning of
the p. n. is ' Warrior wolf.'
Hill Chorlton, h., i m. S. of Whitmore. 12 c. Hulk,
frequently. M. E. hull, hill. Chapel Chorlton (q. v.) is a mile
S., and Hill has evidently borrowed from it, in mediaeval
times, the second portion of its name for distinction.
Hill Kidware, v. Ridware (Hill).
Hilton, h., in Shenstone, 3 m. SE. of Lichfield. 1332
Hulton. A. S. hyl, M. E. hull, a hill Hill town (v. Ton). It
is situate on a slight eminence in a plain.
Hilton, 5 m. NE. of Wolverhampton. 994 Hilton; 1271
Hullon. V. Hilton, in Shenstone. The ancient manor house
and locality occupy elevated land.
Himley, 5 m. S. of Wolverhampton. D. Himelie ; i 2 c. '
Humilileg (g =_y), Humileg; 13 c. Humilele, Hymek, Hume-
leye. The terminal is plainly lea, pasture, untilled land (v .
Ley). Hemele was an A. S. p. n., but the possessive gen. is
lacking in all the forms. I think the prefix is A. S. hymele,
the hop plant. Himbleton, in Worcestershire, in 816 and in
884, was Hymeltun (in D. Himelturi}. Hemlington, in York-
shire, in D., is Himeligetun, and Hamblelon, same county, is
Humelton. These D. prefixes appear to be the same as here.
I construe Himley 'the lea of the hop (plant).' It is not
a hop locality now ; but it is warm and sheltered, and may
have been ; indeed the name may refer to the wild hop.
Humulus is L. for hop ; the Anglo-Saxons may have borrowed
their form from it.
Hinksford, h., 2 m. NW. of Kingsvvinford, on the
Smestow and a tributary stream. 1271 Henkesion ; 1 300
Htnkesford. The A. S. form here would be Hengestestun (or
-ford) ; if -ford, the meaning is Hengest's ford. PI. names in
A. S. charters commencing Hengesi-\&.\z now become Hinx-
or Hinks- ; hence those family names.
8o STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Hints, 6 m. SE. of Lichfield. D. Hintes ; 130., frequently,
Hyntes; later Hints. This is W. hyni, a way, road. The
village lies on Walling Street. There is a ' Hints' in Cain-
ham, 3 m. E. of Ludlow.
Hixon, 5^ m. NE. of Stafford. D. Husledone; 13 c.
Hunlesdun, Huhtesdon, Hucstedon, Huccesdon, Huncesdon,
Huntesdon, Hughe esdon ; 14 c. Hughcesdon ; 1 6 c. Hicks ton
otherwise Hixeton. The terminal is clearly A. S. dun, a hill,
and the prefix a p. n. like Huclred, or some guttural name
with ch in it. Hixon stands on a hill, bordering the valley
of the Trent. This name illustrates the value of early forms
and the folly of ' guess ' by modern forms. (This is a puzzle.
Some forms, and the modern one, suggest Hengesles dun.
W. H. S.) V. Hinksford.
Hoar Cross, 10 m. NE. of Lichfield. 1262 La Croiz;
1267 Orcross\ 1248 Harecres; 1268 Horecros\ 1513
Whorecrose. It was a custom to set up crosses to mark the limits
of an estate or manor. Needwood Forest (temp. Elizabeth)
was divided into four wards or bailiwicks, Tutbury, Marching-
ton, Yoxall, and Barton. According to the perambulations
all the wards met at Hoar Cross. The meaning is ' boundary
cross.' V. Harborne.
Hobs Hole, Aldridge ; Hobs Hole, nr. Willenhall ; Hobs
Hole, Wednesbury. Hob is a M. E. word for a sprite, an elf,
a hobgoblin. Hole in M. E. means a hollow, dingle, or small
valley. Hob and /*<?& have the same meaning; v. Pouke Hill.
Holbeach, homestead in Himley, 5 m. S. of Wolver-
hampton. 1300 and 1327 Holebache. A. S. hoi, M. E. hole,
a hollow, and A. S. beech, M.E. bache, a valley the hollow
(or deep) valley (v. Hawkbach). Holbeach was the scene of
the death and capture of some of the conspirators in the Gun-
powder Plot
Hollington, h., 4 m. SE. of Cheadle. 13 c. Holyngton.
A. S. holen, holegn, M.E. hollen, holin, the holly (tree) the
town in the hollies (v. Ton).
HINTS HUNTINGTON 8 1
Hoo (The), Hoe (The). This is a common name, and
there are several examples of it in Staffordshire, generally
hamlets or single homesteads. It is A. S. hoh, M. E. hoo.
a hill.
Hopwas, 2 m. W. of Tamworth. n c. Hopewaes; D.
Opewas ; 1 2 c. Hopwas. A. S. hop, M. E. hope, a valley, and
A. S. wase, wees (Older, ge-weetf), a swamp, marsh. Hopwas
lies in the Tame valley, at the foot of a ridge, and much
of it is liable to flood. The meaning of the name is
substantially ' the marshy valley.' In Mod. E. a was A is
a piece of ground washed by the sea or a river, sometimes
overflowed, and sometimes dry, a morass, a marsh, &c.
V. Alrewas.
Horninglow, h., 2 m. N. of Burton-on-Trent. 13 c.
Horninglow, Horninglawe, frequently. The terminal is A. S.
hlcew, M. E. lawe, low, a burial-mound (v. Low). Horn is
a recorded A. S. p. n., and probably Horning was one also,
as in charters we meet with such forms as Horningaden,
Horm'ngdun, Horningga, Horm'ngamcere, Horningeseie, &c.
I read this as ' Homing's burial-mound,' though it may be
that the ing is patronymic or possessive.
Houndhill, an ancient estate in Marchington, 5 m. SE.
of Uttoxeter. 13 c. Hunhyle, Hunhyl, Hogenhull; 14 c.
Howenhull, Hounhull, Hounhul. The terminal is A. S. hyl,
M. E. hull, a hill. The prefix in the forms is confused ; but
it probably represents A. S. hund, M. E. hund, hand, a hound ;
but then Hund, Hunda, was an A. S. p. n., and it is more
likely that the place was named after a man than a dog,
though Houndhill lay in the Forest of Needwood. Hounslow,
nr. London, was in A. S. Hundeshl&w, Hund's burial-mound.
There Hund doubtless represents a p. n., as it is improbable
that a ' low ' would be raised over or named after a dog.
(The forms Hogenhull and Howenhull suggest the p. n. Hoga,
' the prudent.' W. H. S.)
Huntington, 2 m. N. of Cannock. 1262 Huntingdon;
G
82 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
1271 and 1300, and later, Huntyndon. A. S. hunta, gen.
huntan, a hunter, and dun, a hill the hunter's hill ; but
Hunta and Hunting were p. names, and we are left in doubt.
Huntington was a hamlet in the heart of Cannock Forest,
and a very likely place for a hunter, or forest official, to live
in. There is a disused moated site here, and anciently there
was a chapel, the site of which is still known as Chapel
Field.
Hyde (The), an ancient estate, i m. SW. of Brewood.
Always Hyde. A. S. hid, hide, did not mean a measure or
fixed quantity of land, but an estate or farm ; originally ' as
much land as would support one family,' necessarily a flexible
quantity. This eFtate belonged, from remote times, to the
Lanes of Bentley, now of Kings Bromley.
Icknield Street, Roman way, running N. and S. through
the counties of Gloucester, Worcester, Warwick, Stafford,
and Derby. 12 c. Ad regalem viam quae vocatur Ikenhilde-
strete ; Stratam regiam quae appellalur Ykenild ; via regia
vel le Ricnelde strete ; 1 3 c. Rikelinge strete ; 1 4 c. Ryken-
yldstrete (the above extracts, except the first, relate to parts
of the road between Lichfield and Derby) ; 1 3 c. le Slanway
(a common local name for Roman roads) ; Ykenilde s/re/,
Ykenhilde stret; these relate to the street in Shenstone parish.
I take the name to have been in A. S. Icenhilde. This ' Ick-
nield ' Street appears to join the Foss Way (Exeter to
Lincoln, via Bath, Cirencester, Stow-on-the-Wold, High
Cross, Leicester, and Newark) 3 m. SW. of Stow-on-the-
Wold. It is plain, or traceable, northwards to Chesterfield,
in Derbyshire. The Ordnance map shows no further trace.
If made further the street should pass about 2 m. E. of
Sheffield, but there is nothing to justify the belief that it was
continued. It may have been intended to join the Ermine
Street nr. Pontefract, but from Chesterfield to Pontefract is
about 40 m. without sign. The road may have turned NE,
HYDE (THE) I LAM 83
beyond Chesterfield, and joined the Ermine Street at Don-
caster, but again there is no evidence that it did. There
is an ' Icknield Way ' (not a Roman road as commonly
supposed, but a British trackway) running NE. and SW.
from Avebury in Wilts, through Wallingford, Princes Ris-
borough, Dunstable, Hitchin, Baldock, Royston, and through
Cambridgeshire into Norfolk. This road is mentioned in
numerous 10 c. charters, as Ycenilde weg (g =_y), Iccenhilde
wege, Icenhilde weg, Icenhtlle, Icenhylte, Cinges s/rce/e, and
similar forms. Another way, apparently Rom, in, now called
in part Mear Lane, between Derby and Chesterton nr. Stoke-
on-Trent (via Rocester and Draycot on the Moors), is called
Richmilde streete in a charter of 1257 (the m should probably
be read ). There is another road, apparently Roman,
running E. and W. 3 m. S. of Burford, in Oxfordshire,
marked on Ordnance map ' Ikenild Way/ on what authority
I know not. Thorpe Salvin, 5 m. NW. of Worksop, was
anciently Rikenhildlhorp, but does not appear to have had
any connexion with this street. It is clear that ' Icknield '
(Riknield I think a corruption) is a generic name, as Watling
Street is, given by the Anglo-Saxons to Roman or British
lines of road. We have no evidence what, if any, names the
Romans gave to their roads, and the Anglo-Saxons probably
invented names for themselves. A tribe of Iceni are said to
have inhabited Norfolk, and the Icknield Way from Avebury
leads direct to their country. But this Icknield Street had no
connexion with the Iceni, or with that road, and must have
some other meaning which I cannot divine. Possibly the
name is wholly or partly allegorical, like Watling Street (q. v.).
Dr. Guest (Origines Celticae, ii. 228) translates Icenhilde weg
' the highway (or military way)" of the Iceni'. It is true that
hilde means ' war, battle,' but it is a poetical word only, and
no instance of its use in compound with weg or street is to
be found.
Ham, 5 m. NW. of Ashbourne. 1006 Hilum; 13 c.
G 2
84 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Hi/urn, Ilium, Hylum, Hum. In A. S. hyllum is the dat.
pi. of hyl, a hill, and the plain meaning of the name is ' at the
hills.' The whole manor is hill and dale. Laneham, in
Notts, was Lanum, ' at the lanes ' ; Halam, in Notts, was
act Halum, at the hills.
Ingestre, 4 m. NE. of Stafford. D. Gestreon; 13 c.
Ingesiraund, Ingestrent, Ingestre (frequently), Yngestre. Here
D. seems to be quite at sea, and though the river Trent
bounds the manor, I do not think it plays any part in the
present form of the name. Ing, Inga, was an A. S. p. n.,
and the terminal ire doubtless represents A. S. tremv, treo,
M. E. tree, ire, a tree ; perhaps because Ing's property was
bounded by some notable tree, or because he lived near one.
I do not reject the terminals straund and trent. A. S.
strand, M. E. stronde, meant (inter alia) the shore or bank
of a river. It is possible that the name was in an unsettled
state, hovering for a time between Inge's strand, Inge's
trent, and Inge's tree; but of the prefix there can be no
doubt.
Ipstones, 5 m. NW. of Cheadle. 12 c. Yppestan; 13 c.
Ippestanes frequently, Yppestanes ; 14 c. Ippeslanes. The
terminal is A. S. stones, stones. The prefix is probably A. S.
yppe, a raised, or look-out place = the look-out slone or stones
(the first form being singular, and the later forms plural).
Places are not uncommonly named from their commanding
situations and being resorted to as look-out places in time
of war. Ibstone, 9 m. W. of High Wycombe, is Ypestan in
D. V. TettenMll
Ivetsie Bank, h., 4 m. NW. of Brewood. 13 c. Ovey-
hotes haye, Ovel/s hay, Uvetshay ; 1 4 c. Ovyheiteshay , Oviotes-
hay ; ~i 7 c. Ivittsay, Iveilshqy. The terminal haye, hay,
means a hedge, enclosure (v. Hay). The prefix represents
the' A. S. p. n. Ufegeai. With the Conquest f commonly
' became v, and, the g being sounded y, Ufegeat would yield
the forms quoted. The meaning of the name is therefore
1NGESTRE KING'S STANDING 85
' Ufegeat's hay.' Down to the time of King John the locality
was in firewood Forest, which John disafforested. En-
closure would then set in ; but even two centuries ago the
country between Brewood and Shiffnal was mostly waste.
The hamlet, which consists principally of a noted roadside
inn on Watling Street, stands on a hill, hence ' Bank ' ;
but that is a late addition. Ufegeat is only a late form
of Wulfgeat. The name appears in D. as Ulfiet and
Ulviet.
Keele, 3 m. SW. of Newcastle. Not in D. ; 12 c. Kiel
frequently. Nothing can be made of this in A. S., and
I think it must be Celtic. W. cdl, I. ceal, cille, G. till
(c=k), M. Keeyl, Kill, mean a cell belonging to a hermit or
monastery, a small church. In Ireland, where small churches
abounded, over 2000 pi. names commence Kyk-, Keel-,
or Kil-. The Celts probably borrowed the word from
L. cella (c hard). The name does not appear to be O. N.,
in which kirk = church. Kelmarsh, Northamptonshire, in D.
is Keilmersc ; Keelby, N. Lincolnshire, and Kelby, S. Lin-
colnshire, in D. are Chdebi (ch = k). These prefixes have
doubtless the same root and meaning as Keele. Cf. also
'Keel' (2) in Montgomeryshire.
Kings Bromley, v. Bromley (Kings).
Kingsley, 2 J m. NE. of Cheadle. D. Chingeslei (chk) ;
13 c. Kynggesley. A. S. cyning, cyng, cing (gen. tinges),
and ley (q. v.), the King's lea ; probably because the manor,
or part of it, belonged at some time to the Crown. Cyng
was not an A. S. p. n., but Cyne, ' royal, bold,' was, and
formed the prefix to many compound names. King only
became a family name about the 130.
King's Standing, a tumulus on Perry Barr Common,
3 m. SW. of Sutton Coldfield. The Forest and Chase of
Sutton Coldfield says (p. 117) : 'King's Standing is a small
artificial mound, reputed to be the position occupied by
86 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Charles I when reviewing troops brought up by the Stafford-
shire gentry, on October 16, 1642. He was then on his
way to Meriden, from a two days' visit at Aston Hall,
and continued his journey by the Chester road.' Shaw
(History of Staffordshire, i. 17) describes King's Standing
as 'a little artificial mount where Charles I is said to have
stood when he harangued the troops he brought out of
Shropshire at the beginning of the civil war.' Mr. Wm. Fowler,
in his pamphlet, History of Erdington, p. 7, says : ' In
1642 Charles stayed (at Aston Hall) two nights, the i6th
and 1 7th October; and on the i8th reviewed the troops
on the waste land near Sutton Park at the spot still called
the King's Standing.' Unfortunately none of these writers
give any authority for their statements. We know that
Charles I was at Bridgnorth on October 14, 1642, and at
Edgehill on the 23rd, so it may be correct, and I am not
aware that the locality was known as King's Standing before
1642. But it is unlikely that the mound now there was
thrown up for the purpose mentioned. It is doubtless a pre-
historic tumulus, though it may have been utilized by Charles.
It lies on an eminence on the Coldfield, within two hundred
yards of the Icknield Street (now enclosed and effaced),
and a thousand yards of the Chester road. The mound
is about twenty feet in diameter, and five feet high in the
centre, and is enclosed with iron hurdles and planted with
young trees.
Kings winford. 10 c. Swinford; 1023 Swinford\ D.
Suinesford; 12 c. Suinesford. I think this is A. S. swm,
swine the swine's ford. The manor lay on the borders of
Kinver Forest, where the pasturage of swine was of impor-
tance. Swegen (g=y) was a p. n. introduced by the Danes.
It is spelt Swen, Suin, Swain, Suien, &c., but, as it appears
only after the 10 c., it cannot have influenced this name.
' Kings ' is a mediaeval addition to distinguish it from other
Swinfords, it being a royal manor at the time of D., and
KINGSWINFORD KINDER 87
therefore of ' ancient demesne.' This tenure conferred
great privileges on manorial tenants. They could only be
sued in their own local court (save by special writ from the
king) ; were not liable to serve on juries out of the manor,
were toll free, and enjoyed other cherished immunities.
Kinvaston, an estate and D. manor, 2 m. SW. of
Penkridge. 994 Cynwaldestun ; D. Chenzvardeslone ; 1224
Kynewaldeston. A. S. p. n. Cyneweald Cyneweald's town
(v. Ton).
Kinver, or Kinfare, 4 m. SW. of Stourb ridge. 736
the wood called Cynibre ; 964 Cyne/are; D. Chenevare (ch =
k and v f) ', 12 c. Kenefare, Chenefare. Changes of
terminal, or even of name, were not uncommon in primitive
times. Assuming that Cynibre refers to Kinver, of which
I think there can be no doubt, I translate it ' Royal hill '
(A. S. cyne, royal, W. 6re, hill, v. Brewood). In 736 Kinver
was close to the Welsh border, and the Anglo-Saxons so
frequently used the word bre, as in Bredon, Brehull, Bray, &c.,
that I incline to think they borrowed the word from the
Welsh, though it has not found its way into A. S. dictionaries.
This name I should attribute to the fact of Kinver Forest
being hunting ground for the early kings, and their having
a royal residence or lodge within it, as after mentioned.
Cynefare I translate royal road; A. S.fcer, l&ierfare, a way,
road. Cyne-strcet is given in Bosworth-Toller as a royal
street or road. In M. TL,fare and vare are synonyms, hence
Kinfare or Kinver. Fare is still used in thoroughfare (A. S.
thurh-far). Kinver may derive its name from being on
the way to the king's house ; or from its situation on
a Roman way from Chester to Worcester, Gloucester, and
Bath, which continued to be a considerable thoroughfare
until the early part of the 18 c., when the construction of
turnpike roads through Newport, Wolverhampton, and
Kidderminster diverted the traffic. The royal hunting lodge
was situate on Castle Hill, or Baron Hill (it bears both
88 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
names), two miles SW. of Kinver, in Wolverley manor. Half
a mile E., where the road to Castle Hill crosses a stream,
is an old homestead called Kingsford, which in a charter of
964 appears as cenunga ford, the king's ford. In the same
charter, and also in a charter of 866 relating to Wolverley,
a place is mentioned as Cuthredes Ireow, Cuthred's tree.
I think it probable that Cuthred, King of the West Saxons,
740-56, is here referred to. Kinver (Cynefare) means
literally ' the King's highway.'
Knaves Castle, a small tumulus on the S. side of Watling
Street, Brownhills, 5 m. SW. of Lichfield. 13 c. to a place
called Cnaven castle ; afterwards Knaves Castle. Earthworks
and tumuli are commonly called ' castle.' This is A. S. cnafa
(dat. cnafan), M. E. cnave, knave, a boy, a servant. The
meaning of the name therefore is ' the burial-mound of the
boy' (or 'servant'). In M. E. a boy is frequently termed
' knave-child'; male servants were commonly called ' knaves';
the knave in cards is only the queen's page ; rogue is quite
a modern meaning. The tumulus is now almost obliterated,
and is enclosed in a garden. Sixty years ago it was very
plain. By the side of the London road, 5^ m. SE. of
Coventry, is a tumulus called Knightlow. In A. S. cniht
and cnafe both meant a boy or servant. Knightlow has
therefore precisely the same meaning as Knaves Castle. V.
Knightley.
Knightley, h., in Gnosall, 5 m. SW. of Stafford. D.
Chenistki ; 1 4 c. Knyghteleye. The prefix is A. S. cniht,
M. E. cniht, knight, a boy, servant. D. and O. F. scribes
wrote A. S. en- 'chen-,' and cniht ' chenist-/ In A. S.
cniht and cnafe were synonyms (v. Knaves Castle). After
the Conquest cniht t knight, came to mean also a man-at-
arms, a soldier; and later, a man of gentle birth trained to
arms. As the name here is clearly of A. S. origin, we may
construe it ' the Knight's lea ' (v. Ley), yet we must remember
that ' knight ' meant a boy or servant.
KNAVES CASTLE KNYPERSLEY 89
Enighton, h., in Adbaston, 5$ m. SW. of Eccleshall.
Knighton, h., in Muckleston, 7| m. NW. of Eccleshall.
I have only one form, in 1341, Knighton-in-k- Hales, and do
not know to which place it refers. Here the form is M. E., and
the meaning may be ' the boy's (or servant's) town,' or ' the
soldier's town.' The probability is that the name is of A. S.
origin, and, if so, the latter meaning must be excluded (v.
Knightley). In le hales means ' in the meadows ' (v. Hales).
By the time of Wycliffe ' knight ' had come to mean a man-
at-arms ; his Bible (1389), Matt, xxvii. 27, says: ' Thanne
knightis of the justise token Jhesus in the moot-halle, and
gaderiden (gathered) to him all the company of knightes.'
PI. names commencing Knight- are very common, and their
construction is always open to the difficulty that Cniht was
an A. S. p. n., though a rare one.
Knowl. A common name for outlying homesteads in NE.
Staffordshire, but rare in the S. of the county. It is A. S.
cnoll, M. E. knol, the top or crown of a hill, generally a gently
rounded hill or mount. The name is rarely manorial, but
D. records two ' Cnolle ' in Dorsetshire.
Knowl (Long), old farm, Wednesfield, 3 m. NE. of
Wolverhampton. 13 c. le Knolle. V. Knowl.
Knutton, h., i m. NW. of Newcastle-under-Lyme. D.
Clotone ; 1 3 c. Cnoton, Cnotton, and Knollon frequently.
D. blunders, as usual, over the A. S. en. The terminal is
/on, town (q. v.). A. S. cnotta, M. E. knotte, means a knot ;
but it is difficult to suppose the name has reference to that
meaning. The Century Dictionary gives, as one of the
meanings of knot, ' a rocky summit (Prov. Eng.).' I doubt
if Knutton ever had ' a rocky summit.' In Westmoreland we
have a mountain named Hard^wo/, and places named Scald
Knot and School Knot. It may be that cnot represents the
p. n. Cnuf, but the possessive s is lacking. Knutsford I take
to be Cnut's ford.
Knypersley, h., 3 m. N. of Abbots Bromley. 13 c.
90 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Knyprcsley frequently, Knypersleye. I am unable to translate
Knypre, The possessive s points to a p. n., which can hardly
be Cnapa, the nearest of recorded forms. The terminal is
' lea,' pasture-land (v. Ley).
Landywood, h., in Great Wyrley, 5 m. NW. of Walsall.
I have no early forms, and assume the M. E. form would
be Laund i" tti wode. It was within the limits of Cannock
Forest, and in the 13 and 14 c., as the Forest records show,
the locality was wild land, abounding with deer and game.
Launde is a M. E. word (derived from O. F. lande, launde),
and is the root of Mod. E. lawn. Its original meaning was
a plain sprinkled with trees or bush, an open space between
woods, a forest glade. Shakespeare says :
' Under this thick-grown brake we'll shroud ourselves,
For through this laund anon the deer will come.'
Lapley, 4 m. SW. of Penkridge. D. Lepelie; 12 c.
Lapelie, Lappely. Lepe or Lape has no meaning in A. S.
I think the prefix represents the A. S. p. n. Hlappa Hlappa's
lea (v. Ley). Lapworth, in Warwickshire, was in A. S.
Hlappawurlh, Hlappa's farm.
Latherford, h., in Shareshill, 4 m. SW. of Cannock.
1358 Lodres/ord, Lodderford. The h. is situate on a by-
way there crossed by a brook. In A. S. loddere, lodre, means
a beggar, and this may be translated Beggar's ford ; but
Hlothere (later Lothere) was an A. S. p. n., and I think that
construction quite as likely, d and th being so frequently
interchanged. At the same time we find in A. S. charters
Loddere beorh, Loddere-lacu, Ladder a-strcet, Lodderthorn,
Lodreswei, which must be translated Beggar's-hill, -lake (or
brook), -street, -thorn, -way.
Leek. D. Lee ; 1 2 c. Lech, frequently ; 1 3 c. Lake, Lek,
Lee. Nothing sensible can be made of these forms in A. S.
I think Leek possessed its name before the Saxons came
LANDYWOOD LICHFIELD QI
here, and that it is Celtic. In W. llech (ch k\ and in
I. and G. /eac, mean a flag (flat) stone. In Ireland Lick- is
a common prefix, e. g. Lickmolassey, the flagstone of Molaise
(St.); Lickeen, little rock; Lickfinn, white flagstone. In
Scotland Leek- and Lick-, as prefixes, are common. The
Lickey, nr. Bromsgrove, is an English example, the ey repre-
senting ' hay ' ; on a portion of the Lickey the rocks are
exposed and laminated. The word may be applied to the
appearance of rocks in situ, or to a solitary flat stone.
Levedale, h., 2 m. NW. of Penkridge. D. Levehale;
12 c. Levedale, Levedhal, Levedhale; 13 c. Levedale. I can-
not interpret this.
Lichfield. Before the Conquest, beginning with Bede
(7 c.), Lichfield appears as Liccedfeld, Licceifelde, Licetfeld,
Liccefeld, Lyccidfelth, Lyceitfeld, Licheftld, Lichesfeld ; D.
has it Lecefelle and Licefelle ; 1 2 c. it is Lechesfelde, Liches-
felde, Lichefelde, Licheffeld ; 1 3 c. Lychefelde, Lichefeld. Plot
(History of Staffordshire, p. 398) says: 'A ground called
Christianfield, near Stitchbrook, is said to be the place where
St. Amphibalus taught the British Christians converted by
the Martyrdom of St. Alban, who, flying from the bloody
persecution of Maximian, raised in Britan, An. 286, followed
him hither, from the place of their conversion, where the
Romans that were sent after them (some say from Verulam,
others from Etocetum, now Wall, as the tradition goes)
finding them in the exercise of their Religion, tooke them
and carryed them to the place where Lichfield now is, and
martyred 1,000 of them, leaving their bodies to be devoured
by birds and beasts, whence the place yet retains the name of
Lichfield, the field of dead bodies; to this day, the City
bearing for their device, rather than Armes an Escocheon of
Landskip with many Martyrs in it, in severall manners
massacred.' This absurd story was supported by the belief
that the prefix represented A. S. lie (c ch}, a body (living
or dead), and that Lichfield meant ' the field of dead bodies.'
92 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
The Corporation seal represents three slain kings lying on
a field. Absurd etymologies were as plentiful three or four
centuries ago as now, and were freely endorsed by public
bodies. Berne adopts a bear as part of its coat of arms, and
the Corporation maintains living bears, under the assumption
that the name means a bear (l/eeren), when, in truth, it is
Bern, Bernen, a drag-net. But then bears are more romantic,
and stories of them more expansive, than fishing nets.
Antwerp has an absurd legend about a giant who cut off
merchants' hands and threw them into the river ; the name, it
was supposed, sanctioning the story, though it really means
' opposite the embankment ' ; yet municipal and religious
customs perpetuate the old fable (v. Hist, of Names, by
Mordacque, ii. 237). Siukeley (Itin. iv. 66) says: ' Lee he
signifies a watery place subject to inundations, as Leach,
a town nr. Boston before mentioned, anciently written Leche,
as Camden says of Northleach, and Lichfield hence fetches its
etymology from the marshy bog that environs the church,
rather than the superstitious notion there current.' Shaw
(History of Staffordshire, i. 231) says: 'The city has its
name from its watery situation, undoubtedly ' ; and in a note :
' Liccian, in Saxon, signifies to water, or cover land with
water, whence comes lece, lee, lice, lick, lace, by us called lake,
for the Saxons were not fond of the letter k.' (They did not
use it.) Mr. Henry Bradley, a philologist of the highest rank,
and an editor of the H. E. D., writes in the Academy for
Oct. 30, 1886, and Nov. 9, 1889, articles identifying Lichfield
with a Caer Luitcoet mentioned by Nennius, and a Caer Livyd-
goed mentioned in an ancient Welsh poem entitled ' Marwnad
Cynddylan,' printed in the Myvyrian Archaeology. The
correct Welsh form would, Mr. Bradley says, be Caer Llwyd-
coed, meaning, literally, ' city of the grey wood ' ; but Mr.
Bradley fails altogether to identify this place with Lichfield,
and it is clear that the poem, though referring to events
of the 7 c., was not written until centuries afterwards, that
LICHFIELD 93
the scene is laid in Powisland, of which Welshpool was
about the centre, and that all the places mentioned are
in Wales. By the middle of the 7 c., when the hero of
the poem lived, there were no Welsh in Staffordshire,
and therefore Lichfield could not have been a Welsh city.
By that time the Saxons had occupied the country up to
Severn, and even beyond it. Etocetum, or Letocetum,
as Mr. Bradley contends it should be called, is now Wall,
and lies on Watling Street, 2 m. SE. of Lichfield. It was
undoubtedly a Roman city or station, and it is incredible
that a Welsh city could lie so near it, and be maintained
there far into the seventh century. Lichfield stands on
a morass which in ancient times must have been most un-
inviting, and certainly uncultivable. The cathedral stands
on a hillock in the midst of this morass. Though the
city has been cut up in all directions for building, sewerage,
and waterworks purposes, no traces of British or Roman
occupation have been discovered, and all history tells us that
until St. Chad settled there in the seventh century it was
a marsh. Nine years after the Conquest, a synod found that
Lichfield was too mean and little for the residence of
a bishop, and before . D. the see was transferred to Chester.
I do not suggest that Shaw or Stukeley, though most
diligent antiquaries, are authorities on pi. names, but they
both had local knowledge. I suggest that ' Lichfield ' is
entirely A. S. ; no one will dispute that the terminal is, and
the presumption is in favour of the prefix being A. S. also.
Our O. E. dictionaries are very imperfect, and we can never
expect one on the principles of the H. E. D. ; yet we get
some assistance from them. Lacu, of which lace (pr. lacK) is
a dat. form, means ' standing water/ and in some places a
stream (v. Crawford Charters, Anec. Oxon. 54). We have
also a verb leccan, to water, to wet, of which lecce (pr. lech) is
a form. Now there must have been an adjectival form of the
word to describe, e. g., a ' wet ' field, and I suggest that lece
94 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
(pr. lech) or lace was the form. If not accepted A. S. it is
certainly Provincial English. In a Staffordshire charter of
994, Wulfrun to the monks of (Wolver)hampton, lechemere
is mentioned as on the bounds of Bilston, and lece broc as on
the bounds of Hilton. I admit I cannot account for the
medial d or / in some of the earlier forms, and I distrust those
letters because they are absent in all the later forms. D.
records three Lecce, one Lecche, five Lece, Lecefelle and
Licefelle (Lichfield), Lecelade, Leceworde, Lecford, Lech, six
Leche, three Lecheburne, and many commencing Lee- and
Lech-; also two Lack, and about ten commencing Lack-,
All these forms had a meaning. Halliwell's Dictionary of
Archaic and Provincial Words gives as one of the meanings
of lache, a muddy hole, a bog, and of leche a deep rut
(both as Yorkshire words). In Cheshire, where there was
formerly much wet land, many pi. names commence or end
lack, e.g. Lach Dennis, StublacA, The Lacfies, Shoch-
lach, Shurlack, Lache Lane, Lache Hall; all of which are
low-lying. There is also a Lechmere close to Presteign
similarly situate. The Century Dictionary gives ' Latch,
M.E. lache, leche, a pit hole, a miry place.' 'Leech' and
' Leach ' are also forms (doubtless of leche) for wet land, v.
' Leech meadow ' and ' Lache,' Glossary of Sheffield, E. D. S.
There was in the 13 c., and probably still is, a Lechemedowe
in Withington, 5 m. E. of Shrewsbury, and as Withington
is bounded by the Tern the meadow perhaps lay on its
course; and there is a Lech meadow on Severn side near
Leighton, Salop. Lacu is given in Bosworth-Toller as
' a pool, pond, piece of water, lake ' ; but it certainly meant
in some localities a stream and standing water, whether
permanent or occasional, and I suggest a morass also. Lace
(pr. lacK) is one of the forms of lacu, and is frequently met
with in A. S. charters ; v. examples in Bosworth-Toller under
lacu. My suggestion is that lache and leche mean, among
other things, a morass or bog, and that Lichfield means ' the
LINE HILL GREEN LLOYD HOUSE 95
boggy field.' Mr. Bradley's articles in the Academy (before
quoted) are too long to set out here.
Iiinehill Green, h., i m. S. of Penkridge. 13 c. Lyn-
hulle, Lynull, Loynhull. A. S. and M. E. Kn, flax, M. E.
hull, hill the flax hill. Exs. : Linacre, Linley, Linfield,
Lincroft. Flax was formerly a common crop, being required
for home-made clothing.
Little Aston, v. Aston (Little).
Littlehay, h., 2 m. SE. of Shenstone. 13 c. Luttelhay,
frequently. M. E. lutel, little, hay, a fence, enclosure,
division (v. Hay) the little enclosure (or division). The
locality was until the beginning of the 18 c. part of a vast
heath.
Little Onn, v. Onn (Little).
Littywood, 3 m. N. of Penkridge. D. Lutiude; 12 c.
Luiliwode ; 130. Lyttiwode. Probably A. S. lytel, M. E.
lutel, luttil, little, A. S. wudu, M. E. wode, wood little wood.
D. never uses wu, always omitting one letter.
Lloyd House, Lloyd Farm, in Penn, 4 m. S. of Wolver-
hampton. 13 and 14 c. Lude, Luyde, in the Lude, the men
of the Lude, the field of the Lude, at the Lude, of the pit of the
Lude. The locality is on the main road from Wolverhampton
to Stourbridge and Kidderminster, and upon a stream.
Lude is an interesting word as it forms the prefix to many
pi. names. D. records two Lude, one Ludes, Ludebroc, Lude-
burg, Ludecerce, Ludecote, five Ludeforde, Ludeham, Ludeleia,
Ludesforde, four Ludewelle, Ludewic, and other places com-
mencing Lud-, Lude-. Luda was an A. S. p. n., and may be
represented by some of those prefixes, but the possessive s is
lacking in most of them. The root is perhaps A. S. kod,
leode, M. E. lude, which has a variety of meanings, e. g. men
or people of the country, a prince or nobleman, sometimes
' a country, or district,' apart from its inhabitants. The
difficulty here is in the application of any one of these
meanings to a pi. n. The word has perplexed even Professor
95 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Skeat, v. William of Palerne, E. E. T. S., Glossary, j. Lud;
and Mr. Richard Morris, v. Sir Gawayne and the Green
Knight, E. E. T. S., Glossary, j. Lude, Leude, Lede, &c.
Ludlow is Lude in D., and Eyton (Antiquities of Shropshire)
considers the word to belong to some archaic language, and
to mean a ford. In A. S. lad (lode) means a way, and some
of the ferries on Severn bear the name, e. g. Hampton Lode,
the Load, nr. Upper Arley. The difficulty here is in lode
becoming lude; yet in the 12 and 13 c. Ludlow alternates
between Ludelawe and Lodelawe. The only certainty here
is that ' Lloyd ' is properly ' Lude,' and a very ancient
settlement.
Loggerheads (The), a farm and field name in the midland
counties, is a provincial word for the knapweed (Centaurea
nigrd), and for the bluebottle (C. cyanus) ; of course from
the local growth of those plants, which affect wet land, and
disappear with drainage and cultivation.
Long Birch, h., 2 m. S. of Brewood. ' Birch,' here, has
no reference to the tree. It is A. S. bryce (ce = ch\ M. E.
bruche, a clearing or new enclosure, which by metathesis, or
shifting of the r (v. Birchills), becomes burche and birch.
Strangleford ' Birch,' and Harvington ' Birch,' are 2 m. W. of
Brewood. The meaning of Long Birch is simply ' long new
enclosure.' The country round Brewood was formerly
forest land.
Longdon, 3 m. NW. of Lichfield. 1004 Langdun ; 12 c.
Langedun. A. S. lang-dun, long hill.
Longford. A local name for the portion of Walling Street
running between Churchbridge and the Four Crosses, a mile
SE. of Cannock. 994 Lang street', 1004 Laganford. The
locality is low-lying, and before drainage would be liable to
flood. The name survives in ' Longhouse ' and ' Longford
Hall' on the road. The Chester road between Bletchley
and Hinstock (part of the Roman way from Chester to
Worcester and the S.) was also ' Longford' in 1232.
LOGGERHEADS (THE) LOW (THE) 97
Longnor, h., 3 m. W. of Penkridge. D. Longenalre ;
1223 Langenalre ; 1327 Longenolre. This is A. S. long,
M. E. long, long, tall, and A. S. air, a/or, M. E. a/re, o/re, orl,
alder (tree) the tall alder. The medial en is the dat. form
of lang, long. Longnor, in Salop, in the 13 c., was Longen-
holre, Langenalre, Longnore, and Longenolre. Longner-
upon-Severn, also in Salop, had similar forms.
Longnor, 10 m. NE. of Leek. 13 c. Longenorle. V.
Longnor nr. Penkridge.
Longridge, i m. NW. of Penkridge. 130. Longrigge,
Langerugge; 14 c. Longerugge. A. S. hrycg, M. E. rugge,
rtgge, a ridge, back, in pi. names generally of a hill.
The hamlet lies at the head of, and between, two long
ridges of higher ground. Ancient thoroughfare roads are
frequently called the Ridgeway or Rudgeway.
Longsdon, 2 m. SW. of Leek. 13 c. Longesdon. Here
the possessive j, and its retention, are strong evidence of a
p. n., and I should read this as ' Lang's hill.' Lang was an
A. S. p. n. In M. E. lang becomes long.
Longton, Potteries. Not in D. ; 13 c. Langeion; 14 c.
Longeton. Long town.
Low (The), or Low Hill, Bushbury, an ancient estate 2 m.
N. of Wolverhampton. 13 and 14 c. Lowe; 1545 le Lowe
Hyll. A. S. hlawe, M. E. /awe, lowe, a burial-mound. Hunt-
bach, the antiquary, wrote, in the 17 c., that there was then
' a very large ' tumulus here. Much, if not the whole of it,
has been since destroyed. The hill is lofty, and a place
likely to be selected for the burial of some prehistoric mag-
nate. In 911 a battle was fought between the Saxons and
the Danes, called in the Chronicles the battle of Tettenhall,
but which was really waged on Wednesfield Heath (now
Heath Town). The dead were buried as usual under mounds,
which in Huntbach's time still remained, and were known as
North Low, South Low, the Little Low, the Great Low,
Horselow, Tromelowe, and Ablow (many of these names
H
98 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
survive), besides others which had then disappeared. It is
therefore difficult to say whether ' the Low ' here was a pre-
historic tumulus, or a battle-mound.
Loxley, h., 2\ m. SW. of Uttoxeter. D. Locheslei ; 130.
Lokesle, Lockesley, Lockesleye. Loxley. in S. Warwickshire,
has similar early forms. I think the prefix is the A. S. p. n.
Loc, or perhaps Loxa. I have not met with Loxa except in
compounds, such as Loxanleah, Loxanwudu, which appear to
be Lox's lea, Lox's wood (Loxan being the gen. form). Lox
means a lynx, and Lynex is a family name ; but the lynx did
not inhabit England, and I am not aware that the A. S. lox
meant a wild cat; their word for a cat was calf; what they
called a wild cat does not appear. (It is not impossible that
the lynx, or something very like it, existed in England, for
lox, German lucks, is the exact Germanic form of the Indo-
Germanic word represented by the Greek ' lynx,' and it is
used in A. S. glossaries to explain the Greek word. It can
never have struck them that it was, historically, the same
word as 'lynx,' and its use to gloss that word is therefore
most remarkable. W. H. S.)
Loynton, h., 4 m. SW. of Eccleshall. D. Levintone;
nc. Levintone. The v must represent an A. S.y^ the A. S.
having no v. Leo/a was a common A. S. p. n., the gen. form
of which was Leaf an, and Leofantun would be Leofa's town.
The passage to Levinione would be correct.
Lutley, h., 2 m. N. of Enville. 12 and 13 c. Lulley,
Lutieleye. M. E. lulel, lutle Little lea (v. Ley).
Lyme, river, N. Staffordshire, tributary of Trent, is A. S.
hlimme, a stream, river, torrent. There is a Dorsetshire
river Lyme, giving name to Lyme Regis. There is a river
' Lyne ' in E. Northumberland, another near Peebles, in
Scotland, and an East ' Lyn ' in W. Somerset, giving name
to Lynmouth. Lyme and Lyne are probably allied words;
but Lyne is not A. S.
Lyncroft, i m. NW. of Lichfield. 1356 the field of
LOXLEY MANIFOLD 99
Lyncrofl. A. S. Jin, flax the flax croft. The Anglo-Saxons
had another word for flax, fleax (M. E. flax} ; hence the
number of pi. names commencing Lin- and Flax-.
Lynn, h., in Shenstone, 4 m. SE. of Lichfield. 13 and
14 c. la Lynd frequently, Lynd, Lynde. A. S. lind, M. E.
linde, lynde, the linden or lime-tree. In M. E. poetry the
word linde was frequently applied to trees in general, and in
pi. form lindes, to a grove.
Lysways, h. and hall, 4 m. NW. of Lichfield. 1167
Lisuis ; 13 c. Lesewys, Liswys. Lysways lies in watery
meadows. I think the root is A. S. Itzswe, M. E. lesewes,
leasows. The word is still in common use for meadow-land.
Madeley, 4^ m. SW. of Newcastle. 975 Madanlieg
(g = y) ; D. Madelie ; 1 3 c. Maddeley, Maddeleye-under-Lyme,
Madelegh, Madeleye. The terminal is clearly ley, lea land
(y. Ley) ; and the n in the earliest form is the gen. of some-
thing like Mad or Mada ; but I cannot identify it with any
A. S. p. n. or word. Cf. Madeley in Salop (D. Madelie],
which is situate on a stream called the Made ; but the stream
may have borrowed its name from the town. Cf. also Made-
ley Ulfac, Madehurst in W. Sussex, Madingley in Cambridge-
shire (D. Madingelie), and Madley in Herefordshire.
Madeley Ulfac, or Madeley Holme, in Checkley
parish, 3 m. NW. of Uttoxeter. D. Madelie. V. Madeley.
Though a D. manor this is now, I think, only a farm. Ulfac
was the Saxon possessor at the Conquest, and is so recorded
in D.
Maer, 6| m. SW. of Newcastle. D. Mere; 13 c. Mere,
frequently. A. S. mere, M. E. mere, mcere, a lake, mere.
Maer is doubtless a M. E. form from m<zre. There is a large
natural lake here.
Manifold, river, tributary of Dove. I have no early
forms ; but it appears to be plain A. S. manig-feald, M. E.
manifeald, manifold, of many parts, complex. In its course,
H 2
100 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
through a limestone country nr. Ham, the stream disappears,
and rises again at a considerable distance. V. Dove.
Marchington, 37 m. SE. of Uttoxeter. 951 Marcham,
later Marchanton-sub-Nedwode; 1004 Merchamtune ; D.
Marchamtone ; 13 c. Marchynton-upon-Nedwode. This is A. S.
mearce, mcerce (ce = ch), M. E. marche, a march, boundary,
and ham, home, village (v. Ham) the home or village on the
march. Marchington lies on the border of Staffordshire and
Derbyshire. ' Riding the marches,' ' beating the bounds,'
are equivalent terms for manorial perambulations. ' The
Marches ' of Wales, and of Scotland, mean ' border country.'
Ton appears to have been added to the name before D., as if
the meaning of Maercham had been even then forgotten.
Marston, h., in Church Eaton, 6 m. W. of Penkridge.
D. Mersetone; 1327 Mershton. A. S. merse, M. E. mersh,
mersch, a marsh the marsh town (v. Ton). Wet low country
liable to flood, or on which water frequently lay, although
partly cultivated, would be termed ' marsh/ The land lying
W. of Penkridge for eight or nine miles is a flat plain, and,
though fenny ground, appears for some reason, perhaps be-
cause it was on the borders of Cannock Forest, but not forest
ground, to have been well settled before the Conquest.
Marston, 2\ m. N. of Stafford. D. Merseione, Mertone;
1327 Castrum (Castlechurch) cum-Marisco (Marsh). Marsh
town. V. Marston in Church Eaton.
Mavesyn Ridware, v. Ridware (Mavesyn).
Mayfield, 2 m. SW. of Ashbourne. D. Madev elde ; 13 c.
Mathelefell, Mather field; 14 c. Mathefeld, Mathfield or May-
field. D. always uses d for a medial ih, and we must read
that form Methfelde. The terminal is doubtless ' field ' (q. v.),
and I think the prefix is A. S. mcethel, meeting, council the
council (or meeting) field. M&thel was a compound in
p. names such as Maethelgar, Maethelbeorht, Maethelhelm,
&c. ; but the forms do not point to such a compound, and
I think the suggested meaning the right one. Methellun
MARCHINGTON MEERTOIVN IOI
is mentioned in an A. S. charter (Cod. Dip. 1339), and clearly
means ' council (or meeting) town.'
Meaford, i\ m. NW. of Stone. D. Mepford, Melford;
1173 Medford; 1251 Medford, later Mefford. Meaford lies
on the Trent, where it is crossed by the great road from
London to the NW. The terminal/brrf doubtless applies to
the passage of the river. Despite the D. forms I think the
prefix may be accepted as Med, which is difficult to interpret.
It may represent A. S. meed, a meadow, but ' meadow ford' is
not a satisfactory interpretation. Cf. Medbourn, Medstead.
Professor Skeat (Notes and Queries, pth S. v. 411) sees no
objection to the Med in Medstead being construed ' meadow.'
There is a small stream running into Trent at Meaford and
Med may represent its ancient name.
Mease, river, rises near Ashby-de-la-Zouch, in Leicester-
shire, and runs into Tame nr. Alrewas. Probably gives its
name to Measham in Derbyshire, D. Messeham. Early forms
of small river names are difficult to obtain. Mees, river,
rises on W. border of Staffordshire, and flows NW. and SW.
into Tern at Bolas Magna. No forms. Meese, river, joins
the Sow 4 m. NW. of Stafford. No forms. Meese (Cold),
Mill Meese, h., 4 m. W. of Stone, on the last-mentioned
river. D. Mess ; 1 4 c. Coldemees, Mulnemes, Mulnemees.
Cold means cold ; mulne is M. E. for mill. I can make
nothing of the forms in A. S., except that Mcese was the
A. S. name for the river Maas, in Holland (French, Meust,
L. Mosd). There is a Meese, or Mt'se, river in Bucks,
apparently giving its name to Great and Little Missenden,
which are situate upon it. In D. these places are Missedene,
the valley of the Misse. I think the root must lie in some
lost language. Cf. Measden, 5 m. NE. of Buntingford, in
Herts, on a now nameless stream, tributary of the Stort.
Meertown, h., i m. NW. of Newport. D. Mera. A. S.
mere, a lake. It is near a large lake called Aquilate Meer,
which is within the manor of Meer.
102 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Merridale, an ancient estate i| m. SW. of Wolverhamp-
ton. The mediaeval forms are Muridene. Meriden, in War-
wickshire, was Myridene. (Probably A. S. niyrige, pleasant,
sweet, delightful, merry, and dene, valley. This would account
for the i in Muridene. W. H. S.) An old meaning of ' merry '
was as stated. ' Merry' England, the ' merry month of May,'
mean ' sweet, pleasant,' not jocund or mirthful.
Milwich, 5 m. SE. of Stone. D. Melewiche; 12 c. Mule-
wich. The prefix is A. S. my In, M. E. melle, myln, mulne,
a mill. The terminal is probably A. S. wic, M. E. wic h,
a village, giving us ' the Mill village.' It may be wic A, a salt
spring (v. Wich), as it is 3$ m. only from Salt, where salt
springs exist, and the country for miles around is on salt
strata, at varying depths.
Mitchel, ancient estate in Upper Penn, 2\ m. SW. of
Wolverhampton. 1332 Mucheale; 1409 Muchale. M. E.
muche, halle, great hall. In M. E. 'much,' in its forms of
muche, muchel, michel, mochel, mukiL mikil, &c., was used as
an adjective, in the sense of ' great, large.' As to the terminal
v. Hale.
Mitton, h., 2^ m. W. of Penkiidge. D. Mutone; 13 c.
Mutton. The root here is A. S. (ge)mythan, a derivative
of muthan, which Bosworth-Toller translates ' the mouth of
a river ' ; but (inland certainly) it means the junction of two
streams, and is occasionally applied in charters to a junc-
tion of roads (v. Crawford Charters, by Napier and Stevenson,
114). Sweet's Student's A. S. Diet, more correctly gives
(ge)mylhe as ' waters'-meet, junction (of streams or roads)
\mutH\' (The ge is a preposition, often of little significance,
omitted in late A. S.) D. records six Mitune and two
Mutone. In M. E. the forms generally become Mutton, later
Milton, or Mytlon. A few places retain the older form Mythe
alone, or as a prefix. This Mitton, like all other Mittons
known to me, is situate near the junction of two streams.
Mixon, h., 5 m. SE. of Leek. 1219 Mixne. This is
MERRIDALE MORFE 103
a rare name, probably unique, and an example of simplicity.
It is plain A. S. and M. E. mtxen, mixne, a mixen, dung-
heap.
Mockbeggar Hall, in Essington, 4 m. NW. of Walsall.
This building, now occupied as several tenements by miners,
was erected by a Vernon of Hilton towards the end of the
1 8 c. as a specimen of Italian 'barracks/ he having travelled
in Italy. At that time Essington ' Wood ' was unenclosed,
waste, and timberless, and the building, being white and
lofty, was conspicuous from the great London and NVV. road.
Wayfarers mistook it for a gentleman's house, and went across
the heath (a long mile) to beg ; it being occupied by poor
people they got nothing, and so the building acquired its
name. There are many ' Mockbeggar Halls,' all of course
having their story.
Moddershall, h., 2^ m. NE. of Stone. D. Modredeshale.
D. is here quite accurate. Modred was an A. S. p. n., and
' Modred's hall ' (v. Hale) is the correct interpretation.
Monmore, i m. SE. of Wolverhampton. 1327 Monne-
mere; 1355 Monmerefeld ' 16 c. Monmore. Monmore
Lane, \ m. NE. of Willenhall. 14 c. Monnemedewe; 1550
Monmerefeld. Monway Fields, \ m. E. of Wednesbury.
No early forms. These are Celtic survivals. W. maivn,
I. main (pr. mone), M. moam, G. motne, a bog. Monmore
is a common name in Ireland, meaning great bog ; Moneen,
little bog. Here Monway means the bog way ; Monmore
(rightly mere), the bog pool; Monnemedewe, boggy meadow.
All the localities referred to are low, and likely to have been
swampy when the country was open and undrained.
Morfe, h., in Enville, 8 m. SE. of Bridgnorth. D. Morve.
This is the only form of the name worth recording, that I
have met with ; but the ' Forest of Morfe/ to which this little
place gave its name, appears in mediaeval records as Morf
and Morfe. It is not an A. S. word, and I have no doubt is
W. morfa, a marsh. Eyton (Antiquities of Shropshire, iii.
104 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
2 1 2), under ' Morfe Forest,' does not deal with the etymology
of the name, but his statements support the suggestion.
Morton, and Moreton, are very common names. D. re-
cords over fifty manors as Morione, Moriun, and Mortune,
The A. S. form is Mdrtun, Moor town.
Moseley, h., in Bushbury, 3 m. N. of Wolverhampton.
D. Moleslei; 13 c. Mollesleg, Molesleye, Mollesleye, Molleston.
Moseley is a common name, sometimes derived from A. S.
m ose, a moss, marsh ; but here we have / and a possessive s
in all the forms. Moll, Molle, was a common A. S. p. n., and
this is Moll's pasture (v. Ley).
Moseley Hole, h., i\ m. N. of Bilston. 12 and 13 c.
Mollesleye, Mollesley. V. Moseley in Bushbury. Hole, in pi.
names, means a hollow, a depression.
Moxley, h., i \ m. W. of Wednesbury. 1 4 c. Mockeslowe,
Moxlowe, Mokkeslowe, Moxelowe. The forms point to the
A. S. p. n. Mocc (there was no Mox) Mocc's low (burial-
mound) (v. Low).
Mucklestone, 4 m. NE. of Market Drayton. D. Mode-
stone ; 1253 Muklestone. Mucel (c hard) was a common
A. S. p. n., and I read this as Mucel's town (v. Ton). A. S.
rnicel, niycel, M. E. muchel, mikel, mukel, means large, great,
and if this were a M. E. name we might read it ' great
stone ' ; but here (being in D.) we have an A. S. form to
construe.
Muckley Corner, h., 3 m. SW. of Lichfield. 16 and
1 7 c. Mucklow. We do not know, having only late forms,
whether we are dealing with an A. S. or M. E. name. It
may be read ' Mucel's low,' or * great low.' As there is no
evidence of A. S. origin the probability is that it is ' great low.'
There are no traces, or record, of a burial-mound here, but
so many lows have been destroyed for agricultural purposes,
repairing roads, &c., that the absence of one leads to no infer-
ence. The h. stands on Watling Street, where it is crossed
by the main road from Walsall to Lichfield, hence ' Corner.'
MORTON NECHELLS 105
Nechells, h., 3 m. E. of Wolverhampton. 130. Echeles t
frequently; 14 c. Echels, Escheles; 15 c. Necheles; 16 c.
Nechels, Echells otherwise Nechells, Nechells. This was,
originally, an ancient homestead, which gave its name to
a family of 'Etchell,' still resident in the locality. There
is a Nechells nr. Birmingham, a Nechells or Etchells in
Erdington, Etchells nr. Altrincham, Etchells nr. Stockport.
In the 14 c. there was an Echeles in Wombourne, and
another in Drayton Bassett. There is no trace of the word
in A. S. All the forms are M. E.. and I think the word is
O. F. echelles, ladders, steps, stairs, meaning, in substance,
a two-story house, where the access to the upper floor was
by an internal ladder or outer steps. In the 13 c. dwelling-
houses of two stories were so rare as to excite local interest,
and as at that time records were written in O. F., the intro-
duction of a French word to describe an innovation is reason-
able, and in practice common. Palsgrave (L'Eclaircissement
de la Langue Fran9aise, an. 1530) renders 'Ladder' eschiel,
eschelle; Cotgrave (an. 1611) translates ' Eschellette ' a little
ladder ; and the Ladies' Dictionary, 1694, renders ' Eschelles '
a stomacher laced or ribboned in the form of the steps of
a ladder. The intrusion of an initial n before a vowel is
frequent in M. E. (Skeat's Principles of Etymology, ist S.
346-7, and A Student's Pastime, 27). It arises from an
old form of modern at being alien; thus alien Echeles be-
comes atte Necheles. In Yorkshire, where the Norsemen
settled in large numbers, there are several places named
Lofthouse and Loftus. This is O. N. lofthus, a house with
an upper story, and the name shows that such buildings were
rare. Here it is interesting to note that some of these York-
shire Lofthouses are recorded in D., which shows that two-
storied houses were known in Northumbria before the Con-
quest, whilst in Mercia there was no name to describe them
until the 13 c. Our word 'loft' is not A. S., but M. E.
derived from O. N. In 13 and 14 c. records 'de Solario,'
IC6 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
' ad Solerium/ ' in Solario,' meaning ' of the upper chamber '
(from O. F. so/er), are frequently found as descriptive additions
to a Christian name. For echeles v, Harecastle, and for in-
trusive n, v. Nurton.
Needwood, Needwood Forest. I have not met with
the name before the Conquest, and it is not in D. All the
mediaeval forms, from the 12 c., are Nedwode. Nothing
probable can be made of the prefix in A. S. I think it must
be Celtic. In W. nedd, nydd, means ' what turns, a dingle,
a resting-place,' and nyth, I. nead, Cornish neid, G. nead,
L. nidus, A. S. nest, means ' a (bird's) nest.' In Ireland nead,
in the forms of nad, ned, nid, is of frequent occurrence in
pi. names ; e. g. Nedeen, little nest, Nadanuller, the eagle's
nest, Nadneagh, the raven's nest, Derrynaned, the oakwood
of the nests (Joyce's Irish Place Names, ist S. 489). Forests
often take their name from a small locality, and I think it
doubtful if they had any established name before the Con-
quest. The terminal wode is the M. E. form of wood. I
cannot say that either of the meanings suggested is satis-
factory. They are only 'guesses,' and earlier forms are
desirable.
Newbolds (The), an ancient farm in Wednesfield, 2 m.
NW. of Wolverhampton. 14 c. le Newbold, Newboldesbruche ,
le Neubolt, Newboldes alias Bayliestyles. A. S. niwe bold, new
house. Newbold is a common name ; in the N. it takes the
form of New&z/#. New&gg7, in the N. and Scotland, has
a similar meaning.
Newborough, in Needwood, 7 m. S. of Uttoxeter. D.
Edgar e siege ; afterwards Agardsky; 13 c. Neuboreg; 14 c.
Neivburgh, Novo Burgo. The old name means Eadgar's lea
(v. Ley), and is preserved in 'Agardsley' Park, and the
Staffordshire family name Agard. The name was changed
from Agardsley to Newborough in the 13 c., under what
circumstances is unknown. Borough is only a form of burh
(v. Bury).
NEEDWOOD NORTON CANES 107
Newbridge, in Tettenhall, 2 m. W. of Wolverhampton.
1327 Novum pontem; 1368 Newebrugge. Newebrugge is the
M. E. form of ' new bridge.' The bridge carries the Holy-
head road over the Smestow.
Neweastle-under-Lyme. Not in D. 1166 Novum
Oppidum ; later in 1 2 c. Novo Castro, Novum Castrum, Novo
Castro super Limam. A castle was erected here in the early
part of the 1 2 c., and to distinguish it ,from the ancient
' castle,' or ruins, of Chesterton, 2 m. N., the name of ' New
Castle ' was given to it. For Lyme v. Lyme.
Newton is a common name, especially for hamlets. The
A. S. form is neowe, niowe, niwe, M. E. newe, neozu, m'ewe, new,
and tun, town (v. Ton) new town. D. records forty-four
Neuion, Neutone, Neutun, and Neutune manors. In the dat.
case niwe becomes m'zvan, hence Newington, Newenham,
Newnton, Newnham.
Norbury, 4 m. NE. of Newport. D. Nortberie; 13 c.
Northbyri. A. S. north, north, burh, dat. by rig north burgh
(v. Bury).
Normacott, 4 m. E. of Stoke-on-Trent. D. Normanescole ;
1242 Normancote. Northman, sometimes contracted to Nor-
man, was an A. S. p. n., and this is probably Northman's cot ;
but, as Northman also meant a man from the North, it is
possible it may mean ' the North man's cot.'
Northicote, h. in Bushbury, 3 m. N. of Wolverhampton.
1255 Northincote; 1271 Northicote ; 1327 Nordicote. This
is 'Northern cot'; the i is the remains of the terminal in
A. S. northan. The h. lies due N. of Bushbury.
Norton Canes, or Norton under Cannock, 6 m. N. of
Walsall. D.Norlone; 12 c. Norton Galfrid; 13 c. Norton
juxta Wirley; 16 c. Norton otherwise Cank Norton', Norton
Coynes otherwise Norton on Cannock, Norton Coynes. Norton
means North town, possibly because the vill lies on the N.
side of Watling Street, which passes through the manor. I
am unable to discover how it acquired the name 'Canes.'
I08 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
There is in Norton a brook called 'Gain's' Brook, forming
the southern boundary of the manor, and a road called
1 Gain's ' Lane ; ' Gain's ' and ' Canes ' probably represent the
name of some former lord or landowner. (The family name
4 Canes ' is derived from Cahaianes or Cahagnes, in Nor-
mandy. W. H. S.)
Norton (Cold), h., 2 m. SW. of Stone. 13 c. Coldmorton.
Here the m has become n ; the plain meaning of the form is
' Cold moor town.'
Norton in the Moors, 6 m. SW. of Leek. D. Nor tone.
A. S. North-tun, north town (v. Ton).
Nurton, h., in Pattingham, 5^ m. W. of Wolverhampton.
130. Noverton. ' Noverton ' has puzzled me exceedingly.
After concluding that it was untranslatable, it suddenly
occurred to me that the initial n was excrescent, and that the
original form was Over/on, upper town (A. S. Of er tune), and
the difficulty vanished. An excrescent initial n arises generally
from the use of a word in the dative form, commencing
with a vowel, e.g. atten oke (at the oak) becomes atte noke,
hence our family name Noake; alien ash becomes Nash;
an ewt becomes a newt; mine uncle my nuncle, &c. V.
Nechells. The passage from Overton to Noverton being
thus accounted for, how do we get Nurton? Very easily.
In M. E. u was commonly written for v between vowels,
and v for an initial u; thus Nouerion would become
Nurton.
Oaken, h., ^\ m. NW. of Wolverhampton. D. Ache;
130. Oce, Oke, Ake, Oktn. A. S. dc, M. E. ake, ac, oke, ok,
oak (tree). The Norman scribes of D. were evidently per-
plexed by the A. S. ac, or its pronunciation, for they spell
it ache, ac, ach, oce, and oche. The word forms the prefix to
a large number of names. The n is excrescent, and the
result of the accent on k; n is also sometimes excrescent
after r (v. Nechells and Nurton for an intrusive n). Having
NORTON (COLD) OF T 'LEY (BISHOPS) 109
regard to the latitude in spelling which our forefathers in-
dulged in, one would expect to find a generous liberality on
the subject ; but lawyers, and even juries, appear sometimes
to have taken very narrow views. At Stafford Assizes in
1293 the Abbot of Croxden complained that the Dean of
Wolverhampton had disseised him of four acres of wood
in Ake. The dean objected that there was no vill in
Staffordshire called Ake, and he appealed to a jury. The
jury found that the vill was called Oke, and not Ake, and the
suit was therefore dismissed. (Oaken probably takes its
form from dcum (dat. plural of ac), oaks. W. H. S.)
Oakley, an ancient estate and manor, now a farm, 7 m.
NE. of Lichfield. 1004 Acclea; D. Aclei; 13 c. Ac/eta,
Okeley ; 140. Ocleye, Okleye. A. S. ac, oak, and leak, lea,
lea, pasture the oak lea. It is curious that with the terminals
-ley, -field, -ford, and -ham, ac has become oak, as in Oakley,
Oakfield, Oakford, Oakham ; but with -Ion it remains ac, as
in our numerous Actons (q. v.).
Oakley, h., and hall, in Mucklestone, 2\ m. NE. of
Market Dray ton. D. Aclei. The oak lea. V. Oakley nr.
Lichfield. (When the meaning is clear I think it unnecessary
to multiply forms.)
Ocker Hill, in Tipton. Hockley Hill, in Handsworih.
Ocker Hill, Hockerill, and Hockley, are somewhat common
names, always in relation to a hill or hill-side. I can make
nothing of the names in A. S. The root may be W. ochr,
ochren, a side, a shelving locality. Probably Oakengates,
in Salop, has the same etymon. It lies on a steep hill-side,
on Watling Street. A. S. geat, M. E. gale, yate, gate, a way.
I have not met with any early forms of these names ; without
them it is only ' a guess.'
Offley (Bishops), 3$ m. W. of Eccleshall. D. Offeleia.
Offa was a common A. S. p. n. I read this as Offa's
lea (v. Ley). At the time of D. the bishops of Lichfield
were its tenants in capile.
110 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Offley (High), 6 m. NE. of Newport. D. O/elie. A. S.
p. n. Of a Offa's lea (v. Ley).
Offlow, Staffordshire hundred. D. Offelau; 13 c. Ofelawe.
A. S. p. n. Offa, Offa's low (burial-mound) (v. Low). Offlow
is an arable field in Swinfen, 3 m. S. of Lichfield. In the
field, towards the centre, are the remains of a tumulus which,
from repeated ploughings, is sadly defaced, but still visible.
It has been much reduced within the last fifty years. The
field adjoins the old road from Birmingham to Lichfield, and
also an ancient diversion of Watling Street between Wall
(Etocetum) and Fazeley. Offa was the name of a Mercian
king, 757-87 ; but the name was borne also by common
men.
Ogley Hay, now better known as Brownhills, 5 m. N. of
Walsall, was formerly one of the hays, or divisions, of the
Forest of Cannock. It was given by Wulfrun in 996 to the
monks of (Wolver)hampton under the name of Ocginglun.
D. records it as Hocintune, the property of the church at
Wolverhampton, and 'waste.' This D. manor has never
been identified, and Eyton (D. Studies of the Staffordshire
Survey) records it as 'obsolete.' The description of the
boundaries in the charter of Wulfrun identifies it with Ogley
Hay, and in the 1 2 c. the Dean and Chapter of ' Wolverne-
hampton ' conveyed the manor to William Ruffus (the
red) of Waleshale (Walsall) under the description of ' a
certain wood which is called Hogeley' (giving the bounds).
In 1300, in a perambulation of the Forest, it is mentioned
as ' the bounds of Oggeleye and Prestwode' (Priest's wood), the
latter name frequently attaching itself to ecclesiastical property
in a wild state. In 1431 it is also Oggeky. The hay (and
manor) contained about 2,700 acres, and was extra-parochial
until the 18 c., when it was added to Shenstone parish. It
was enclosed in 1834, up to which time it was part of Can-
nock Chase, and inhabited only by deer. The Ocginglun
in Wulfrun's charter points to the p. n. Ocga, the gen. foim
OFFLEY (HIGH] ORETON in
of which would be Ocganiun, Ocga's town. The D. form
points to Uocca, but I think Hocca and Occa were only
forms of Ocga. Variety in the spelling of pi. names has
been great within the last two centuries, and was not less
a thousand years ago. The terminal leye of the later forms
is of course a complete change from the earlier tun.
Okeover, 2 m. NW. of Ashbourne. 1004 Acofre; D.
Acovere; 13 c. Acovere, Acoure (# = #); 14 c. Ockover.
A. S. dc, oak, ofer, dfre, a bank, margin, border the oak
bank (or border). A. S. ofer (o unaccented) means, in pi.
names, ' above, upper,' as in Ofertun (Overton), upper town.
Ofer is only found, in pi. names, as a prefix, and ofer as
a suffix.
Old Falling, v. Falling (Old).
Onecote, 5 m. E. of Leek, upg and 1204 Anecote;
1285 Onecote. In A. S. the form would be anc ote ; in M. E.
an becomes one, on, oon, one cot (cottage). Cf. Onehouse, in
Suffolk, which in A. S. was Anhus.
Onn (High), 6 m. SE. of Newport. D. Otne; 12 and
13 c. Onne, regularly. We may dismiss D. as being a
blunder; possibly the / is a mistake for n. The Normans
were sometimes perplexed by A. S. forms, but W. tried
them sorely. I think this is W. onn (plural), ash-trees high
ashes, high being a M. E. addition. Exs. : Onny, river in
Salop ; another Onny river in Herefordshire ; Onibury in
Salop ; Onneley in Staffordshire ; Onllwyn (the ash grove),
i o m. NE. of Neath ; Onneley nr. Woore in Salop.
Onn (Little), 7 m. SE. of Newport. D. Anne. Little
Onn and High Onn are only a mile apart, and I have
difficulty in assigning the mediaeval forms, but all are Onne,
and none Anne; so I think D. again at fault, and that Little
Onn means little ashes. V. Onn (High).
Onneley, h., \\ m. NW. of Woore. D. (Salop) Anelege.
I think this means the lea of the ash trees. V. Onn (High).
Oreton, h., 4^ m. SW. of Wolverhampton. D. Overlune;
112 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
13 c. Overlon and Orion, frequentlv. A. S. Ofer-tun, upper
town. (Or ofer, bank, border. W. H. S.) I think not ; ofer
is always a suffix ; ofer always a prefix.
Orgreave, h., in Alrewas, 6 m. N. of Lichfield. 1195
Ordgrave; 1262 Orgrave; 13 c. Ore/grave, Ordegrave. Ord
was an A. S. p. n., and also the prefix to many compound
names, such as Ordgar, Ordbeorht, Ordfrith, &c. The A. S.
form of Orgreave would be Ordesgraf, Ord's grove (or wood).
It lay in Alrewas Hay in Cannock Forest.
Orslow, h., 5 m. SE. of Newport. 1203 and 1208
Horselawe\ 14 c. Orselowe, Horselowe. Horsa was an A. S.
p. n., and in A. S. hors is a horse, so that it is difficult to say
whether we should read this as ' Horsa's low ' (burial-mound)
(v. Low), or ' the horse low.' The former is the more likely.
It might, however, be a mound raised over some favourite
horse, or over horses killed in battle. The dropping of an
initial H is not uncommon.
Oscot, h., in Perry Barr, 4 m. N. of Birmingham. 13 c.
Oscole, Oscott. The terminal is clearly A. S. col, a cot,
cottage. Os, I think, represents the p. n. Osa, or one of the
many names commencing Os~, such as Oswald, Osbeorn,
Osmod, Oswulf, &c. Bescot (q. v.) is all that remains of
Beorchtmundescot.
Otherton, h., i m. SE. of Penkridge. D. Orretone;
12 c. Oder/one; 13 c. Otherton, frequently. There is no
other Orretone (or Oreione) in D. The forms are conflicting.
It may be that the A. S. form was Ofer-tun, which ought to
yield a M. E. Over-ton, upper town ; but the forms are incon-
sistent with that view. V. Oreton. There is an Otherton,
h., in Cotheridge, 3 m. W. of Worcester.
Oulton, h., I m. N. of Stone. 13 c. Oldelon, Oldinglon,
Oldeton. M. E. Oldelon, old town. The A. S. form, if the
place was of A. S. origin, would be Ealdaniun (dat.). (Perhaps
from the p. n. Ealda, Ealda's town ; the ing and e show that it
was Ealdantun. W. H. S.)
ORGREAVE PALFREY GREEN 113
Oxley, h., i \ m. N. of Wolverhampton. D. Oxelie ; 130.
Oxeleg, Oxleg, Oxle, Oxeley. A. S. oxa, M. E. oxe, and A. S.
leak, leage, lea, a lea (pasture) the ox lea. In 14 c. local
deeds a place identical with, or close to, Oxley is frequently
mentioned as Oxneford and Oxeneforde. The prefix is M. E.
oxen, oxne, oxen the ford of the oxen. The city of Oxford
has similar early forms and the same meaning.
Packing ton, h., 3 m. NVV. of Tamworth. D. Pagintone;
12 c. Pakintone. As no A. S. p. n. commenced Pac-, we
may assume that the D. Pag- is correct, and represents an
A. S. Pcecga, Pcega, Paga. Paga's town (v. Ton), These
forms in the gen. or dat. cases become Pcecgan, Pagan,
Pagan, so accounting for the D. n and the modern ing.
There are several Packingtons in England.
Palfrey Green, h., i m. SE. of Walsall. 16 c. Palfraye
Green; 17 c. Palfrey Green. The green, a fragment of
which I remember, has disappeared, and the locality, being
populous and an ecclesiastical district, is now called ' Pal-
frey.' The word is M. E. (from O. F.), and means a riding
horse, generally a lady's, but not always, as we read of
' the king's palfrey.' A palfrey is often mentioned in
mediaeval deeds as a fine or payment to the king, or a
superior lord, for a grant or restoration of land, or confirma-
tion of title ; and sometimes as an annual or periodical pay-
ment. A palfrey was also a fee payable, by custom, to the
king's marshals, chamberlains, and other officers, when
tenants in capile (i.e. holding direct from the king) did
homage, and on other state ceremonies (v. Statute 13 Ed. I,
cap. 41). The ' palfrey ' was generally commuted into money,
which was called ' Palfrey silver.' Sixty years ago I col-
lected ' Palfrey silver/ ' Frith silver,' and other chief rents,
which have since been compounded for, and used to wonder
what old-world things they were. They were chargeable on
land, but I never knew what lands. It is probable that
i
114 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
the name 'Palfrey Green' has its origin in some such
payment.
Patshull, 9 m. NW. of Wolverhampton. D. Pechshella ;
130. Petleshull, Patleshull very often. I think the later forms
represent the A. S. p. n. Pyttel, and, with M. E. hull, give us
Pyttel's hill. (This will not account for Pat-. I think an unre-
corded p. n. P&cgel is involved, and that D. is correct. The
change of c to / before / is common ; Pcecga does occur as a
p. n., and Pcecgel has merely another suffix. There is a Peggies-
worth in Gloucestershire. W. H. S.) I think Mr. Stevenson
is probably right, and that we should read this Paecgel's hill.
Pattingham, 6 m. W. of Wolverhampton. D. Patingham;
12 c. Pattingcham ; 150. Patincham. I believe this name is
pronounced ' Pattinjam.' I cannot construe it. (From the
p. n. Pealta; cf. Peattingtun, Cart. Sax. 77, 230, said now
to be Patton, Salop. W. H. S.) But how do we get the soft
g ? That puzzled me.
Peak is a common local pi. n. in N. Staffordshire, rarely
found in the S. of the county. The word is not admitted
into A. S. dictionaries, though the A. S. Chronicle terms
the mountainous parts of Derbyshire Peac-lond. It is pro-
bably Celtic, as it exists in I. peac. In M. E. it is pec and
peke. It meant the summit of a hill, whether sharp or round
topped, and in comparatively level localities was frequently
applied to small elevations. The meaning is now confined
to something with a sharp point.
Pelsall, 3 m. N. of Walsall. 994 Peohhale ; D. Peleshale ;
12 and 13 c. Peleshale; 14 c. Peoleshale. I cannot identify
' Peol' as an A. S. p. n., but here it is certainly used in that
sense, and we may translate this Peol's hall. V. Hale.
Pendeford, h., 3^ m. N. of Wolverhampton. D. Pendeford;
J3 c. Pendeford; 14 c. Penneford, Pendeford. I cannot con-
strue the name, except of course the terminal. (This is Penda's
ford, from an A. S. Pendanford. W. H. S.) Penda was a cele-
brated king of Mercia, 626-55. The name is not 'recorded'
PA TSHULL PENKRIDGE 1 15
to have been borne by any other A. S., but Pendan ac, Penda's
oak, is mentioned in a Worcestershire charter of 849.
Penk, river, rises in Bushbury and Codsall, the two
brooks uniting nr. Pendeford ; flows through Penkridge into
Sow. 13 c. the river called Pencriz, ike river of Pencriz ;
14 c. river Penk; 16 c. water of Penck. I think, from the
early forms, that the Penk takes its name from Penkridge.
Penk has no meaning in A. S., nor, I think, in any other
language. V. Penkridge.
Penkhull, \\ m. SW. of Newcastle. D. Pinchetel (ch = c
hard) ; 1 2 c. Pencul. This place can have no connexion
with the river Penk, being twenty miles from it. Notwith-
standing the D. form I think it probable the terminal is
rightly M. E. hull, a hill, the 1 2 c. and modern forms favouring
that view. The prefix may represent the A. S. p. n. Pinca ;
but the forms are few and conflicting, and any conclusion
upon them would be only ' guess/
Penkridge, 5 m. S. of Stafford. 958 Charter of Eadgar,
King of the Mercians, tested at ' the famous place which is
called Pencric' (Cart. Sax. 1041); circa 1000 Pencric', D.
Pancriz ; 1 2 c. Pencrich, Pancriz ; 1 4 c. Penkrich. The vill
is on the river Penk, which I think takes its name from Penk-
ridge (v. Penk). I accept the form Pencric, and divide it into
Pen-eric, It is then evident that the name is not A. S. but Celtic.
In W.pen means ' the head, extremity, or upper part' (of any-
thing). In G. crioch, crlche, I. crioc, crioch, means a boundary,
end, limit, frontier. I am unable to verify eric as a W. word,
but it probably existed in O. W., as there are places named
' Crick/ 4 m. SW. of Chepstow, ' Crickadarn/ 8 m. NE. of
Brecon, ' Criccieth ' in Carnarvonshire, ' Cricketh/ 4 m. S,
of Oswestry, and Cricklas, i \ m. W. of Carmarthen. The
same observation applies to Cornish, as * Crickapit ' and
' Crickley ' are pi. names in Cornwall. Though not included
in any A. S. dictionary, the word crick is used in a charter
of 705 (Cart. Sax. 112) in describing the bounds of the
I 2
Tl6 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
manor of Doulting in Somersetshire : ' then to Crich-
hulle.' Joyce's Irish Place Names, a work of great learn-
ing and authority, says (2nd S. 206): ' Crioch means an
end, confine, or boundary. . . . When it is found in names
we may conclude that it marks the ancient boundaries of
farms, townlands, or territories.' We do not know what
frontier Penkridge stood upon in prehistoric times, but we
do know that the Penk was an ancient boundary of Cannock
Forest to the W. and N., and that it flows at the foot of
a hill country bordering on an immense plain of which the
Wrekin forms a prominent centre, and therefore likely to
be inhabited by separate tribes. Crioch and Criche appear
to have formed an element in English pi. names. Crick in
Northamptonshire (D. Crec) abuts on the boundary of the
counties of Warwick and Northampton ; Crackley Bank, 3 m.
N. of Shiffnal, is on the border line of Staffordshire and Salop ;
Crickley Coppice, 5 m. SW. of Tamworth, is on the bounds
of Staffordshire and Warwickshire ; Crich, in Derbyshire (D.
Crice) lies on the bounds of four hundreds ; Pentrich, alias
Pentridge, in Derbyshire (D. Pentric), lies on the bounds of
three hundreds; Pentridge, in Dorset (an. 958 Pencric), lies
on the bounds of Wilts, and Dorset. Cricklade (A. S. Crecca-
geldde, Creocegelade, Cricgelade, Crecalade, D. Crichelade) lies
on the border of Wilts, and Gloucester ; it was also on the
frontier of Mercia and Wessex. Then we have ' Crickett,'
2 m. W. of Ellesmere ; Moore ' Critchell,' 6 m. SW. of
Cranbourne; 'Cricket' Malherbie, 3! m. NE. of Chard;
' Crickett ' St. Thomas, 4 m. SW. of Crewkerne, all on the
boundaries of hundreds. In Scotland we find ' Crichope,'
Dumfriesshire ; ' Crichie,' E. Aberdeenshire ; ' Crichton,' NW.
Dumfries ; Crichton, 6 m. SE. of Dalkeith ; and ' Criech,' in
N. Fifeshire. Penkridge lies 2 m. N. of Watling Street,
and about the same distance from Stretton, the ' supposed '
site of the Roman station ' Pennocrucium,' mentioned in the
Itinerary of Antoninus. There is undoubted affinity between
PENN PENSNETT 117
1 Pennocrucium ' and ' Pencric/ and if Pencric is a Celtic name
it was pre-Roman, and it is well known that the Romans
adopted native names in Latin forms. There is no evidence
that the Romans ever occupied Penkridge ; but parishes or
manors did not exist in their time, and ' Pencric ' may have
been the name of a district including the site of Penno-
crucium. Professor Rhys (Lectures on Welsh Philology,
2nd ed., 184, and Hibbert Lectures, 1888, 203) deals
with the etymology of Penkridge, and reads it Pencrug,
the head of the mound ; but I think the professor, not finding
them recorded in Welsh, has overlooked the undoubted Celtic
words crioch and criche. There is no trace or tradition of
any mound at Penkridge, and the passage of crug into eric
and crick, a thousand years ago, with great respect to the
professor, I think improbable. I suggest that Pencric means
' head or end of the border, a frontier.' The description of
Penkridge in the test of the charter of 958, as ' the famous
place which is called Pencric,' shows that it was then a place of
importance, and an occasional residence of the Mercian kings.
There is an ancient thoroughfare road leading from Penkridge
to the W. (Newport, Shrewsbury, and Chester), which is known
as ' King Street ' and is so mentioned in old local deeds.
Penn, 3 m. SW. of Wolverhampton. D. Penne\ 12 and
13 c. Ptnne, repeatedly. I think this is plain A. S.penn, a pen,
fold. Penn lay within the limits of Kinver Forest, and probably
took its name originally from a cattle pen or fold in the Forest.
It must have been a horse or cattle fold, or possibly a swine
pen, as goats and sheep were not commonable. Swine also
were not commonable without special grant from the king.
Pensnett, now a populous locality in Kingswinford,
formerly Pensnett Chase. 1248 Free chase in the wood of
Roger (de Somery, Lord of Dudley) at Peninak. William
(Burdetf) remits his claim, for which Roger grants to him four
fat bucks and four does yearly. William to take them on
giving a day's notice to the forester of Roger at Duddeley
Il8 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
1 3 c. a wood catted Penniak, later Pennak, chase of Penny oke ;
140. Pensyned, Pensmed chace, Pensned chace, chace ofPemned.
The terminals in the later forms look like A. S. snced (mod.
snead, sneyd (q. v.) ), a detached, cut off, intrusive, or isolated
portion of a manor, or anything. It may be that Pensnett
Chase was once a part of Kinver Forest, which it adjoined,
and, becoming the property of a subject, became a ' chase,'
not subject to the laws of the Forest, and, being detached,
acquired the terminal snead. Pen may be W. pen, head, end
(Pensnett occupies high land); but a W. prefix and A. S.
suffix do not commend themselves, and the forms are too
late and various for decision.
Perry Barr, 3 m. N. of Birmingham. D. Pirio ; 1 2 c.
Pirie, Piri, Pirye; 13 c. Pyrie, frequently. A. S. pirige
(g =y), M. E. pirie, a pear-tree. Barr is a late mediaeval
addition made, no doubt, to distinguish it from other Perrys,
and because it adjoined Great Barr (q. v.).
Perry Hall, an ancient farm in Wednesfield, 4 m. NE.
of Wolverhampton. 1 3 c. Thomas de Pyrye ; 1 4 c. Robert
at Pyrie, Richard, son of Nicholas, at Pyrie, William atte
Perye. A. S. pirige, M. E./zr/V, a pear-tree. V. Perry Barr.
Perton, or Purton, h., 4 m. W. of Wolverhampton.
ii c. Per tune \ D. Per tone; 12 c. Per tone. Though the
form is Pertune in a charter of Edward the Confessor giving
the estate to the monks of Westminster, I have no doubt the
original form was Perigtun, the town of the pear-tree. The
pronunciation of Perigtun would be Periton, quickly pass-
ing into Pirton. Pirton, nr. Worcester, in A. S. charters is
Perigton and Pyrilun.
Picards, h., in Upper Arley, 4 m. NW. of Bewdley.
13 C.John Picard, son of Hugh de Waban, but commonly called
Pikard; 1315 John Pykard, John Pikard; 1476 Pycardes-
londes (Upper Arley deeds). This example shows how pi.
names and family names sometimes arise. Pickard probably
means a native of Picardy, in France.
PERRY BARR PIPE lig
Pillaton, Pillaton Hall, h. and ancient seat of the Little-
tons, 2 m. E. of Penkridge. 1004 Bedintun', D. Beddintone.
Wulfric Spott, Earl of Mercia, about the year 1004, gave
Bedintun to the monks of Burton, and they continued to hold
it until the suppression of the monasteries. Bedintun (Beda's
town) is not mentioned after D., and all trace of the name
has vanished; but it is well identified with Pillaton. The
first form of that name known to me is in 1185, Pilatehale;
in the 13 c. it appears as Pylatenhale, Pilletenhale, Pilatehale,
Pilitenhale, and Piletehale ; 1 4 c. Pilatenhale, and similar
forms. It is of course a complete change of name. What
led the monks to abandon the venerated name of Beda for
an apparent ' Pilate,' it is difficult to imagine. ' Pilate's hall '
is unique as a pi. name, but I can place no other construc-
tion on the forms. Pillaton lies low, is on a small stream,
and so boggy that a chapel, a portion of the old hall, is built
on piles. A. S. pll (from L. piluvi) means a pile, but I can-
not see, having regard to the forms, how that word can be
here represented. I see no reason to believe that 'Pilate'
has ever been used as a p. n. in England, and, if here referred
to, it must point to the scriptural Pilate. (You could not get
the gen. en from ' Pilate.' W. H. S.) Cf. Pillaton, a parish
in E. Cornwall; but there the root would be in Cornish,
which cannot be the case here. There are two ' Pillerton '
in S. Warwickshire ; but their early forms are Pilardetune
and Pilardinlon, clearly from the A. S. p. n. Pilheard. The
meaning of Pillaton must remain conjectural.
Pipe, a township in Lichfield, i \ m. from the city. This
was a post-D. manor, or rather two manors, Great Pipe
and Little Pipe, first found as a pi. name in the 12 c.,
and always Pipe or Pype. Pipe is an A. S. word, meaning
a pipe, and I have no doubt that is the meaning of this name.
Lichfield is, and for many centuries has been, supplied with
water from springs rising in Pipe Manor, and conveyed by
pipes to the city. These springs and pipes are referred to in
120 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
13 c. documents as rights of the Dean and Chapter. An
ancient family, 'de Pipe/ took their name from Pipe, and
carried it, as a M. E. prefix, to Pipe Rid ware (q. v.). There
is a Pipe 3 m. N. of Hereford (D. Pipe), which may have
a somewhat similar origin. Pipe Hayes, Pipe Hill, are
localities within the old manor.
Pipe Ridware, v. Ridware (Pipe).
Pirehill, h., 2 m. S. of Stone. Pirehill, Staffordshire
Hundred. D. Pirehel, PiYeholle; 12 c. Pirehulle, Pirhelle,
Pirhulle, Pyrhelle, PirehuL The terminal may be safely
treated as A. S. hyll, M. E. hull, hill. The prefix may be
a short form of A. S. pirtge, a pear-tree ; that word, in char-
ters, sometimes appears as pin- and pyri-\ and pirgraf,
a pear-tree orchard, is also found. Nothing else can be
made of the prefix in A. S., and it is not a p. n. I think we
may construe it ' the hill of the pear-tree/
Podmore, h., 6 m. NW. of Eccleshall. D. Podemore;
13 c. Poddemere ; 14 c. Podemor, Podmore. The prefix has
no meaning in A. S. except as a p. n. Podda was a p. n.,
and I read this as ' Podda's moor.'
Portway, the name of many roads in Staffordshire and
elsewhere. It is a superstition to suppose, as most anti-
quaries do, that the name is indicative of a Roman way.
Port, in A. S., means a port, haven ; but it also means a town,
and, when used inland, may always be so construed. ' I will
that no man buy out of port, but have the portreeves witness/
&c. (Laws of Edward the Elder). ' And we have ordained
that no man buy any property out of port, over xx pence/ &c.
' That every marketing be within port,' &c. (^Ethelstan's
Laws). Here port is used in the sense of town, or market.
PortstrcEt, Portweg (g =J / ), are words frequently occurring
in A. S. charters, and mean simply the town or market
way. A road so named is presumably of great antiquity,
and may be pre-Roman. The name is local, and often
applied to parts of Roman and other ways leading to
market towns, beyond which the name ceases. I know
PIPE RIDWARE POUKE HILL 121
many Portways which have no pretension to Roman origin.
We had thoroughfare roads before the Romans set foot in
Britain.
Pouke Hill, in Bentley, 2 m. NW. of Walsall. Powke
Lane, in Rowley Regis. Many localities bear the name of
' Pouk.' Pouk, Pouke, Powke, are mediaeval forms. The
origin is W. pwca, I. puca, A. S. pucel, M. E. pouke, an elf,
sprite, hobgoblin 'Puck.' The word is undoubtedly of
Celtic origin, and widely spread. Pucan-wyl, Puck's spring,
is found in an A. S. charter (Cod. Dip. 408).
Spenser says :
' Ne let the Pouke, nor other evil spirit,
Ne let mischievous witches with their charms,
Ne let hobgoblins, names whose sense we know not,
Fray us with things that be not.'
Shakespeare writes :
' fairy. Either I mistake your shape and making quite,
Or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite
Called Robin Goodfellow : are you not he
That frights the maidens of the villagery ;
Skim milk, and sometimes labour in the quern,
And bootless make the breathless housewife churn ; <n
And sometime make the drink to bear no barm ;
Mislead night-wanderers, laughing at their harm? 1 't?awil t v
Those that Hobgoblin call you and sweet Puck,
You do their work, and they shall have good luck :
Are you not he?
Puck. Fairy, thou speak'st aright ;
I am that merry wanderer of the night,' &c.
In Ireland the form has become pooka and phooca; hence
Pollaphuca in Wicklow, the pool of the Phooka; Puckstown
in Louth; Carrigaphooca, county Cork, the rock of the
Phooka ; Ahaphuca in Limerick, the ford of Phooka. The
Norse word for the sprite is Puki. (This must be borrowed
by W. and I. A native Celtic word cannot appear in both
languages with initial p. W. H. S.) Pouke Hill is an emi-
nence of basaltic rock, now deeply quarried. It is on cross-
roads, and was, a generation ago, wooded and lonely, on the
122 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
border of a large heath, and a likely spot to be thought
haunted. V. Hobs Hole.
Prestwood, an ancient moated homestead and farm in
Wednesfield, 3 m. NE. of Wolverhampton. 13 and 14 c.
Prestwode, frequently. A. S. and M. E. Preslwode, Priest's
wood. It lay within the bounds of Cannock Forest.
Edward III granted it to the Dean and Chapter of Wolver-
hampton as ' Prestwode,' but the monks probably held it
long before. Grants were frequently mere confirmations of
title. If a man had no deeds, as was often the case, or they
were lost or burned, it was worth his while to get a ' grant '
from the king, which he could always do ' for a consideration/
and then his title was indefeasible. The manors of Wednes-
field, Hilton, and Featherstone, all adjoining and within the
Forest, belonged to the monks before the Conquest. They
were indulgent landlords, and allowed enclosures freely, or
on very easy terms. Hence the many ancient encroachments
and moated sites to the NW. of Wblverhampton.
Prestwood, ancient estate, 3 m. NW. of Stourbridge.
1 2 c. Prestewude ; 1 3 and 1 4 c. Prestewode, Preslwode. Priest's
wood (v. Prestwood in Wednesfield). This Prestwood was
in Kinver Forest, and lies on the river Stour. In the 8,
9, and 10 c. the bishops of Worcester held lands 'at Sture,
in the province named of old Husmere.' The bishops lost
or disposed of this property before 1086, D. not recording
them as possessing anything in Staffordshire. Since the
Conquest Prestwood has not belonged to any ecclesiastical
body, and there can be little doubt its name is derived
from the ancient ownership of the bishops of Worcester.
The ' province of Husmere ' (elsewhere written Usmere) is
first recorded in 736 (Cart. Sax. 154), before the formation
of counties, and is now represented by ' Ismere ' House, 4 m.
S. of Prestwood.
Priestfields, h., in Bilston. The property here once be-
longed partly to the church at Penkridge, partly to the church at
Stretton, and partly to a chantry at Bilston ; hence the name.
PRESTWOOD RAD MO RE 123
Quarnford, h., 5 m. SVV. of Buxton. 1227 Querneford.
The A. S. had no q, cw performing its functions. The root
is A. S. cweorn, cwyrn, M. E. quern, cwerne. In Mod. E.
quern means a hand-mill, but the old meaning was a mill of
any kind. The construction is plain ' Mill-ford.' In M. E.
er is pronounced ar. Cf. Quarndon, Derbyshire ; Quern-
more, N. Lancashire ; Quorndon, Leicestershire. Originally
all grain was ground by hand, then by cattle, then by water,
afterwards by wind. V. Gornall.
Queeselet, h., in Great Barr. 16 c. Quteslade, Queeslade.
M. E. queest, queasl, quease, queese, wood-pigeon ; A. S. slced,
M.E. slade, a little valley, open ground in woodland, a glade
the slade of the wood-pigeon. Queeselet lies in a hollow.
Quixhill, h., 5^ m. N. of Uttoxeter. 1236 Quikeshull;
14 c. Quikeshulle, Quickeshull, Quixhulle. The A. S. having
no q we must read the prefix as cwtces, gen. of cwic. Civic
means 'living/ whence our 'quick and the dead'; and it
has come to mean a 'live' fence, a quic&set hedge. Here
Cwic is clearly used in the gen. and possessive sense, and
although it was not, alone, a p. n., it formed the prefix of
many names, e. g. Cwicheard, Cwichelm, Cwicwine, &c.
Either the terminal has dropped out, or the original name
was shortened, and we have ' Cwic's hill.'
Radley Moor, in Shenstone. This name is borne by
several low-lying fields between Little Aston and Footherly,
over which the Icknield Street (q. v.) once ran. Faint traces
of the line still remain, but the road itself, for about four
miles, has sunk into the bog, .emerging from it at both ends.
I think the root is A. S. rad, M. E. rade the road lea (v. Ley).
Moor is probably a later addition (cf. Radmore).
Radmore, a district on Cannock Chase. In the valley
or plain at the foot of Castle Rings, between Lodge Hill,
Gentleshaw, and Cannock Wood, close to Nun's Well,
is a moat (now mostly dry) marking the site of a hunting
lodge of the early kings. Henry II was an occasional
124 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
visitor here, and expedited several charters from ' Radmore.'
There was also a monastery hard by (site unknown), which
removed to Stoneleigh, in Warwickshire, in the latter part of
the 12 c. The road to the king's house, and to the monastery
from the SW., led over the moor, and would be the prin-
cipal approach to those places, as also to Castle Rings,
a British fort. In early records the name is spelt Radmore
and Rademore. I think it is A. S. rad, M. E. rade, a road,
and A. S. and M. E. mor, more, a moor the road moor.
4 Radmore Lane,' 2 m. W. of Gnosall, appears to be on
an ancient road to Chester, and ' Radmore Plain,' 3 m. S.
of Market Bosworth, is upon an ancient way, apparently
Roman, leading out of Watling Street at Mancetter
(Manduessedum) to Leicester. V, Radley Moor.
Bake End, Rake Lane, Rakeway, Rakemoor, The
Rakes or Raikes. These are common field or local names.
The root is M. E. rake, raike, a way, path. The word is
sometimes used as a suffix, e. g. Whiterake, Wain rake, Dirty-
rake, Highrake, Deeprake, Hardrake, Outrake, Great Rakes.
In the Lake Country it is commonly applied to the narrow
paths along which sheep are driven to the fell. In the Mid-
lands the name is often applied to localities adjoining ancient
commons through which the cattle were driven to pasture.
An ' Outrake ' was on the edge of the common, and the
stock was there collected for driving out, or driving home.
The root is doubtless O. N. reik, a way, path. The word
must have trickled down from the N. since the Conquest.
It is common in Derbyshire and N. Staffordshire ; I have
not met with it S. of Shenstone. The word appears to have
been applied to cattle roads, sheeptracks, and field ways, not
to thoroughfare roads or public highways. From Great
Rakes we get our family names Greatrex and Greatorex.
Ramshorn, or Ramsor, 8 m. W. of Ashbourne. 13 c.
Romesovere ; 14 c. Rommessore; 16 c. Ramsore. The
terminal is clearly A. S. ofer, M. E. over, ovre (frequently
shortened to ore), a bank, border. A. S. ramm, romm, means
RAKE END RAY 125
a ram, and this may be ' the ram's bank '; but earlier forms
might lead to another conclusion. Ram was not a p. n.
until after the Conquest (and Ramshorn probably bore its
name before then). (The A. S. p. n. Hrcefn became Hrcemn
(by assimilation of/ to mri), later Hrem, and the prefix here
may represent this name. Ramsley, in Salop, in the n c.
appears both as Ramesleage and Hremesleage, the latter form
clearly pointing to the p. n. W. H. S.)
Ranton or Ronton, 5 m. W. of Stafford. D. Rantone ;
13 c. Raunton, Ronton, frequently. I think the prefix is
A. S. rand, M. E. rand, rond, an edge, border. The manor
of Ranton lies in Pirehill hundred, on the border of Cuddle-
stone hundred. The falling out of the d would be regular.
Ranworth (Norfolk) is Randwrth in an A. S. charter. D.
records two Randebi (Lincolnshire), both now Ranby, and
two Rande, now Rand, the d, being final, having survived.
I translate Ranton ' Border town ' (v. Ton). Rand still lives
as a dialectic word ; rushes on the borders and edges of land
near a river are called ' rands ' (Halliwell's Diet, of Archaic
and Prov. Words).
Rawnpike Oak, a great ancient tree in the fence of
Beaudesert Park at the foot of Castle Rings, near the Can-
nock and Rugeley Colliery, now hollow and somewhat
stag-headed. It has been known by this name during living
memory. Rawnpike, Ranpike, and Rampick, as it is occa-
sionally pronounced and spelt, is a dialectic word (origin
unknown) for a stag-headed tree, i. e. a tree having dead
boughs standing out of its top. It is used in America, and
in 1890 the forester of Bagot's Park called my attention to
some ' rawn ' oaks. I think it probable that Rawnpike Oak has
given name to the modern village of Rawnsley, half a mile off.
Ray or Rea Hall, Great Barr, an ancient estate and
house, now a farm. 1215 ' William of Re hall. 1 This farm
is bounded by the river Tame; hence the name. Rea,
Ray, Rhee, give name to several small streams in England,
e. g. in Salop, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Herts, Oxford-
126 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
shire, and Cambridgeshire. Some writers assign a Celtic
origin to the word, but apparently without authority. I think
it is simply A. S. ea, a stream, with r added to it. In A. S.
charters on thcere ea, on the river, is commonly met with.
In M. E. this becomes on tker e, and in Mod. E. on the ree,
or rea, and so we build up a new word to the bewilderment
of etymologists. I do not think that Rea, as a river name,
is to be found in any A. S. charter. If that be so the pre-
sumption is very strong that it is not a Celtic or an A. S. word,
but is M. E. The Rea, in Salop, was anciently the Neen
(v. Nechells, Nurton, and Skeat's A Student's Pastime, 400).
Rickerscote, h., 2 m. S. of Stafford. D. Ricardescole ;
1 3 c. Rikardescole. A. S. p. n. Ricard Ricard's cottage.
Ricard = Richard.
Ridge, in Standon, 8 m. SW. of Stoke. D. Rigge. A. S.
hrycg, M. E. rigge, rugge, a ridge. The word is extensively
used in pi. names, and means a ridge of elevated land, some-
times slight elevations.
Ridgway, Rudgeway (The). This name is frequently
borne by Roman and other ancient roads. The root is
A. S. hrycg, M. E. rugge, rigge, the ridged way, meaning,
generally, a road ditched on both sides, in convex shape.
The mediaeval forms are generally Ruggewey, la Rugge,
Ruggeway. The old Chester road between Castle Brom-
wich and Stonnall was anciently, and still is, known as the
Rudgeway. The Roman way from Chester to Worcester
over Rudge heath (between Wolverhampton and Bridgnorth)
is recorded as la Rugge, and also as the Stanwey (Stone way).
Antiquaries assume that the name is proof of Roman origin,
but it is not so, nor is Portway (q. v.). The name appears
in A. S. charters as Hrycweg, Ricweg (g =_y), Ruggestrat,
and Rugweie.
Ridware (Hamstall), 4 m. E. of Rugeley. D. Rtdeware,
Ridvare ; 130. Rydewar Hamstal, Ridware Hampstal. A. S.
hamsteall, M. E. hamstal, homestead For Ridware v. Rid-
ware (Mavesyn).
RICKERSCOTE ROCESTER 127
Ridware (Hill), h., in Mavesyn Ridware ; 1 3 c. le Hulle ;
140. William o tK hull, Hull causey (causeway), Alwynes
hull. V. Ridware (Mavesyn). M. E. hull = hill.
Ridware (Mavesyn), 3 m. SE. of Rugeley. 1004
Rideware ; D. Riduare (u = w). For later forms see other
Ridwares. Etymologists are always loth to accept a name
as compounded of two languages; but this is a clear case.
The prefix is W. rhyd, river, and A. S. wara, M. E. ware,
people, folk, inhabitants = river people. The Ridwares, i. e.
Mavesyn Ridware, Hill Ridware, Pipe Ridware, and Ham-
stall Ridware, are enclosed by the Blythe and Trent, and
in primitive times, when bridges were rare, must have been
difficult of access, and the inhabitants an isolated community.
Ware forms the terminal to many A. S. compound words,
e. g. Merscwara, marsh folk ; Ceaslerweara, city folk ; Cant-
ware, people of Kent ; Wihtware, Isle of Wight folk, &c.
Mavesyn (pr. Mason) is a mediaeval addition. The
Malveysin or Malvoisin family held the manor in the 12, .13,
and 14 c., when it passed to females.
Ridware (Pipe), 4 m. E. of Rugeley. D. Ridware ; 1 2 c.
Rideware; 13 c. Media (middle) Ridware, Parva (little)
Ridware; 14 c. Pipe Ridware. For Ridware v. Ridware
(Mavesyn). The 'de Pipe' family held the manor in the
13 and 14 c. They came from Pipe, nr. Lichfield (q. v.).
Rocester, 5 m. N. of Uttoxeter. D. Rowecestre; 12 c.
Roffecestre; 13 c. Rowecestre. The terminal A. S. ceaster,
ceastre, a fortress, castle, is always indicative of a Roman
station, stone buildings being novel to the Anglo-Saxons. In
Mercian dialect it is pronounced chester, sometimes softened to
cester. In Northumbrian dialect, under Norse influence, the c
sometimes hardens, and we have Caistor and -caster. The
prefix is the A. S. p. n. Hrof, modem ' Ralph ' Hrof s castle.
Rochester, in Kent, was Hrofesceastre. (This corresponds
to O. E. Hr&dwulf, being a French form of Frankish Ralh-
ulf. W. H. S.) A Roman road from Derby to Chesterton,
2 m. N. of Newcastle, passed through Rocester.
128 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Rodbaston, h., 2 m. S. of Penkridge. D. Redbaldestone\
1 2 c. Rodbalde stone. This is Rodbeald's town (v. Ton). At
the time of D. Rodbaston was held by ' Richard the Forester.'
His descendants the de Crocs, and afterwards the de Brocs
and de Loges, were chief foresters of Cannock Forest and
resided at Rodbaston, probably in the moated site called
Rodbaston Old Hall. The house has long ago dis-
appeared.
Rolleston, 4 m. N. of Burton-on-Trent. 942 Rothulfes-
ton\ 1004 Rolfeslun; D. Rolvestune; later Rolvestone.
This is Hrothwulfs town. The form of 1004 shows how
early corrupt or short forms set in. There are four other
Rollestons in England.
Rowley Regis, 3 m. SE. of Dudley. 12 c. Rueley,
Rohele, Roele, Rueleg; 13 c. Rueleg, Roule. The prefix is
A. S. ruh, M. E. rogh, row, rou, ru, ruh, rough, uncultivated ;
the terminal ley (q. v.), pasture, untilled land, lea the rough
lea. The A. S. and M. E. forms for ' rough ' were not pro-
nounced ruff as now, but row (as in cow). Hence Rowley.
Pronunciation has changed quite as much as spelling. The
manor belonged to the king at the time of D., hence Regis.
A manor once royal acquired and maintained valuable
privileges. To have been 'of royal demesne' was a
cherished tenure.
Rownall, h., in Cheddleton, 6 \ m. NVV. of Cheadle. D.
Rugehala ; 1 3 c. Roughenhale, Rowenhale. The prefix is
A. S. ruh, M. E. rogh, row, ru, ruh, and the terminal a form
of healh, meadow-land (v. Hale) the rough meadow. (The
adj. ruh produced regularly in the weak declension ruwa,
with ruwan in the oblique cases ; so that the dative would be
ruwan (sometimes written rugan) heale, whence Rownall has
regularly descended. W. H. S.)
Rudyard, 2 m. NW. of Leek. 1004 Rudegeard; D.
Rudierd; 1 3 c. Rudyerd. The terminal is A. S. geard (g =>'),
M. E. yeard, yerd, a yard, enclosure. (The prefix perhaps
represents a p. n. Ruda (Rudda is recorded), the gen. form
RODBASTONSALT 129
being Rudangeard, Ruda's yard. This by 1004 would pro-
bably be shortened to Rudegeard. W. H. S.)
Rugeley. D. Rugelei ; 1 2 c. Ruggeley, Ruggleg. A. S.
hrycg, M. E. rugge, rigge, and ley (q. v.) the ridge lea.
Rugeley town is on a plain in the valley of the Trent, but
the greater part of the manor is on Cannock Chase, a lofty
ridge, at the foot of which the town lies. The natives keep up
the old pronunciation ' Ridgeley.'
Rule, h., 6 m. SW. of Stafford. 12 c. Ruwell; 13 c.
Reule, Reivle, Rule, Rewelle, Rewel, Rewele, Rewell, Ruwel,
Rewel, Ruwe, Rue, Rewyl; 14 c. Reul. The terminal is
clearly A. S. wella, M. E. welle, a well (spring). The prefix
seems to be A. S. ruh, M. E. rugh, ru, rouwe, rough the
rough spring. Ruwan cnol, the rough knoll, Rugandic, the
rough ditch, Ruganhege, the rough hedge, are forms found in
A. S. charters. V. Rowley Regis and Rownall.
Rushall, 2 m. NE. of Walsall. D. Rischale', 12 c.
Ruishale, Ruissale, Rushdie. A. S. rysc, rise (sc = sh),
M. E. rische, rusche, rishe, rush, and hale (q. v.) the rushy
pasture. The terminal might be construed ' hall,' but as
halls were never built of rushes it is more reasonable to con-
strue it as a form of A. S. healh. A considerable part of the
manor is low-lying and wet, and before drainage was general
must have been rushy ; some parts are still so. Rush forms
the prefix to many pi. names, and there are two other Rushalls
in England. Rise heale, hrisc heale, rise hale, hrischalh,
rischale, are forms frequently met with in A. S. charters,
pointing to meadow-land rather than to a ' hall.'
Hushton, h., in Leek. D. Rise/on; 13 c. Ruston.
Rushton Grange, h., in Burslem. D. Rise/on. Rushton
means ' the rushy town (enclosure).' V. Ton and Rushall.
Salt, h., 3 1 m. NE. of Stafford. 1004 Halen ; D. Selte ;
13 c. Saut, frequently, Halen is the O. W. name, and means
' salt.' It is ' Halen ' in the will of Wulfric Spott and the
K
130 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
foundation deed of Burton Abbey, 1004. A. S. sealt is salt.
There are ancient saltworks at Weston-on-Trent, and
Shirley wich, 2 m. off, but no traces of works or surface brrne
springs at Salt. The 13 c. forms Saut show the popular
pronunciation of the word to be very old. The probability
is that, originally, ' Halen ' was a name applied to a salt-
producing district, as Wich (now Droitwich) gave name to
the sub-kingdom of the Wiccii (c = ch), i. e. salt-men.
Salters Bridge, over Tame, between Alrewas and Elford.
14 c. Sallebrugge, Saltsbrugge, Salierbrugge. Brugge is one
of the M. E. forms for ' bridge.' It is called ' Salters '
because it carries the Salt way, an ancient road from the
saltworks at Weston-on-Trent and Shirleywich to the E.
A. S. sealtere, M. E. salter, sallare. means a salt-dealer, but
the term was commonly applied to the salt-carriers. Salt
was formerly, for various reasons, a greater necessity of life
than it is now, and was conveyed on packhorses all over the
kingdom. The roads frequented by these carriers were
called Saltways, and are frequently mentioned in A. S. charters.
They radiate in all directions from salt towns. The road in
question is still known, in places, as the Saltway, though it
is here and there entirely disused. When the bridge was
rebuilt, about sixty years ago, the county authorities ' labelled '
it ' Chetwynd ' Bridge ; but the old name prevails. The
Saltways were used until the beginning of the 18 c., when
they were gradually superseded by canals. Dr. Earth tells
us that in Africa he fell in with a caravan of 3,000 camels
loaded with salt, on a journey of 1,800 miles. There is
a ' Saltersford Lane' and 'Salters Bridge' 2 m. NW. of
Rocester, apparently on a road from the saltworks at
Weston and Shirleywich to Ashbourne and parts of Derby-
shire.
Salters Lane, Walsall Wood. This is a branch of the
Saltway referred to under Salters Bridge, and leads to
Birmingham.
S ALTERS BRIDGE SAREDON (GREAT) 131
Saltwells, Salters Hall, 3 m. SW. of Dudley. Plot's
Staffordshire, p. 98, says : ' In Pensnet chase, S. from
Dudley about a mile and a half, there is a weak brine (spring)
belonging to the Right Honorable Edward Lord Ward, of
which his lordship once attempted to make salt ; but the brine
proving too weak he thought fit to desist.' V. Salters Bridge.
Sandon, 5 m. SE. of Stone. D. Scandone, Sandon ; 12 c.
Sandone, Sandon. The c in the D. form is probably an
error. The root is doubtless A. S. sand-dun, sandhill.
Sandwell, an ancient priory and estate in Westbromwich.
13 c. Saundwell, Sandwell. A. S. sand, M. E. sand, send,
sand, and A. S. wtell, M. E. welle, well, a spring, fountain
the sandy spring. Wells, as we understand them, were,
I think, unknown to the Anglo-Saxons. A spring utilized as
a supply of water was called a well. We say still ' the Seven
Wells,' meaning seven springs. The spring which gave rise
to this name still flows in the grounds at Sandwell.
Saredon (Great), h., in Shareshill, 3 m. SW. of Cannock.
D. Sardone ; 1 3 c. Sardon, Saredune, JBeresardon, Beresardun.
'Bere,' because the le Bere or le Boer family were, for
a time, its lords. In an A. S. charter of 994 describing the
bounds of Hatherton, an adjoining manor, a brook forming
the boundary is mentioned as Searesbrook. The same brook
in an Inquisition of the 14 c. is ' Sarebrok in Sarden.' Searu
was an A. S. p. n., of which Sear was evidently a short form,
as Salisbury, in A. S. charters, is Searsbyn'g, Sahsberig,
Searbyrig, Seresbyrig, and in D. Searebyrig, Sear's burgh
(v. Bury). I should expect Sear in M. E. to become Sare.
It is possible that the p. n. represented may have been Soeg&r
(g = _>'). I construe Saredon as Sear's or Saegaer's hill. It is
noteworthy that a yeoman family of ' Sayer' have lived in
the vicinity time out of mind, and still flourish there. It is
not unlikely that they are descendants of the original ' Sear '
or ' Ssegaer' who gave name to Saredon. Great Saredon stands
on a conspicuous hill.
K 2
132 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Saredon (Little), h., in Shareshill, 3 m. SW. of Cannock.
D. Seresdone; 1262 Sardon; 15 c. Saerdon. Great and
Little Saredon were separate manors, though only hamlets
in the parish of Shareshill. V. Saredon (Great).
Scotlands (The), h., in Bushbury, 3 m. N. of Wolver-
hampton. The h. is situate at the corner of a triangular
piece of land, bounded on all sides by roads. I construe it
A. S. sctattandes, corner lands. The root has nothing to do
with A. S. and M. E. scot, tribute, payment. I have seen the
deeds from the time of King John, and no special payment
has ever been chargeable upon the land. There are several
Scotlands in England. In the N. we may reasonably expect
Scot to have some reference to Scotland or Scotsmen, but
not in the Midlands.
Seabridge, h., 2 m. SW. of Newcastle. 13 c. Sheperugge,
Shepbrugge. A. S. scedp, seep, M. E. shep, sheep, and M. E.
rugge, ridge, or brugge, bridge. As the terminals conflict
they may be read either way; but the right one must be
brugge, as the h. does not lie on a ridge, but in a valley
where two streams meet. It is doubtless ' Sheepbridge.'
Sedgley, 3 m. S. of Wolverhampton. c. 1006 Secges lea ;
D. Stgleslei', 13 c. Seggesleye, frequently. The gen. es'm the
forms points to a p. n. Secg is a name frequently met with
in charters, e. g. Secgesbearuwe, Secges-geal, Secges-leah,
Secceslea, Secgesmere, &c. This is clearly ' Secg's lea ' (v. Ley).
Seighford, 3 m. NW. of Stafford. D. Cesteforde ; 1 2 c.
Cesteforde\ 13 c. Cesteford, frequently, and Sesteford; 14 c.
Sesteford. (From the later forms it is evident that the D. st
here must have its usual value, i. e. it represents an O. E. hi,
so that Cesieford would seem to represent an O. E. Seohta-,
probably Seohlre-ford, from seohtre, ' brook, ditch ' the ford
of the brook or ditch. W. H. S.)
Seisdon, Staffordshire hundred. Seisdon, h., in
Trysull, 6 m. SW. of Wolverhampton. The hundred
doubtless derives its name from the hamlet, so that both
SAREDON (LITTLE) SHARESHILL 133
may be taken together. D. Seisdone, Saisdone; 12 and
13 c. Seisdon, frequently, Seisdm. The terminal is doubtless
the Celtic and A. S. dun, a hill, but the prefix does not
appear to be A. S. In W. Set's and Sai's mean a Saxon,
and I suggest that the meaning is ' Saxon's hill.' The Welsh
appear to have been in possession of the country round
Wo'.verhampton at the end of the 6 c., as in 592 the A. S.
Chronicle tells us ' there was a great slaughter in Britain at
Wodensbeorge ' (Wednesbury), ' and Ceawlin ' (King of the
West Saxons) ' was driven out.' It is therefore not unlikely
that Seisdon is a W. survival. (This is unlikely. It means
that the retiring Welsh called an English fortress Sets-dun,
and that the English adopted the name from their enemies !
W. H. S.) I admit the force of Mr. Stevenson's note, but
can suggest no other meaning. I do not think the prefix
represents a p. n.
Shallowford, h., 5 m. SW. of Stone. 13 c. Schalde/ord,
frequently. A. S. sceald (sc = sA), M. E. shealde, scheld, and
ford (q. v.), the shallow ford. It is curious that the ow should
have been maintained; the usual modern form of such
a name would be ' Shalford.'
Shareshill, 5^ m. N. of Wolverhampton. D. Servesed ;
12 c. Sareshulf, 13 c. Sarnesculf, Sarneshtill, Sharnshull,
Shareshulle, Sareshull; 14 c. Shareshulle. The D. terminal
ed probably represents A. S. hath, a heath, the Norman
scribes commonly using d for a medial or final th ; some of
the subsequent forms are clearly A. S. scylf, M. E. schelfe,
a shelf (of land) (v. Shelfield), and the later forms are M. E,
hull, a hill. They cannot be reconciled, and are plain
variants of terminal. The in three of the 13 c. forms is
probably a mistake, or an error in transcription, for v ; as-
suming this (and the n is certainly intrusive), the forms of
the prefix are reconcilable, and point to the A. S. p. n. Sceorf
(pr. Shorf\ and the original forms would be Sceorfesh&th, -scylf,
or -hull, according to the terminal accepted. Sceorfes-mir
134 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
(moor) is found in Cod. Dip. 650, and Sceorfesslede (stead)
in 198 and 409. I am indebted for this interpretation to
W. H. S.
Shatterford, h., in Upper Arley, 4 m. NW. of Kidder-
minster (on the road to Bridgnorth called in a charter of
994 'the Ridgeway'). 994 Sciteresford; 1286 Sheteresford.
This is A. S.scy/ere (sc = sti), a shcoter, archer the archer's
ford. Scytere is not recorded as a p. n., but may have
been one.
Sheen, 3^ m. SE. of Longnor, NE. Staffs. D. Sceon.
This is the only form I have met with. A. S. seine, scene,
sceone (sc sh], variant forms, mean beautiful, and I suppose
that is the meaning of ' Sheen.' The place is bounded by
the Dove, the Manifold, and a tributary stream. One of the
meanings of sane, &c., is ' a delusive appearance,' and that
meaning may attach to the name in consequence of the
disappearance and reappearance of the Manifold, as described
under Dove (q. v.); v. also Shenstone. Sheen in Surrey
is Sceon in A. S. charters.
Shelfleld, h., 3 m. N.-of Walsall. D. Scelfeld; 13 c.
Schelfhul, Shelf hull, Schdfehulle. The terminals in the later
forms are preferable to the D. -feld. Shelfield is a moderately
elevated plateau sloping on all sides. The root is A. S.
scilfe, M. E. shelfe, a -shelf; in pi. names it means a shelve
or slope. The terminal is A. S. hyll, M. E. hull, a hill =
the shelving hill. The popular pronunciation is not Shel-
lield, but -Shelfill. Shelf and Shelve are common prefixes
and terminals.
Shelton. D. Scelfitone; 1189 Schelton; 13 c. Self Ion;
1 4 c. Schelton. The D. form doubtless represents an A. S.
Scilfetun, the town on the shelve or slope = tableland. V.
Shelfield. The passage of sc to sch and sh is regular.
Shenstone, 3 m. S. of Lichfield. 1 1 c. Scenstan ; D.
Seneste ; 1 2 c. Shenestan, Senestan, Shenestane ; 1 3 c. Shene-
slon, Schenestane ; 14 c. Schenestone. D. apparently blunders^
SHATTERFORD SHOWELLS (THE) 135
The other forms give a plain A. S. scenestan (sc = sh\
beautiful (or bright) stone. In M.E. scene becomes schene,
shene, and stdn, start, stane, stone, so that the forms are
regular, and there can be no mistake as to the meaning,
strange though it be. There is no beautiful stone at Shen-
stone, or any record or tradition of one. The Watling
Street and Icknield Street both run through the manor, and
near the junction is the site of the Roman city Etocetum,
now Wall, a h. in Shenstone. The Roman city may have
furnished material for the name. V. Sheen.
Shoal Hill, on Cannock Chase, 2 m. NW. of Cannock.
1300 Sholle. A. S. dictionaries give sceolh as meaning
oblique, wry; but it also meant sloping, slant, and is so
recognized in its M. E. form schol. The western side of
Shoal Hill is a long steady slope to the plain at its foot, and
that is the origin of the name.
Shobnall, h., 2 m. W. of Burton-on-Trent. 13 and 14 c.
Shobenhale, Scobenhale, both frequently. The A. S. form
would be Sceobanhale, the hall of Sceoba. An A. S. sc is
equivalent to a M. E. sch or sk ; the n is the gen. addition.
Showells (The), an ancient farm and estate, once a manor,
in Bushbury, 2 m. N. of Wolverhampton. The site of the
homestead is moated. It lay within the bounds but on the
border of Cannock Forest. 13 c. Sewalle, Sewale; 14 c.
Seawall, Sewall; 16 c. Shewells, Seawall, SewalL This
word is not generally recognized as A. S., but I think it is
related to the A. S. verb sceawian, M. E. schewen, to scrutinize,
reconnoitre, examine (the sc our sfi). It is first" found in
our literature circa 1225, in the poem of The Owl and the
Nightingale, as sheules and scheawles in the sense of a scare-
crow. It had probably been in common use before 1225, or
it would hardly have occurred in the poem. Turberville's
Book of Hunting, an. 1575, says: 'Anything that is hung
up is called a SeweL And those are used most commonly
to amaze a Deare, and make him refuse to pass where they
136 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
are hanged up.' Sir Philip Sidney says in Arcadia, 1534:
' So are these bugbeares of opinions brought by great clearks
into the world to serve as shewelles to keep them from those
faults whereto else the vanity of the world and weakness of
senses might pull them.' Halliwell (Dictionary of Archaic
and Provincial Words) says : ' Sewell, a scarecrow, which
generally consisted of feathers tied to a string to prevent deer
from breaking ground, by frightening then).' Nares' Glos-
sary gives the word as shewelles. Coles' Dictionary of Hard
Words, 1738, says: ' Sewel, a thing set to keep out deer.'
In Ellis's Letters, 2nd S. ii. 61, referring to a visitation at
Oxford during the suppression of the monasteries in 1535,
and to the destruction of condemned books, the Visitors say
that when they came to New College, they found the great
Quadrant Court full of the leaves of Duns Scotus (an
ancient Oxford textbook), and they add : ' We fownde
one Mr. Grenefelde gethering up part of the said bowke
leiffs (as he said) there to make him sewells or blawnsherrs
to keep the Dere within the woode, thereby to have the
better cry with his howndes.' Blawnshers or blanchers
appear to have the same meaning as sewells or shewelles.
Sir Philip Sidney says (Arcadia, p. 64) : ' And so manie
dayes were spent, and manie waies used, while Zelmaine
was like one that stood in a tree waiting a good occasion
to shoot, and Gynecia a blancher, which kept the dearest
deere from her.' Christopher Wace writes (1654): 'The
ancients did formerly set up feathers in a line in their
hunting to fray the beasts. We know that if one set up
a piece of white paper it will make the deer blanch and balk
that way.' Ulancher, blawnsherr, blaunsher, are old words
meaning, in hunting phrase, a person or thing placed to turn
the deer from a particular direction ; v. H. E. D. s. ' Blancher.'
In O. E. shew and show are synonyms, both pronounced
4 show,' show being the older form. They mean ' to exhibit, to
present to view.' I suggest that the Showells was an ancient
SHREDICOTE SHUGBOROUGH 137
enclosure on the Forest, and that these sewells or shewelles
were used, probably on the hedgetops, to prevent the deer
passing from the Forest on to the enclosed land. There
is a ' Shewell Wood,' 5 m. N. of Cirencester ; a ' Showell
Grange ' and ' Showell Mill,' 5 m. from Newport, Salop ;
' Showell Green,' 5 m. from Solihull ; ' Sewell/ 3 m. from
Luton, in Beds ; ' Sheweles Wood ' nr. Rendcomb, Glou-
cestershire ; a ' Showell Farm,' between Melksham and
Chippenham in Wilts. ; a * Showels ' farm, 4^ m. NE. of
Hungerford ; and a ' Show Hill ' in Penn. All these places
are within, or on the confines of, ancient forests or chases.
Shredicote, h., near Stafford. 13 c. Shradicole, frequently.
The root is A. S. screade, M. E. schreade, shrede, a piece cut
off, Mod. Eng. ' shred.' The locality was probably a detached,
isolated, or outlying portion of a manor or estate. Sneyd,
Snead (q. v.), has precisely the same meaning. Cote = cottage.
Shugborough, hamlet and hall in Colwich, 4 m. E. of
Stafford. 14 c. Shokkeburgh, Shukburgh, Shutborrow; 16 c.
Shulborrow, Shokesborow, Shukesborow, Shuchborow, Shuk-
borow ; 1 7 c. Shutborough. There can be no doubt that Shuck-
burgh in Warwickshire and Shugborough have a common
origin, and it will be convenient to consider them together.
Shuckburgh in D. is Socheberge (ch = ), and its later forms are
Suckeberge, Succeberge, Shukborrow, and Shuckborough. It is
clear that the terminals in both cases are variant forms of A. S.
beorg, M. E. beoruh, borew, burgh, borough, Mod. Eng. barrow,
a tumulus, low, or burial-mound. The prefix in both cases
is scucca (sc = sK), which in M. E. becomes scucke, later
schucke, a demon, an evil spirit, the devil. The form is found
in an 8 c. charter relating to property in Berkshire (Cod.
Dip. 161), Scuccanhlau, Scuccan being the genitive form of
Scucca (sc = sh), and Man, a low, or burial-mound the
demon low, in other words 'the bewitched barrow/ the
precise meaning of Shugborough. I cannot identify this
(Scuccanhlau with any present pi. n. If extant its form ought
138 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
now to be ' Shucklow.' No traces of a low exist at Shug-
borough, but so many lows have been destroyed in the course
of ages that its absence is but little argument against the
construction. Tumult were formerly regarded with reverence
or superstition, and I have known farmers who would never
plough them, considering it unlucky. In Ireland the senti-
ment still prevails, and they are commonly supposed to be
the resort of fairies, &c. In A. S. charters they are frequently
referred to as 'the heathen burials.' Shugborough is still
commonly pronounced Sfiukborough.
Shushions, an ancient moated homestead, manor, and
estate, 5 m. W. of Penk ridge. D. Sceotestan ; 13 c. Shusian,
Shusion, Schuston\ 14 c. Shusione. The prefix is A. S.
sceot, scot (sc = sfi), M. E. schot, schute, scute, shot, shooting.
In M. E. schutte means an archer, and, as Scot was an A. S.
p. n., there can be no doubt the name Scot was originally
applied to an archer. The right terminal is sian, stone, and
I construe the name as ' Scot's stone ' ; it may be ' the
archer's stone ' ; but probably the original ' Scot ' was so
named because he was a good shot. The family name
Shutt is equivalent to Archer, and families of Scot (often
assumed to be of Scottish descent) are probably A. S.
V. Shustoke.
Shustoke, an ancient moated homestead and farm in
Great Barr, 2 m. SE. of Walsall. I have no forms earlier
than the 17 c., since when they have been as now. Shu-
stoke nr. Coleshill, Warwickshire, was Shuttesioke in the
14 c. In this case I should assume the A. S. form (if the
place was of A. S. origin) to be Sceotes or Scotestoc (sc =. sK),
and the M. E. form Schutlestoke ; Side , Stoke, means a fenced-
in place, much akin to Ton (q. v.) Shutt's (or the archer's)
place. The p. names Scot (when of Southern origin) and Shutt
are both from A. S. sceot, an archer ; they are only variants
in the pronunciation of the sc. V. Shushions.
Silkmore, h., i m. S. of Stafford. D. Selchmore; 13 and
SHUSHIONS SMETHWICK 139
14 c. Silkemor, Selkemer, Selkemor, Selkmore. This seems to
be A. S. scolc, M. E. silk, selke, and more (q. v.), a moor ;
though it seems absurd to talk of a ' silk moor.' One of the
terminals points to mere, a pool, but that is still more unlikely.
It may be ' silken,' in the sense of soft, smooth (Silkmore
lies in soft fertile meadows). There is no other Selchmore in
D., and I believe ' Silkmore ' is unique. (Perhaps originally
Seolcan-mor, Seolca's moor, from p.n. Seolca. W. H. S.) Very
likely. Seolcan-mor would become Selkmore. Cf. Silkstone,
W. R., Yorks. ; Silksworth, N.E. Durham ; Silkby, S. Lines.
Slindon, h., 3 m. N. of Eccleshall. D. Slindone; 13 c.
Slyndon. The terminal is plainly A. S. dun, a hill (v. Don) ;
but I can make nothing of the prefix ; it does not appear to
represent a p. n. Cf. Slindon and Slinfold in Sussex.
Smallrice (or -rise), h., 5 m. SE. of Stone. 13 c.
Smallris, Smalerys. This is M. E. smal-rise^ a small rise (of
ground).
Smestow or Smestall, river, rises in Bushbury, and falls
into Stour nr. Stourton. 1300 Smefhestall ; 1361 Smethe-
slalle. This is probably a M. E. name. It means ' the stalls or
places of the Smiths or Smithies', smethe being a M. E. form
of A. S. smith. The lower portions of the Smestow, and the
Stour on its entire course, were formerly utilized for the
manufacture of iron, and the remains of old bloomeries and
smithies are abundant upon the banks. Kinver Forest
supplied the fuel, and the streams the power. As wood and
water were superseded by coal and steam, the old works
gradually fell into decay.
Smethwick, 3 m. W. of Birmingham. D. Smedewich
(d = th] ; 12 c. Smeythewik, Smethewyke. A. S. and M. E.
smethe, smooth, flat, level surface, and A. S. wic, M. E. wich,
wyke, a village (v. Wich) the village on the plain. Smeth-
wick lies on a plain at the foot of the Rowley Hills, a lofty
range of igneous rock. Exs. : Smeeth nr. Ashford, Kent ;
Smethcot nr. Church Stretton, Salop ; Smethwick, Cheshire ;
140 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Smeaton nr. Pontefract ; The Smeath nr. King's Lynn ;
Markham Smeath nr. Swaffham. V. also Enville, which has
a similar meaning.
Sneyd (The), h., 3 m. NW. of Walsall. 1410 Snede.
A. S. snced, M. E. sndde, snede, means a piece, fragment,
something cut off; and, in pi. names, is commonly applied
to an outlying, detached, privileged, or intrusive portion of
a manor or other division. This Sneyd is a portion of the
manor of Essington, which intrudes, wedge-like, into the
manors of Walsall and Wednesfield. N. of Derbyshire, under
Northern influence, the form is Snaith, from O. N. snet'lh,
which has the same meaning. Exs. : Snead Common nr.
Stourport ; Snedhill, S. of Wellington, Salop ; Upper Snead,
Lower Snead, Snead Common, nr. Mamble, Salop ; Snead
Coppice nr. Wenlock ; Snead (parish), E. Montgomeryshire ;
Sneyd nr. Burslem ; Snaith, in Yorkshire. In Chirbury
manor, Salop, there is a ' Snead ' hamlet nr. Bishop's
Castle, anciently Sneth, Snede, formerly belonging to
Augustine monks ; it appears at one time to have been
a separate manor, owing exclusive allegiance to the
chatellany of Montgomery, and was independent of Chirbury
hundred.
Somerford, h., i m. E. of Brewood, on the Penk river.
1 3 c. Somerford. The terminal is plainly ' ford ' (q. v.), and
there is no reason to doubt that the prefix is A. S. sumor,
M. E. sumor, somer, summer ; but ' Summer ford ' is not
entirely satisfactory, unless we could believe that, at some
period, the Penk was usually only fordable here in summer.
D. records thirty-one manors commencing ' Sumor-,' and
six ' Sumreford' (Somerford).
Sow, river, tributary of Trent. 12 and 13 c. Sowe.
There is a river Sow in Ireland, and another in Warwick-
shire which is Sow and Sowe in A. S. charters, and Sowa in
D. I strongly suspect that sow and sough are variants of the
same word, and mean a sough, drain, channel (perhaps
SNEYD (THE) STAFFORD 141
formerly a stream). The Cent. Diet, assumes sough to be
of Norse origin, but that cannot be, as we find it here in
the form of sow before a Norseman set foot in the country.
Stafford. Is not mentioned in any existing A. S. charter ;
but it was an A. S. mint town, and early forms of the name
have been preserved on coins. The museums at Stockholm
and Copenhagen furnish the best examples, the Norsemen
finding silver, then the only coinage, the most portable
plunder. A. S. coins were small, between sixpence and
a shilling in size, and, the lettering being rude, everything
was abbreviated. At Stockholm is a coin of Eadgar, 958-
75, bearing on the reverse St&th; and there are also three
coins of Ethelred, 979-1016, two bearing Stceth, and one
Sice ; at Copenhagen there is an Ethelred marked Stceth, and
a Canute, 1017-35, marked Staths. All these coins un-
doubtedly refer to Stafford. In D. the forms are Stadford
and Stafford, In the Pipe Rolls for the 12 c. the name
appears frequently as Sf at/or d, and occasionally Stafford.
It is impossible to doubt that the original form was Stcethford.
Ford (q. v.) means a ford, crossing of a stream, and Stafford
is situate on the Sow, and within a mile of the Penk.
A. S. stceth, stathe, means a bank, shore, or waterside. The
word is frequently found in A. S. charters, e. g. ' on Tamese
(Thames) stcethe ' ; ' from Afene (Avon) stathe to Shutsford ; '
' from Use (Ouse) stcethe to Ealferths low,' &c. ; in the N.
and E. staithe is commonly applied to a river bank, quay, or
wharf. It is used in the sense of a coal wharf in the Riot
Damages Act, 1886. In Peacock's Glossary of Manley, &c.,
E. D. S., staithe is given as ' a landing-place ; now frequently
used to denote the foreshore of a river that is kept up by
means of faggots or kids, or by timber or stonework.'
There are places named Stathe, Stathes, Stathern, Staveley,
and others with similar prefixes, which have probably the same
root. It may be that Stafford was originally Stceth, ' the river
side/ and that 'ford' was a later addition to describe its
142 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
situation, being on a great thoroughfare from London to
Chester and the NW.
Standon, h., 4 m. N. of Eccleshall. D. Stantone. A. S.
stan, tun, stone town ; probably because the original settle-
ment was built of stone, A. S. houses being generally wooden
structures. The terminals ton and don are frequently inter-
changed. Stan-, as a prefix, plays a prominent part in pi.
names. D. records fifty Stantone, Stantun, and Stantune, nine
Standone and Standune, nineteen Stanford, and about fifty
other manors commencing Stan-. There are also sixteen com-
mencing Stain-, all in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, showing
how sharp and prevalent the influence of dialect was at
the time of D. Mercia ended and Northumbria began
at Dore, 5 m. SW. of Sheffield, and Dore means ' the door
(of the two kingdoms).' N. of Dore pi. names have to be
construed by Northumbrian dialect, and S. of it by Mercian.
Stanshope, h., 6 m. NW. of Ashbourne. D. Sianesope.
A. S. stanes, stones, and hop, a valley (v. Hope) the stony
valley.
Stanton, h., in Ellastone, 5 m. SW. of Ashbourne. D.
Stantone. A. S. slan-tun, stone town. V. Standon.
Stapenhill, h., 2 m. NW. of Stourbridge. 1342 Stapen-
kull. Siapen- is a corrupt form of A. S. stapol, a pole or
pillar marking the boundary of a manor, estate, &c. The
word is frequently met with in A. S. charters in describing
properties. Stapenhill adjoins the border of the counties of
Stafford and Worcester. The meaning is ' the hill of the
stapol.' V. Bassetts Pole.
Statfold, h., 3 m. NE. of Tamworth. 13 c. Stodwald,
Slatfeud, Stotfold. The w in the first form is doubtless
a mistake of a scribe for^ the A. S.y and w being much
alike, and sometimes not distinguishable. A. S. stod means
a stud, a troop of horses, and fold a fold, or enclosure for
them the stud fold. Cf. Stodham, Sludley (several), Stod-
marsh, Studland.
STANDON STITCHBROOK 143
Stewponey (The). The name of a large inn, 3 m. W.
of Stourbridge, on the high-road from Wolverhampton to
Worcester, via Himley, Kidderminster, and Ombersley. The
road from Birmingham to Enville and Bridgnorth, via Hales-
owen and Stourbridge, crosses here, and is carried by
a bridge over the Stour river close by the inn. The name
is unique, and has puzzled everybody, Baring-Gould, in
'Gladys of the Stewponey,' (Lond. 1897), says: 'An old
soldier in the wars of Queen Anne, a native of the place,
settled there when her wars were over, and, as was customary
with old soldiers, set up an inn near the bridge at the cross
roads. He had been quartered at Estepona, in the S. of
Spain, and thence he had brought a Spanish wife. Partly in
honour of her, chiefly in reminiscence of his old military days,
he entitled his inn " The Estepona Tavern." Hence Stew-
poney.'
Stitchbrook, an ancient moated homestead and estate, i\
m. N. of Lichfield. D. Tichebroc; 13 c. Sichelesbroc, Siches-
broc, Sticklesbrok, Stichelesbroc ; 140. Stichbrok. The terminal
is, of course, A. S. broc, a brook, and I think the D. form is
the correct one. Tica, Ticca, was an A. S. p. n., appearing in
compound, in A. S. charters, as Ticce- (Titch), e. g. Ticceburne,
Ticenheal, Ticcensfeld, Ticcesstede, Ticeswel, &c. D. records
eight manors commencing Tice- and Tiche-. The initial S is
probably an addition arising from the accent upon the T, so
that tick has become stick as plash has become splash, and
squench is frequently used for quench (v. Skeat's Principles
of English Etymology, 2nd S. 234). I therefore construe
Stitchbrook as Ticc's (Titch's) brook. (No. The D. form
cannot be taken as a basis against the evidence of the later
forms, more especially as D. frequently represents initial si
by / only. The original form would seem to have been
Sticceles-broc, Stichel's brook. W. H. S.) I have no doubt
Mr. Stevenson is right ; but I have not met with ' Sticcel ' as
a p. n., though it is an A. S. form.
I.J4 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Stocking Lane, Stockings (The). These are some-
uhat plentiful names, found in the vicinity of mediaeval, or
later, enclosures. ' Stocking ' means the grubbing up or
clearing of wood or wild land, formerly a common occupation.
It is equivalent to ' Ridding ' and ' Birch ' (q. v.), and also to
' stubbing.' Our dictionaries treat the word in an unsatisfac-
tory manner, and some as if it were ' provincial '; but it is
good O. E. The H. E. D. will doubtless do justice to it.
Stoke-upon-Trent. D. Stoche. A. S. side, a place
fenced in, equivalent to /, burh (v. Ton and Bury). D.
records forty-three manors of the name. Soon after the
Conquest most ' Stokes ' assumed distinctive additions.
Stone. 13 c. Stane, Sianes, both frequently. A. S. start,
stone, stanes, stones. What ' stone/ or ' stones,' Stone took
its name from we do not and probably never shall know.
Stoneywell, h., 3 m. NW. of Lichfield. 130. Stoniwelle ;
14 c. Stoniwalle, Stonywall, Stonywalle. This is an example
of interchange of the terminals well and wall. There is
no doubt the right terminal is well. Shaw (Hist, of Staffs,
i. 222) says it takes its name from a small round piece
of water by the roadside between Stoneywell and Farewell,
about a mile SE. of Farewell church, in the middle of which
is a large boulder stone ; and he adds : ' The common
people have been superstitious about its being removed,
imagining thereby that some injury would befall their cattle.'
Stonnall, h., 5 m. NE. of Walsall. 12 c. Stanhale, Ston-
bale. This, I think, is ' stone hall ' (v. Standon and Hale).
As hale is also a form of healh, meadow-land, it may mean
Stony meadows, and Stonnall is stony.
Stour, river, tributary of Severn, is mentioned in several
A. S. charters as Slur or Sture (long = ow). There are
six different rivers in England, all having similar early forms.
Nothing can be made of it in A. S. It has been guessed as
Welsh ys dwr, the water (but that is impossible, as dwr is
a modern colloquial form of O. W. dwfr, which could only
STOCKING LANESTREICHTS (THE] 145
appear in English as dover or duver. The Kentish Stour is
recorded in the 7 c. as Sturia. The name occurs in Germany
in the Sior, a northern affluent of the Elbe, the old form of
which is recorded as Siuria, W. H. S.). The root doubtless
lies in some archaic continental language.
Stourton, h., 3 m. W. of Stourbridge, on the river Slour.
1227 Slur Ion; 1255 Slur ton. The town on the Stour. V.
Stour and Ton.
Stow, nr. Lichfield. 1221 Stowe. Stow, nr. Weston-on-
Trent. 13 c. S/ozve. A. S. stow, an enclosed place.
Stramshall, h., i m. NW. of Uttoxeter. D. Stagriges-
holle \ 13 c. Slrangn'cheshull, Strangeshull, Strangricheshall,
Sirongeshulf; 140. Strongeshull. A. S. p. n. Stranglic, and
A. S. hyll, M. E. hull Stranglic's hill. The A. S. form
would be Strangliceshyll (the ce being pr. cK), which ac-
counts for the ch in the forms. The p. n. means strong,
robust ; in M. E. strong becomes strong, hence the change in
the later forms. One can readily imagine the D. Norman
scribe being ' staggered ' by the name, and pitying us poor
savages.
Strangleford Birch, h., ij m. W. of Brewood. 1327
Slrangleford. It would seem that Birch is a later addition ;
it means ' a breaking up of wild land, a new enclosure ' (v.
Birchills). Ford, the crossing of a stream (v. Ford). Strangle
(weed) is a provincial or dialectic word for the Orobanche
and Cuscuta, also called choke-fitch, chokeweed, strangle-
tare, and other homely names (E. P. N., 456). There is
a stream here which may, at some time, have abounded with
this weed.
Streethay, h., 2 m. N. of Lichfield. 1286 Stretheye-,
Slreihay, frequently afterwards. The Icknield Street passes
through the hamlet, and the meaning of the name is ' the
hay, or enclosure, on the Street.' V. Stretton and Hay.
Streights (The), Sedgley, is a steep narrow road between
Sedgley and Himley. I have no old forms of the name, but
146 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
think the modern form is correct, and conveys its own
meaning. The word has no connexion with ' straight/ but
is of M. E. origin, derived from O. F. estreit. It was spelt
strait and sireight, and means ' a narrow passage ' ; hence
' the Straits of Gibraltar,' ' the Straits of Dover/ &c. ' Strait
(i. e. narrow) is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth
unto life' (Matt. vii. 14).
Stretton, 2 m. N. of Brewood. D. Esiretone; 13 c.
Stratton. The initial E before Latin \vords commencing St
is only a vowel sound, and may be discarded. This is A. S.
street (from L. strata], M. E. strete, strate, a street, and ton
(q. v.) the town on the Street. Watling Street passes
through the manor, and Stretton, it is said, is the site of the
Roman station Pennocrucium ; but I know of no evidence
to support that opinion. The Anglo-Saxons generally applied
the word street to a Roman way, but also frequently to other
roads.
Stretton, 2 m. N. of Burton-on-Trent. 942 Stretton;
1004 Strcetlon; D, Sir atone. The town on the Street. V.
Stretton nr. Brewood. The Icknield Street passes through
the manor.
Sugnall, 2^ m. NW. of Eccleshall. D. Sotehelle; 12 c.
Sogenhull, frequently ; 1 3 c. Sugginhille, Sugginhull, Sogen-
hull) Suggenhale. The D. scribe has blundered. Sucga
was an A. S. p. n. (sometimes written Suga\ and I read this
as Sucga's hill. The A. S. form would be Sucganhyll, which
accounts for the existing n. Sucga means a bird, but of
what kind is doubtful. Some suggest titlark, others wagtail ;
Chaucer calls the hedge-sparrow ' the heisugge ' ; but it is
much more likely the place was named after a man than
a bird.
Swindon, h., 5 m. W. of Dudley. 1 2 c. Swinedun ; 1 6 c.
Swyndon. This, I suppose, must be taken as A. S. sunn and
dun Swine's hill (v. Don). Swindon was in Kinver Forest,
and the pasturage of swine in a forest was an important
STRETTON SWINNERTON 147
privilege. Swegen (g =_)'} was an A. S. p. n. borrowed
from the Danes, but, as we do not find it here before
the beginning of the n c., I do not think it formed any
element in pi. names. Sigewine ('wise friend/ shortened
to Siwine) was an old A. S. name which would certainly
become Swine. The prefix here may therefore represent
that p. n.
Swineshead, h., 5 m. N. of Eccleshall. D. Sueneshed.
The terminal is doubtless A. S. heafod, M. E. heved, hed,
head, a head or end (of anything). I am doubtful whether
the D. prefix represents A. S. mtn, swine, or a p. n.
V. Swindon. Swineshead, in Lincolnshire, is Swinesheafod
in A. S. charters.
Swinfen, 3 m. SE. of Lichfield. 12 c. Swinfen', 13 c.
Swinesfeud, Swynefen, Snynesfen. V. Swindon. I think this
means ' the swine's fen/ Swinfen is a large hollow tract of
land, and must have been a swamp before the country
was drained and enclosed, a very likely summer resort for
the herds of swine the Anglo-Saxons are known to have
possessed.
Swinnerton, 3 m. NW. of Stone. D. Sulverlone; 1205
Silver ton; 1206 Soulverton; 13 c. Swinnerton, frequently,
Swinaferton, Swynefarfon, Swinforton ; 1 4 c. Swineforton ;
15 c. Swynerton. The D. and earlier forms are unquestion-
ably A. S. seolfor, M. E. selfer, selver, sulver, suelfer, &c.,
silver, and Ion (q. v.) Silvertown ; but the later and modem
forms are extraordinary changes, arising, probably, from the
varied manner of the M. E. spelling of ' silver.' Assuming
this construction to be correct, the A. S. form would be
Seol/ortun, and though I am not aware that the name is to
be found in any A. S. charter, I should not doubt its A. S.
origin. Silverton, Devon, is Svlfretone (v = ) in D.,
which clearly means Silvertown, and represents an A. S.
Seolfortun. Seolfor was not an A. S. p. n. (the family name
' Silver ' is doubtless M. E.), though Settlf, a short form of
L 2
148 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Scewul/, was ; but that would not yield any of the forms
quoted. Why a Staffordshire manor should be called Silver-
town it is hard to say, and not worth while to guess ; but
I feel sure it was so, though the corruptions are difficult to
account for.
Swinscoe, h., 3^ m. NW. of Ashbourne. 13 c. Sivyne-
skow, Swiniscow, Swineschoch. The terminal is interesting
and excessively rare in Staffordshire, though plentiful in
Lancashire and Yorkshire. It is Danish skov, Sw. skdg, O. N.
skogr, a wood. Hence, under Norse influence, the numerous
terminals in the N., -sceugh, -scough, -scow. Szvin means
swine, both in A. S. and O. N., and it is difficult to say
whether the prefix represents swine, or a p. n. like Swegen
\g =y) or Siwine (v. Swindon). The probability, I think, is
that the name means ' the swine's wood.'
Syresoote, h., 3 m. NW. of Tarn worth, iroo Sirices-
cotan ; D. Fricescote ; 1 2 c. Siresco/e, Sirichescote. The
D. F is doubtless a mistake of the scribe or copyist for
Si. The first form is perfect A. S. for ' the cottages of
Siric.' Sine and Sigeric are only variants of the same name
(Sigen'c being the old and correct form), meaning ' victorious.'
Co/an is the plural of cote ; the later forms drop into the
singular.
Talk o' th' Hill, h., 5 m. W. of Newcastle. D. Talc ;
130. Talk. This is W. twlch, a height, hill. The h. stands
on a high ridge upon the great NW. road. The form is rare
in England. Talkin, 3 m. SE. of Brampton in Cumberland,
is probably an example, meaning ' little hill.' In I. and G.
the form is tulach (pr. lulla), hence Tulla, Tullamore, Tullagh,
Tullow, &c., in Ireland.
Tame, river, tributary of Trent. 13 c. Thame, Tame,
Teme. It is easy to say this is A. S. lam, tame (the opposite
of wild), and it is plausible also, because there is no other
word known to us more acceptable. There is also no reason
SWINSCOE TATENHILL 149
to doubt that the Thames, the Teme, the Tame, the Tamar,
have a common root, so that its meaning is interesting.
Professor Skeat will not accept it as an A. S. form, and
suggests that ' tame ' would be an unlikely term to apply to
a river ; that the root is older than A. S., and probably irre-
coverable. The Thames appears in A. S. charters as Tcemese,
Tamese, Term's, and Tame, but those forms do not help us,
and we must leave the meaning of Tame, Thames, and
Teme to be yet discovered. It has been said, over and over
again, to mean ' tame ' ; but, as Professor Skeat says, ' that
proves nothing.' Canon Taylor writes : ' Thames is a Celtic
word meaning the "tranquil" or "smooth" river.' Perhaps
so ; but what is the Celtic word, and where is it to be found ?
There is a river Temes in Hungary, giving name to Temes-
var, and a river Tamega in Spain.
Tamhorn, h., 2 m. NW. of Tamworth. D. Tamahore\
12 c. Tamenhorn', I3C. Thamehorne, Tamenhorn. D. blunders.
Tam-en-horn is good A. S. for ' the horn of Tame.' The h.
is situate on the river where it bends ' hornlike.' We say the
4 horn ' of a side saddle.
Tamworth. 10 c. Tamaworthige, Tamanweorthe, Tama-
wearlhige, Tamweorihe, Tamewurthe, Tomwurth, Toman-
worthig', D. Tameworde, Tamworde. Tamworth, having
been a residence of the Mercian kings, is frequently men-
tioned in their charters. The terminal is the A. S. worth
(q. v.), homestead, farm, estate. The prefix represents the
river Tame (q. v.), on which Tamworth is situate, and the
meaning is 'the farm or estate on the Tame.' The n in
some of the forms is the gen. case. D. always writes d for
a medial or final th.
Tatenhill, 2\ m. SW. of Burton. 771 Tatenhyll; 12 c.
Tatenhulle ; 1 4 c. Tatenhull. Taie was an A. S. fem. p. n. }
and the forms are all correct for ' Tate's hill,' being the
gen. case. Tata was a mas. form of the name, and Tal-
formed the prefix of a great number of p. names; it means
150 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
' joyous, cheerful ' ; hence Talwine, joyous friend, Talhelm,
joyous protector, Talwulf, joyous wolf, Talmann, cheerful
man, &c.
Tean, h., in Checkley, 9 m. SE. of Stoke. D. Tene\ 13
and 14 c. Tene, Teyne. Takes its name from the river Teau
(q. v.), on which it is situate.
Tean, river, flows into the Dove nr. Uttoxeter. For forms
v. Tean, h. This is a Brythonic name, as many of our
rivers and hills are. We have the Ttign and the Tane in
Devon, the Tain in Scotland, the Tyne and the Team
in the N., all probably from the same root. I think it is
a form of W. tain, taen, /an, G. taine, I. tain, a spread or
expanse (of water).
Teddesley, 2 m. NE. of Penkridge. 13 c. frequently
Teddesleg (g =y\ Teddesleye. Teddesley Hay was one of
the hays of the forest of Cannock. Tedd is a short or
pet form of some p. n. I have not met with any form
before the 13 c., so that it is difficult to identify it with
any known name. In a charter of 963 a place is named
Teodecesleage, which Kemble (Index to Cod. Dip.) identifies
with this Teddesley. But he is clearly wrong; the place
referred to is, on the face of the charter, in Worcestershire,
and I do not doubt is 'Tidsley Wood,' i m. W. of Per-
shore, which in Taylor's Map of Worcestershire, 1772, is
marked ' Teddesley Wood ' ; so that it is probable that both
places have the same root. But neither Tedd nor Ttodec was
an A. S. p. n., and I suggest that the name represented by
both forms is Theodric, sometimes written Tedric, and that
the original meaning was Theodric's lea (v. Ley). The
contraction of p. names frequently perplexes etymologists.
Torthelm, a bishop, sometimes writes himself Totta;
Ordgar becomes Odda, and so on, men gradually adopt-
ing the short or pet names conferred upon them by their
neighbours.
Tern, river, on the NE. boundary of Staffordshire against
TEAN TETTENHALL 151
Salop. 12 c. Time, Tyrne frequently, occasionally Turne.
There is, I believe, no other river Tern. Nothing can be
made of the forms in A. S., and I suggest the root is W. ter,
clear, pure, and the n excrescent. An excrescent n frequently
attaches at the end of a word, especially when it is of foreign
origin; M. E. bitor (from O. F. butor) becomes in Mod. E.
bittern (bird) ; M. E. marter (also from F.), later martern,
becomes marten ; stubborn was originally without the n. V.
Tirley Castle.
Tettenhall, 2 m. NW. of Wolverhampton. A. S. Chronicle
Teotanheale, Totanheale ; D. Totehala ; 1 2 c. Totenhale, Tettcn-
hale, Tettenhalle ; 13 c. Tatenhale, Totenhale, Tetenhale, fre-
quently. The later forms point to the A. S. fem. p. n. Tale
or Tetta, and the terminal hale may be construed ' hall ' or
' meadow-land ' (v. Hale). I think the earlier forms are the
most trustworthy, and that it is impossible to reject them. They
appear in the A. S. Chronicle under the year 910, and are, to
some extent, confirmed by D. and by two of the later forms.
I read the prefix as being allied to the A. S. verb Mian,
M. E. Men, to project, stick out, hence ' put one's head out,
look around, spy ' ; in M. E. lote-hil and toot-hill are rendered
' mount of observation.' The terminal heale is a form of healh,
meadow-land (v. Hale), and I construe Tettenhall as meaning
' the look-out place by the meadow-land.' The village lies
partly in fertile meadows on the Smestow, and partly on
a loffy sandstone ridge which ascends abruptly, and com-
mands an extensive view of the country for miles around.
On the plain at the foot, in 910, a battle was fought between
the Saxons and the Danes, which in the Chronicles is called
the battle of Totanheale, though it was actually waged about
a mile N. of Wolverhampton. It may be that Tettenhall
takes its name from having been a 'watch-tower' on this
occasion ; but it is probable that the name is more ancient,
and that it was a common post of observation in time of
war. Totley (D. Totingelei), 6 m. S. of Sheffield, occupies
152 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
a commanding situation on the ancient frontier of Mercia and
Northumbria. I read that as 'the look-out lea.' Professor
Skeat writes (History of Tettenhall, 8): 'If we take the
words (forms) as they stand (A. S. Tolanhale, D. spelling
Toiehala), then A. S. Man heall means " tout's corner," i. e.
a corner or convenient spy-place whence a spy looks out.
To/an should be To/an with long o, and is the gen. case of
To/a, a spy or look-out man, Mod. E. ' tout ' for custom.
It means the hall or dwelling on a look-out hill. We should
call it Spy Hall if we had to make up the word nowadays.'
But some one has supplied Mr. Skeat with a wrong A. S.
terminal ; it is not hale (a form of both heall and hcalh\ but
heale, which is a form only of healh, meadow-land. V.
Tutbury and Ipstones. (' Teot cannot be connected with
iotian. It is a p. n. ; cf. Tetsworth.' W. H. S.) The verb
' to tote ' is used by many M. E. writers in the sense ' to
watch, to look out' (Way's Prompt. Parv., 499, s. 'Tute
hylle ').
Thickbroom, h., 3 m. SE. of Lichfield. 13 c. Thykebrom,
Tykebrom, Thtkebrom, Thikebrom. A. S. Ihicce-brom, M. E.
thike-brom, thick broom, Cytisus (Genes/a) scoparius. The
country around was formerly heath-land.
Thorpe Constantino, 5 in. NE. of Tamworth. D. Torp ;
1 3 c. Thorp Constantin. Constantine was the name of its lords
in the 1 3 c. They were a Norman family, and Earls of Brete-
ville, Pacey, 'Constantine,' and other places in Normandy.
Thorp, throp, is an A. S. word meaning a village ; but the
Anglo-Saxons probably borrowed the word from the Norse-
men, with whom it was common. ' Thorpes ' are numerous
in the N. and E., where Scandinavian influence prevailed.
In the SW. the word is unknown. The church is dedicated
to St. Constantine, probably out of compliment to the early
lords. There is no mention of a church (or priest) here in
D., and the church was probably built by the Constantines.
Throwley, h., i| m. NW. of Ham. 13 c. Truleg. The
THICKBROOM TIPTON 153
terminal is clearly ' ley,' pasture, unfilled land (v. Ley). Putting
the old and modern forms together I do not doubt the prefix
is A. S. thruh, M. E. throwe, a sarcophagus, tomb. There
are many tumuli in the locality, and probably a stone coffin
is the origin of the name. In later times a ' through-stone '
came to mean a grave-stone, and Sir Walter Scott (Anti-
quary, chaps, xvi, xxiii) uses the word in that sense. For
authorities v. Cath. Angl., E. E. T. S., s. ' Thrughe,' and
Jamieson's Scottish Diet. s. ' Thruch-stane.' Cf. Throw-
leigh in Devon, Throwley in Kent. Thrubroc and Thruh-
ham are pi. names found in A.S. charters.
Thursfield, now New Chapel, \\ m. N. of Newcastle.
I believe the name is obsolete ; but as it was a D. manor,
and identified with a family of Thursfield, well known in
Staffordshire and Salop, I think it worthy of notice. D.
Turvolde sfe Id ; 13 c. Thurfredesfeld, Torvedeslon, Turvedes-
tone. The prefix is the A. S. p. n. Thurweald, which appears
also as Thurwold, Turold, and Thorold. Thur, Thor, was
the Saxon Jupiter, and weald means power, control. It is
not uncommon in early forms for the terminals to vary, as
they do here, between tun and feld. As feld has survived
I give it the preference and read the name ' Thurweald's field '
(v. Field). The Anglo-Saxons probably borrowed the name
from O. N. Thorvaldr ; the form Thurfrcdesfeld looks like
the O. N. fern, name Thorfritha.
Tillington, adjoining Stafford on the N. D. Tillintone.
Tila was an A. S. p. n., of which the gen. form would be
Ttlan, giving Tilanlun Tilla's town. Till is now a family
name. Exs.: Tillington, Sussex ; Tillington, Herefordshire ;
Tillingham, Essex. I have before explained the tendency of
the gen. an to become ing.
Tipton. D. Tibintone; 13 c. Tibinton, Tybeton. Tiba,
Tibbe, was an A. S. fern. p. n. St. Tibbe or Tybba was the
patroness of hunting and hawking. ' When any noblemen
Jiave lost their hawkes,' writes John Rouse, of Warwick, '.or
154 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
cannot tame them, it is the custom to send waxen models to
the virgin St. Tybba, and they soon obtain their wish.' I do
not suggest that Tipton is named after St. Tibbe, but it is
possible. She died in 696, and Tipton, black as it is now,
was once a hunting country. Places are often named after
saints. We have Tilberlon in Gloucestershire, another in
Salop, another nr. Worcester, and another nr. Hereford,
Tibenham nr. Norwich, Tibthorpe in Yorkshire, Tibshtlf in
Derbyshire, and a Tipton in Devon.
Tirley Castle, h., on Tern river, adjoining Market Drayton.
D. Ttrelire, Tyrle, Tyrlegh, Tireleye. V. Tern. Here the
terminal has conserved the old river name without the
excrescent n, and we have ' the pasture on the Ter.'
Tittensor, h., 3^ m. NW. of Stone. D. Titesoure; 12 c.
Titesoura (u = v], Ti/nesovre; 1 3 c. Titneshovere. The terminal
is A. S. ofer, ofre (later ora}, a border, margin. The prefix is
certainly a p. n. ; I should say Tiia (pr. titta\ but the gen.
would be Titan, yielding Titanofre (or ora]. I cannot account
for the persistent s after (a double gen.). The name may
have been Tidwine, passing into Tiden and Tilin ; we should
then get Titenesofre, meaning Tidwine's border, i. e. the
boundary of his manor or land ; the exact name is uncertain.
V. Tittesworth.
Tittesworth, h., nr. Leek. 130. Teftesworih, Tetesworth.
Here we are free from the embarrassing n of Tittensor (q. v.).
Tele, Tetla, Tette, was an A. S. fern. p. n., and this is clearly
Tette's worth farm or estate (v. Worth). Exs.: Tetsworth
nr. Oxford ; Tetworth, Hunts ; Tetton, Cheshire ; Tatton,
Cheshire; Tatworth, Somersetshire. Tale, Te/e, Tetla, Tette,
are considered to be pet names. (This is not a fern. p. n.
on account of the gen. es. It is mas. Teot Teot's worth.
W. H. S.)
Tixall, 4 m. SE. of Stafford. D. Ticheshale (ch = K) ;
1 2 c. Tichesale, Tikeshale. Ticce (pr. ticK) was an A. S. p. n.,
probably a short form of ticcen, a kid. Titchbourn, Hantr,
TIRLEY CASTLE TRENT 155
was Ticceburn Ticce's brook; Ticknall, Derby, was Ticcen-
heal Ticce's meadow-land ; Titchfield, Hants, was Ticcenes-
feld (here the name was Ticcen followed by the gen. es)
Ticcen's field. The name abounds in A. S. charters and
in D. D. always spells it Tiche, but it has occasionally
bscome Tick and Tix. The meaning here is Ticce's hall
(p. Hale).
Tor, a local name in NE. Staffordshire, and plentiful in
the adjoining parts of Derbyshire, meaning a high or sharp
rock. It is rare in the Midlands, probably because rocks are
very scanty, but is common in Devonshire. It is an A. S.
word, also found in O. W. and I., and is our modern ' tower,'
used in a somewhat different sense.
Totmanslow, h., 2 m. SVV. of Cheadle. Totmanslow,
Staffordshire hundred. D. Tatemaneslau, Tateslaw ; 13 c.
Tatmondeslow, Tatemanlawe. Taimann was an A. S. p. n.,
meaning cheerful or joyous man ; but the meaning of the
pi. name is Tatmann's low (burial-mound) (v. Low).
Trent, river. 7 c. (Beda) Treonta; 10 c. Trent; A. S.
Chronicle Trent; D. Trent; 13 c. Trent. In the Academy for
April 28, 1883, Mr. Henry Bradley identifies Ptolemy's river
Trisanton with the river Arun, co. Sussex, the older name of
which was the 2'arent; and he suggests that another British
Trisantona is referred to in Tacitus, Annals, xii. c. 31, in the
corrupt passage 'cunctosque castris Antonam et Sabrinam
fluvios,' which he emends to cis Trisantonam, and identifies
with the Trent. In Celtic a consonant between vowels
always disappears, so that from Trisantona would arise
Triantona. In A. S. this would produce Treonte, gen.
Treon/an, which is actually the A. S. name of the Trent.
Mr. Bradley does not make any reference to the meaning of
Trisantona. Treated as a Latin word Trisantonam can only
be translated ' Three Santoni,' or ' Thrice Santonian,' the
Santoni being a Gaulish tribe settled in what is now the
Department of Charente-Infe'iieure. How that name can
156 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
be applicable to the Trent it is difficult to imagine. The
name, however, is probably not Latin, but an Old Celtic
form, and I think the root of Trent lies in some archaic
language, and its meaning has yet to be discovered.
Trentham, 5 m. NW. of Stone. D. Trenham; 12 c.
Trentham, frequently. Being situate on the Trent it takes
its name from the river (q. v.) the home on the Trent
(v. Ham).
Trescot, h., Trescot Grange, 4 m. SW. of Wolverhamp-
ton. 1006 Treselcoie. V. Trysull.
Tromelowe, farm, commonly called Rumbelows, in Wed-
nesfield parish, i\ m. N. of Wolverhampton. 13 c. Trome-
lowe ; 1 4 c. in the field of Thromelowe ; 1 5 c. Romylow ;
1 6 c. le Thromylowes. In pro a battle was fought at Wednes-
field between the Saxons and the Danes, in which the Saxons
gained the victory (A. S. Chronicle). Formerly there were
many burial-mounds around called Horselow, Ablow, North-
low, Southlow, the Low, the Little Low, Thrombelow, and
others, the names of which have been lost. I suggest that
the root is A. S. tntma, M. E. trume, irome, a legion, troop,
army, host, and hlaw, M. E. lowe, a burial-mound (v. Low)
the burial-mound of the army or host. There was a War-
wickshire D. hundred (obsolete) named Tremelau. (More
likely from the p. n. Truma, an unrecorded but regular form
of a name beginning with Trum, ' strong ' (/rum means
' squadron, battalion/ not an army, and is unlikely to occur
in local names). Rumbelow is probably from 'at Trume-
lowe.' W. H. S.)
Trysull, 5 m. SVV. of Wolverhampton. 984 and 1006
Tresel; D. Tres/ei; 12 c. Tresel. The name is pr. 'Treezle.'
1 suggest the root is W. /res/!, a trestle (from O. E.
W. H. S.). The word is not ' admitted ' to be A. S. ; but it
must have been, because, besides being in W., it is found
in M. E. as /res/el, /res/It's (plural), and /res/es. i J m. N.
of Trysull is Trescot (q. v.), anciently Treselcoie the trestle
TRENTHAM UTTOXE TER 157
cot ; probably because the cot was built trestle fashion. There
may have been some connexion between the two places as
the root is certainly the same. Places are often named from
some dwelling out of the common. Early household tables
commonly consisted of boards laid on movable ' trestles.'
There is no other Trysull in England.
Tunstal, h., in Adbaston. D. TunestaL Tunstall (Pot-
teries). 1322 Tunstal, later Dunsial. TUB stall, h., \\ m.
NW. of Wolverhampton. 1327 TunstaL V. Dunstall.
Tutbury. D. Toteberie ; 1 2 c. Stuteberie, frequently, Tutle-
buty, Tutebiri; 13 c. Tullesbiri, Tutesbury. The 6" in Stute-
berie is excrescent, a not uncommon addition to an intensive
prefix, e. g. s-queeze, from A. S. cwesan, to crush (v. Skeat's
Principles of Etymology, ist S. 381). It may therefore be
rejected. Tutbury Castle lies close to the church and town,
on a lofty mount commanding a wide prospect over the
valley of the Dove, and stands upon the boundary of Stafford-
shire and Derbyshire, which, in remote times, were probably
under separate rulers, occasionally at war. I think the
meaning of the name is ' the look-out, or watch, town '
(v. Tettenhall). (No. The forms have gen. es. It is from
a p. n. Tutt (cf. Tutta, which is recorded) ' Tutt's burgh.'
W. H. S.) But the earlier forms are without es.
Underbill, ancient estate in Bushbury, 3 m. N. of Wolver-
hampton. 1327 Thomas-under-the-hull, Richard Under hull;
1369 Thomas Undurhulle. The homestead lies at the foot of
Bushbury Hill M. E. hull The Underbills held the estate
till about 1617, when Sir Hercules Underbill sold it. It has
given name to a large and well-known South Staffordshire
family.
TTttoxeter. D. Wotocheshede; 12 c. Uttockeshedere, Ulukes-
here; 13 c. Huttokeshagh, Ottokeshather, Hottokesacre in con-
junction with Ottokeshather', 14 c. Utloxatre, Uitoxhaiher,
Uttoxeshather, Uttockc ester, Utcheter; 16 c. Utcester, Utseter,
158 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Uttecester, The D. terminal hedt must be read he/he, the d
representing, as usual in D., an A. S. th. It is A. S. hceth,
M. E. hather, hadder, helher, heath. The mediaeval terminals
all point to this. The cester, in some of the later terminals,
is probably a fancy of antiquarian scribes, as Uttoxeter never
had a castle, nor was it a Roman town. The gen. es in the
early forms points to a p. n. which I take to be Hwitluc.
There was no Wotoch. Whulluc, or Uttoc . (The c of the ter-
minal acre (13 c. form) must be read /, c and / being often
indistinguishable. W. H. S.) I have no doubt that the
meaning of the name is ' Hwittuc's heath.' Initial h before
w began to drop off or follow the w before the Conquest.
Uttoxeter was on the border of Needwood Forest, and heath
would be a likely terminal. D. has no other prefix Wotoch- ;
but it has a Witoch-, which probably also represents Hwittuc
(modern surname Whittuck and Whittock. W. H. S.).
Walk Mill, i \ m. S. of Cannock. Always Walk Mill.
This is a common name, especially in the N. It is from
A. S. wealcere, M. E. walker, a fuller of cloth, from the verb
zveolc, M. E. walke, to walk. Hence the p. names Walker
and Fuller. All ' Walk ' Mills have been, at some period,
cloth or fulling mills.
Wall, 2 m. SW. of Lichfield. 12 c. Walk; 13 c. Wall,
le Wai, le Walle. This is A. S. weal!, M.E. wal, walle, a
rampart of earth, or wall of stone. Wall is on Watling Street,
and on the site of the Roman city of Etocetum. The foun-
dations of Roman walls are still visible. There is a village
' Wall,' in Northumberland, close to the Roman Wall, and
a h. ' Wall/ i m. SW. of Leek, which in the 130. was ' Wal,'
and belonged to the Priory of Trentham. Mr. Henry
Bradley writes in the Academy for Oct. 30, 1886, and
Nov. 9, 1889, that the Roman name of Wall was Letocetum
(not Etocetum), a corrupt or latinized form, as he suggests, of
O. W. Luitcoet (Mod. W. Llwydcoed), ' city of the grey wood ' ;
WALK MILL WALTON 159
and he transfers the name to Lichfield, two miles off, but fails
to prove identity, and the evidence he adduces clearly points
to some place in Wales.
Wall Heath, h., in Kingswinford, 5 m. W. of Dudley.
1330 Kingswallhuth (huth = heihe\ Wall Heath in the year
1300 was on the bounds of Kinver Forest. A mile SW.
are ancient earthworks, frequently called 'walls.' V. Wall.
There is a very large entrenched fort called ' The Walls/ 7 m.
W. of Wolverhampton.
Walsall. 1004 Wahsho; later, same c., Waleshale; not
in D. ; 12 and 13 c. Walessale, Walsale, Waleshale. The
terminal ho, in A. S., means a hill, a projecting ridge, which
is appropriate to the situation of the church and ancient part
of the town. Some time in the 1 1 c. the terminal changed
to hale (q. v.). Wales is the gen. of Mercian walk, West-
Saxon wealh, a Welshman, and Walsall may be translated
' the hall of the Welshman, or stranger ' ; but Wales was also
a p. n., as it is a family name now ; it is more likely that we
ought to read it ' Wales' hall.' In the latter half of the 8 c.
' Wales prefectus ' witnesses charters relating to the abbey at
Worcester. Prefectus means a reeve, or person in authority,
and possibly he may have founded the first church here.
Many places owe their names to early benefactors. D. records
thirteen manors commencing Wales-.
Walton, h., in Stone ( m. S. of). 942 Waletune', D.
Waletone', 13 c. Waleion. There are over fifty Waltons in
England, besides many other places commencing Wai-, such
as Walworth, Walstead, Walwick, &c. D. records twenty-
three Waletone, fourteen Waltone, nine Waltune or Waltun,
thirteen Walecote, three Wales, seven Walesbi, and one Wales-
tun. Walton is a difficult name to construe, as wale was
a form of A. S. walk, wealh, a stranger, foreigner, and also
a p. n., and wal was a form of weall, a wall, rampart,
bank of earth or stone ; so that different Waltons may have
different meanings, and we can only be guided by early
160 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
forms or local knowledge. Where the possessive s is found
in the forms (it rarely is) we may assume the p. n.; but
Waletone \ should construe as ' the walled town/ meaning
an enclosure surrounded by a bank and ditch (field-like).
Occasionally the name might arise from the existence of
Roman remains, or from an ancient entrenchment, dyke, or
sea-wall.
Walton, h., 2 m. SE. of Eccleshall. D. Waletone.
Walton, h., in Gnosall. D. Waletone. Walton, h., in
Baswich. D. Walelone. V. Walton nr. Stone.
Warslow, h., in Alstonefield, 8 m. N. of Leek. D. Weres-
lie ; 1 300 Werselow. I assume the terminal to be low (q. v.),
a burial-mound, as the mediaeval and modern forms agree,
and there are tumuli hereabout. I think the prefix repre-
sents the p. n. Wcer, or possibly a short form of some name
of which it formed a stem, e.g. Wcerbald, Warburg, Warfrilh,
&c. I read it ' Waer's burial-mound.' The A. S. form should
be Wares-, which D., never using diphthongs, would write
Weres-.
Warton, h., 3 m. NE. of Newport. 1272 Waver tune.
Though only one form, and that rather late, we may safely
accept it. The change from Waver- to War- is regular.
Warton, nr. Polesworth in Warwickshire, is Wavre in D ,
having subsequently acquired the -ton. Woore in Salop is also
Wavre in D. Wavertree in Lancashire has preserved its form,
but is pr. ' Wartree.' Waverton in Cheshire (D. Wavretori)
has also maintained its form. The difficulty is the meaning
of Waver. There are three places named Wavre in Belgium,
a Waivre in Poland, and a Wavre in Switzerland. (It is O. E.
wafer meaning unknown. W. H. S.) PS. It has been
suggested that Wavre means the aspen poplar (Populus
tremula\ from its waving or wavering habit, and I think it
extremely likely, though unable to give any authority. Trees
left in the felling of a thick wood are called ' wavers.' The
A. S. form would be wafer, wafre. The dictionaries give
WALTON WATFORD GAP l6l
no such meaning to the word, but they are all imperfect.
Professor Skeat favours the suggested construction.
Warstone, h., in Hilton, 3 m. S. of Cannock. 994 Hdr~
sldn; 1300 Horeston. Warstone is a common name for
hamlets, and always found to have been originally Harstan.
The change to War- appears to have commenced in
the 1 6 c. The meaning of Hdr in A. S. is recorded as
' grey, hoary, old ' ; but it is clear from the use of the
word in A. S. charters that, whatever its original meaning
was, it came to mean, at an early period, ' boundary,' and
consequently all ' War-stones,' ' Hoar-stones,' and ' Whore-
stones ' will be found to be on ancient boundaries. There
are several huge boulders at Warstone, one of which is the
boundary stone between Hilton and Essington. (PS. The
H. E. D. is the first great authority to recognize ' Hoar/ in
pi. names, as meaning 'boundary.') V. Harborne.
Water Eaton, v. Eaton (Water).
Waterfall, 8 m. SE. of Leek. 13 and 14 c. Water/ale.
This is one of many places which owe their name to the
eccentricity of the river Hamps (one of the head waters of
the Dove), which, near the village, after flowing eight miles,
disappears into the limestone. V. Dove, and Hamps. There
is no other ' waterfall ' here.
Watford Gap, h., \\ m. S. of Shenstone, is situate on
cross-roads, an ancient way called Blake Street (q. v.) here
cutting the Birmingham and Lichfield road at right angles.
Immediately below the intersection Blake Street crosses
a stream. Gap is a M. E. word, apparently derived from
O. N., and means ' a breach in the continuity of anything, '
e. g. a hedge, wall, road. It is consequently applied to cross-
roads, and in the N. to the road itself, e. g. Scarfe Gap, Raise
Gap, Hunter's Gap. Watford is a difficult name to construe.
The terminal is plain ' ford ' (q. v.), but Wat has no meaning
in A. S., and is certainly a corrupt form, though Watford in
Berks, appears as Watford in a charter of 994. Watford in
M
l62 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Northamptonshire is recorded in D. as Watford and Wadford.
I think the probability is that Wat- represents the p. n. Wada,
which in gen. form would give Wadanford, Wada's ford.
This would certainly become Wadford or Watford (d and /
being often interchanged).
Watling Street. The A. S. forms are W&tlinga-strtzte
and Wcalling'strete. Occasionally it is found as Wcp.clinga-,
but the c is a mistake in the reading or copying for /,
those letters in A. S. being frequently indistinguishable. In
M. E. the forms are Watlinge-, Waltelinge-, and Watlinga-
(strete). I assume the correct form to be W&tlinga-strczt
(gen. pi.), and the translation is clearly 'the way of the
Wsetlingas, or sons of Wsetla.' Florence of Worcester
and Roger of Hoveden, who wrote in the 12 c., and
were doubtless thorough A. S. scholars, both write, under
the year 1013, of Watling Street as ' the road which
the sons of King Weatla made across England from the
eastern to the western sea.' That Waetla was a 'king' is
obviously no part of the translation, but mere imagination of
the writers, as no ' King ' Waetla ever reigned here, or else-
where as far as we know. Apparently the Romans gave no
distinctive names to any of their roads. Watling, Icenhilde,
Fosse, and Ermine streets, the names of the principal Roman
ways, are clearly of A. S. origin. An important element for
consideration is the fact that the name ' Watling Street ' is
borne not only by the great road from Dover to Wroxeter
nr. Shrewsbury, but by other Roman roads. In all published
A. S. charters ' Watling Street ' clearly refers to the road
between Dover and Wroxeter; but northern charters are
extremely rare. I believe that the Watlinga street mentioned
in the treaty between Alfred and Guthrum is not the Watling
Street now dealt with, but the Roman way at Huntingdon
now called Ermine Street, and that the treaty must be read
not up on Usan, ' upwards on the Ouse,' but ' upon the
Ouse,' i. e. down stream. The Ouse, upwards, would be an
WATLING STREET 163
improbable boundary, eating by tortuous courses into the
very heart of Mercia, whilst down stream it would form
a good one, and a sensible Danelagh. That treaty is only
known to us by late fragmentary copies, and its verbiage
cannot be trusted. We have no direct evidence as to
the A. S. name of the Northern Watling Street, but the
Boldon Book of Durham (through which county that road
passes) in 1183 records a tenant as Watlingus (the latinized
form of Watling), which shows that the name was then
known in the county. Leland in his Itinerary (circa 1538)
says (i. 30) : ' Ancaster ' (8 m. N. of Grantham on what is
now called Ermine Street) 'stondith on Wateling, as in the
highway to Lincoln.' At p. 35 he calls the Roman way from
Lincoln to Doncaster Waiheling Streat it is now Tilbridge
Lane. At p. 46 he writes : ' Wateling Streate lyith straite
over Castleford bridge. ... I never saw yn any parte of
England so manifest tokens as heere of the large high crest
of the way of Watelinge Streate made by hand. . . . Aber-
ford is a poore thoroughfare on Wateling Streate! At p. 101
he says : ' The Toune (Boroughbridge) is but a bare thing ;
it stondith on Watelinge Streate! At p. 105 he speaks of
Wetherby and Brotherton as being on Watheling Streat',
and (viii. 69 b) he gives the way and distances on Watlynge-
strete from Boroughbridge to Carlisle, via Catterick, Leeming,
Greta, Bowes, Stanmore, Appleby, and Penrith. He no-
where recognizes ' Ermine ' Street. Now the road is marked
on the Ordnance map, in parts, ' Ermine Street,' ' Roman
road,' and 'Watling Street.' Lambard (Description of
England and Wales), circa 1570, says: 'The way toward
Yorke, lyinge beyond Stylton, is at this day called Watling-
strete of the common people.' Norden (Speculum Bri-
tanniae, 1595, ed. 1723, p. 3), under Hertfordshire, calls the
present Ermine Street on its way through the hundred of
Oddesey, S. of Royston, ' Old Watline Street.' In Speed's
Map of Huntingdonshire, 1610, the street S. of Castor, 5 m.
M 2
164 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
W. of Peterborough, is marked ' Ermin Street ' ; but north-
wards ' the Roman way called Watling Street, or Forty-foot
way.' Stukeley in his Itinerary, circa 1723, calls the same
road, S. of York, 'Hermen Street,' and he says (p. in) the
name Watling Street ' became almost the common appellative
of such Roman roads.' Speed's Map of Hunts, 1610, marks
the passage of the Nen at Wansford, 6 m. S. of Stamford on
the Great North Road, as ' Watlingford,' and so does Blome's
Map of Hunts, 1673. Horsley (Brit. Rom.), circa 1730, says :
' The country people near Wroxeter in Shropshire give the
name of Watling Street to the military way which goes
through the middle of that county . . . toward Kenchester.
. . . The same name is also given (as far as I could learn)
to all the military ways in Scotland. The vulgar call the
military way from Cataract Bridge to Carlisle, through
Westmoreland and Cumberland, Mitchell (Michael) Scott's
Causeway; as they do also that which is called Watling
Street in the county of Durham.' In Armstrong's Map of
Northumberland, 1769 (from actual survey), the Roman way,
between Ebchester, Corbridge, and the Roman Wall, is
marked ' Watling Street,' and that portion running NW.
from the Wall into Roxburghshire, also ' Watling Street.'
A great Roman way running almost due N. and S. through
Northumberland, passing 2^ m. E. of Wooler and the same
distance W. of Berwick, is marked ' Watling Street or Devil's
Causeway.' D., under Norfolk, records a manor, Wallingseta,
in the half hundred of Dice (Diss). This I take to mean
' Watling folk.' I cannot identify this manor ; but it is
curious that a Roman way (apparently to Norwich) passes
two miles E. of Diss. Watlington in Oxfordshire, 6 m. NE.
of Wallingford, in A. S. charters appears as Waclinciune,
Hw&tlinga tune, Wcetlinctune, Wcetlinglune, and in D. as
Watelinlone. It lies upon an Icknield Street, which I take to
be pre-Romau, leading apparently from Avebury, in Wilt-
shire, into NE. Norfolk, the country of the Iceni. It is, for
WATLING STREET 165
long distances together, a most impressive highway, and
a thousand years ago was probably more so. There is
a Watlington in Norfolk, 6 m. S. of King's Lynn, which
I cannot trace in D., or the Liber Eliensis, or any early
charter. It lies on a road not identified as Roman. Wat-
lington in Sussex, 2 m. NE. of Battle, D. Waitinglone, lies
between two roads i \ m. apart, not supposed to be Roman,
but undoubtedly ancient. D. also records a Waielintune, in
Berks., which I cannot identify. I think it may be taken as
proved that ' Watling Street ' is a generic name, and means
1 the way of the sons of Waetla/ (Inga in the forms is the gen.
pi. of ing, ' sons or descendants of,' equivalent to the Scotch
' Mac,' and Irish ' O.') But who was Waetla ? We have no
record of him. We know, however, that the Milky Way is,
by old writers, frequently called Watling Street. Chaucer
says:
' Now, quod he thoo, cast up thine eye,
See yonder loo, the galoxie,
Which men clepeth the milky weye,
For it is white : and some parfeye,
Callen hyt Watlyng strete?
The Complaint of Scotland, a Scottish work, 1549 (E. E. T. S.
58), speaks of the Milky Way as being called by mariners
Vatlant (Watling) streit, and Douglas' Virgil, 85, again
terms the Milky Way Walling str etc. Many nations have
associated the Milky Way with the idea of a road. The
Welsh know it as Hynt St. lalm, St. James' way, and Livybr-
y-gwynt and Heol-y-gwynt t the path or way of the wind.
The Italians named it 'the holy street to Loretto,' the
Spaniards ' the road to St. lago,' and Mahommedans ' the
Hadji's way.' I suggest that Wcetla is the name of some un-
recorded mythical hero of the Saxons before their arrival
here; that the Milky Way was then known to them as
' Watling Street,' and they transferred the name to the great
roads which they must have regarded with astonishment.
166 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
Horsley, who travelled much upon the Roman roads in
the beginning of the 18 c., frequently speaks of their
' grand ' and ' magnificent ' appearance ' for miles together.'
This Watling Street, where it has not been contracted or
modernized say between Weedon and High Cross is
still a most noble and impressive work. It is common to
all nations to attribute works or natural objects incom-
prehensible to them to their gods, heroes, or other super-
natural agency. A cromlech on the Icknield Street in
Berkshire, now commonly called ' Wayland Smith's Cave,'
appears as ' Welandes smithy ' in an A. S. charter, Weland
being the Teutonic Vulcan. The mysterious ditch Wansdyke
(A. S. Wodnesdtc) is so named after their deity Woden.
Grim's Dyke, Grim's Ditch, Grimspound, probably have their
root in A. S. grima, a spectre, goblin. The Ermine Street,
I think, is so named after Eorman, the celebrated King of the
Ostrogoths. Later generations have conferred on similar
objects such names as the Giant's Causeway, the Devil's
Causeway, the Devil's Highway (both Roman roads), the
Devil's Arrows, the Devil's Bellows, the Devil's Bridge, the
Devil's Punchbowl, &c. Part of the constellation Ursa
Major was known by the Saxons in heathen times as ' Woden's
way,' and subsequently as Carles-wcegen, Charles' Wain
(wagon), after Charles the Great (Charlemagne).
Since writing this I find that Jacob Grimm (Teutonic
Mythology, translated by Stallybrass) arrived at the same
conclusion. He writes (i. 356-7) : ' Now it is not un-
important that one of the highways, Waetlinga Straet, is at
the same time translated to the sky, and gets to look quite
mythical. A plain enough road ... is the Milky Way in the
heavens, i. e. it is travelled by the car of some heathen god.
. . . Waetlinga is plainly a genitive plural ; who the Waetlings
were, and how they came to give their name to an earthly
and a heavenly street, we do not know. . . . Among other
nations also fancy and fable have let the names of earthly
WATLING STREET 167
and heavenly roads run into one another.' Rydberg (Teutonic
Mythology, Anderson's translation, 647) writes: 'The
Watlings, after whom the Milky Way is named, are descen-
dants of Vate-Vada, Volund's father.' At 667 he says :
' The name Irung, Iring, as a synonym of Gjuke, is of im-
portance from a mythological point of view. Widukind of
Corvei (about the year 950) tells us in ch. 13 of his Saxon
Chronicle that the Milky Way is designated by Iring's
name even to this day. Just previously he had mentioned
a Saxon warrior by this name, whom he believes to have
been the cause of this appellation. . . . According to A. S.
glossaries, the Milky Way is called " Iringes weg." With
this we should compare the statements made above, that the
Milky W'ay among the Teutonic population of England was
called the way of the Watlings (that is, the descendants of
Vate, i. e. Ivalde). Both statements harmonize. In the one
it is the descendants of Ivalde in general, in the other it is
Slagfin-Iring whose name is connected with the Milky Way.
Thus Slagfin, like Volund and Orvandel-Egil, was a star-
hero.' At 670 he writes: 'Gjuke and Hjuke are therefore
names borne by one and the same person, by Slagfin the
Niflung, who is the progenitor of the Gjukungo. They also
look like analogous formations from different roots. This
also gives us the explanation of the name of the Asgard
bridge, Bilrost, "Bil's way." The Milky Way is Bil-Idun's
way, just as it is her brother Hjuke's ; for we have already
seen that the Milky Way is called Irung's way, and that
Irung is a synonym of Slagfin-Gjuke. Bil travelled the
shining way when she was taken up to Asgard as an asynje.
Slagfin travelled it as Balder's and Hoder's foster-brother.
If we now add that the same way was travelled by Svipdag
when he sought and found Freyja in Asgard, and by Thjasse-
Volund's daughter, Skade, when she demanded from the
gods a ransom for the slaying of her father, then we find here
no less than four descendants of Ivalde who have travelled
168 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
over the Milky Way to Asgard; and as Volund's father
among his numerous names also bore that of Vate-Vada,
then this explains how the Milky Way came to be called
Watling Street in the Old English literature, and thus
Vigfusson's opinion that the Asgard bridge is identical with
the Milky Way is correct/ Rydberg's Vote- Vada, or Ivalde,
and Walla are synonyms, and Slagfin-Irung, Volund or
Weland, and Orvandel-Egil were his sons ; hence by legend
and saga their names were associated with the Milky Way,
and, transferred from Norse to Saxon, crossed to England,
and took root here both in heavenly and earthly ' ways.'
Wednesbury. A.S. Chronicle Wodnesbeorge, Wodnesbeorh,
Wodnesbyri '; D. Wadnesberie ; 12 c. Wodnesbyrg, Wodenes-
beorh, Wodnesben, Wodnesbeorh, that is Woden s Mount. This
is the p. n. Woden (gen. Wodnes) and beorh (dat. beorge\
a hill, mount ' Woden's hill.' Woden was one of the
principal deities of the Saxons. I thought, at one time, that
the name might also have been borne by ordinary mortals ;
but having been unable to discover a single instance of its
use, I have arrived at the conclusion that the god is referred
to. Grimm (Teutonic Mythology) says that the Saxons
named their children after their mythological heroes, but not
after their gods. Wednesbury stands on a conspicuous
somewhat conical hill, on which, it is said, a temple to
Woden formerly stood. That is probably true, but there is
no evidence of it beyond his name. Cf. Wednesfield, the
Wansdyke ( Wodnesdic], and Wensley in Derbyshire, anciently
Wedneslegh. In Germany, where Woden took the form of
Woalan, Wuotan, Wodan. and in Scandinavia, where the form
was Odin, the name forms the prefix to several pi. names.
The battles referred to in the A. S. Chronicle, under the year
592, when ' there was a great slaughter in Britain and Ceaw-
lin was driven out,' and under 715, when 'Ina and Ceolred
fought,' were certainly waged at Wednesbury, though old
writers imperfectly acquainted with local etymology, followed
WEDNESBURY WERGS (THE) l6g
blindly by modern historians, have laid the scene of both
engagements at Wanborough in Wilts, (v. Preface, vii).
Wednesfleld, 3 m. E. of Wolverhampton. 994 Wodnes-
feld;T).Wodnesfeld. ' Woden's field.' V. Wednesbury. In 910
a battle was fought here between the Saxons and the Danes,
in which the Saxons were victors. The A. S. Chronicle re-
cords it as being fought at Tettenhall (Teotanheale), 2 m. NW.
Weeford, 4 m. SE. of Lichfield. D. Weforde ; 1 2 c. We-
ford; 13 c. Weford. Weeford lies on Watling Street, which
here crosses a small tributary of Blackbrook. The terminal
is clearly A. S.ford, a ford (q. v.). If the name was M. E. the
prefix might be construed wee, little, small ; but being in D.,
it is clearly A. S., and we have no evidence that -wee was an
A. S. word; it is supposed to have been introduced by the
Danes. It might be suggested that the prefix represents
A. S. weg (g =_^), a way, road ; but then the forms ought to
give us Wetford, and the modern form should be Wqyford.
The wee may represent A. S. wad, a shallow ford, but without
earlier forms it is only guess.
Weeping Cross, 2 m. SE. of Stafford, at the junction of
the great London and NW. road with the road from Bir-
mingham and Walsall, marks the site of one of the crosses
or stations which, before the Reformation, were as common
on our highways as they are still in Roman Catholic coun-
tries, and where the pious or penitent offered their devotions.
'To come home by Weeping Cross' means to repent, to
grieve.
Wergs (The), h., 3 m. NW. of Wolverhampton. 13 c.
Wylheges ; 1 4 c. Withegis, Wytheges, Wtlhegges, Wyrges.
M. E. withi, withthe, and hegges the withy hedges. In early
times hedges were very rudely made, a ditch and bank with
a dead fence upon it being customary. A live thorn-fence
was practically unknown. Here some early squatter probably
fenced his land with withy (sallow). There is a field called
'The Wergs' in Coton Clanford, and in 1636 there were,
1 70 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
and probably still are, two fields, on separate farms, in
Weston-under-Lizard bearing the same name.
Westbromwich, v. Bromwich (West).
Weston, h., in Standon, 6 m. S. of Stoke. D. Westone.
A. S. West-tun West town. D. records sixty-five Westone
and Westune.
Weston Coyney, h., in Caverswall, 5 m. W. of Cheadle.
D. Westone. V. Weston. Coyney is a M. E. addition, the
Coyneys (rightly Coignet) being Norman lords.
Weston Jones, h., in Norbury, 3 m. NE. of Newport.
140. Weston J hones, Weston Jones. V. Weston. Jones was
probably a local landowner, and his name added to distinguish
the place from other Westons.
Weston-under-Lizard, 7 m. SE. of Newport. D. Wes-
fone. 14 c. Weslon-under-Brewode, Weston-under-Lusyerd;
\$c.Weston-sublus-Luceyord. V. Weston. The village lies
2 m. NE. of Lizard Hill, a conspicuous eminence. Lizard
appears in a forged A. S. Peterborough charter (probably
post-Conquest) asJLusgerd; 12 c. Luseiard', 13 c. Lusyard
(frequently), which I should read as M. E. Luce-geard, a fish-
yard (i. e. a fish-pond or stew), from O. F. /us, fish.
Weston-on-Trent, 6 m. NE. of Stafford. 1004 Weslun;
D. Westone. V. Weston.
Wetmoor, h., 2 m. NE. of Burton, n c. Withmere,
Wiimere, Wihtmere\ D. Wiimere; 13 and 14 c. regularly,
Withmere. In the n c. charter the bounds of Wetmoor
commence jiLrsi of Trente war tha theofes hangaih, ' first
from Trent where the thieves hang.' The locality is, or was
until lately, known as Gallows Flat, and Gallows Lane. This
is clearly 'withy mere' (pool). The place lies on Trent
side.
Wheaten Aston, 5 m. W. of Penkridge; an ancient
village, though not mentioned in D. 12 c. Estone; 1327
AS/OH; 1362 Wheione Aston. Aston means East-town (v.
Aston). Wheaten is M. E. whefen, wheaten. Probably it was
WESTBROMWICH W1CHNOR tjl
a wheat-growing locality in the 14 c., and a second name
was wanted to distinguish it from other Astons. Wheat- is
the prefix to many pi. names. The A. S. form was hwate ;
the h shifted in late M. E., and it became whete, later wheat.
Whiston, h., 2 m. W. of Penkridge. 1004 Witestun;
nc. Witestone; D. Witestone. Wita was an A. S. p. n., and
the possessive s of the forms points to a p. n. It is fre-
quently written Wite in A. S. charters, and we may translate
this ' Wile's town.'
Whiston, h., in Kingsley, 2\ m. N. of Cheadle. D. Wites-
tone ' Wite's town.' V. Whiston nr. Penkridge.
Whitgreave, h., 4 m. NW. of Stafford. 12 and 13 c.
Whilegrave, Whttegreve, Witegreve, Wytgreve. A. S. hwit-
grcefa, M. E. whit-greve White thicket or grove.
Whitmore, 4^ m. SW. of Newcastle. D. Wiiemore;
1242 Wytemore-under-Lyme. A. S. hwll-mor, M. E. whit, wite,
mor, more White moor. (Perhaps p. n. Wita, from the
absence of h in the early forms. W. H. S.)
Whittington, 3 m. E. of Lichfield. 925 Hwilantone,
Hwituntune\ 14 c. Whytynton. Hwita was an A. S. p. n. to
which n would be the gen. addition, giving us Hwita's town,
and a clear example of a gen. form passing into ing. (It
may be ' Whiiestone,' since the dative of the weak declension,
which is generally used in local names and is a mark of great
antiquily, was hwitan. W. H. S.) An A. S. inLial Hw
regularly becomes Wh in M. E.
Whittington, h., 4 m. S W. of Stourbridge. 1 3 c. Whytyn-
ion, Whitenton. The forms here are not so early or clear as
in Whitlinglon nr. Lichfield, but I construe them alike
' Wita's town.'
Wichnor, 6\ m. NE. of Lichfield. u c. Hwiccenofre,
D. Wicenore ; 1 2 c. Whichnore, Wytchnor ; 1 3 c. Wycchenore,
Wychenovere. The terminal is clearly A. S. ofre, 5/er, edge,
margin, bank (of river). Wichnor is on a bank sloping
to the Trent. The prefixes in the forms would all be
172 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
pr. 'wich,' and the is the correct gen. addition. If
Hwicce had been an A. S. p. n. I should read the forms
as ' Hwicce's bank ' ; but I can find no satisfactory record
of such a name. A Bishop of Lichfield (circa 737) is
recorded by Simeon of Durham, who wrote circa 1120, as
Hwicca ; but contemporary charters describe him as Hwiia,
and as the / and c in A. S. are often indistinguishable,
the presumption is that Simeon, or his transcribers, made
a mistake. Assuming therefore that Hwicce is not a p. n.
we find that in A. S. it means ' a chest, box, coffer.' In M. E.
it becomes whyche and huche, and in Mod. Eng. hutch. We
may therefore read Wichnor as 'the bank of the chest or
hutch/ A. S. ceste (c = ch) means a chest, coffin, sarco-
phagus, but I cannot find any authority for saying that
hwicce had these extended meanings. V. Seighford. Hwicce
was the name of a province comprising Gloucestershire,
Worcestershire, and part of Warwickshire, the people of which
were called Hwiccas, Hwiccii, &c., whence, directly or in-
directly, I think we get the word wich in connexion with
salt towns, as in "Droiiwich, Nant70/irA, ShideyttvirA, Northztf/rA,
Middlew/rA, &c. Wich certainly came to mean a brine
spring, and I translate Hwiccas as ' salt people.' Wychwood,
in Oxfordshire, formerly belonged to the bishops of the
Hwiccii, and certainly derives its prefix from them. It is
not impossible that some of these people migrated up or
down Trent, and, settling at Wichnor, gave their name to
it. But the meaning must, for the present, be considered
unsettled.
Wicken, a local name in N. Staffs. It is common in
Yorkshire and the N. of England, and occasional in Cheshire
and Salop, but unknown in S. Staffs. It is a dialectic word
(origin unknown) for the mountain ash, also known in the
N. as the rowan-tree. The name is sometimes found as
Quicken and Wiggin.
Wigginton, 2\ m. N. of Tamworth. n c. Wicgintun;
? Wc
V PC
WICKEN WOLSELEY 173
D. Wigetone. Wicga was a common A. S. p. n., and I read
this as 'Wicga's town' (v. Ton). The correct A.S. form would
be Wicganlun. It is curious that all pi. names commencing
Wig have stopped at an, en, or /', never passing into ing, as
so common with the gen. and dat. forms of strong nouns.
"Wightwick, h., 3m. W. of Wolverhampton. D. Wistewic ;
13 c. Wystewyk, Wytewyk. The terminal is clearly A.S. wic,
a village, and one is disposed to read the prefix as represent-
ing A. S. west west village ; but wist or wyst do not appear
ever to have been forms of west. (No. From modern form it
is evident that st represents ht, and therefore an O. E. Wihtan-
wic or Wihtes-wic = Wihta's or Wiht's village. W. H. S.)
Wilbrighton, h., in Gnosall. D. Wilbresione ; 13 c.
Wylbricton. A. S. p. n. Wilbriht 1 Wilbriht's town ' (v. Ton).
Willenhall, 3 m. W. of Walsall. Ethelbald, King of the
Mercians, about 732 tests two charters at Willanhalch
(Cart. Sax. 149, 150), which I assume to be this Willenhall
(there is another Willenhall in Coventry); 996 Willan-
hale ; D. Winehala, Winenhale ; 1 2 c. Willenhal, Willenhale.
The first form is perfect A. S. for ' the meadow-land of
Willa.' Hatch is the dat. form of healh (v. Hale). D. has
blundered.
Wilmington, h., in Mucklestone, 4 m. E. of Market
Drayton. D. Wennitone. Wenni was an A. S. p. n., and I
should think this was Wenni's town. If so the correct A. S.
form would be Wennintun, and D. is very near it.
Wobaston, ancient farm in Bushbury, 3 m. N. of Wolver-
hampton. 1227 Wibaldesiun; 1327 Wybaston. The first
form is perfectly correct, and gives us ' Wibald's town/ Wibald
being a short form of Wigbeald, bold in battle. V. Ton.
Wolgarston, ancient farm in Penkridge. D. Turgares-
tone; 12 c. Wulgarestone. There is some error in the D.
form. The meaning is clearly ' Wulfgar's town.'
Wolseley, h. and hall, 2 m. NW. of Rugeley. D. Ulslei;
12 c. Wulfsiesley, Wulfsitsleg, frequently; 13 c. Wulseleye.
174 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
D. never uses Wu, but always writes it U or W. This is
clearly ' Wulfsige's lea ' (v. Ley). The name frequently appears
as Wulfsi. It means 'victorious wolf.' The Wolseleys of
Wolseley are lineal descendants of the Saxon possessor.
Wolstanton. D. Wislanetone ; 1198 Wuhtanestone. Here
the 12 c. form, coupled with the modern one, is preferable
to D. ; indeed most 1 2 c. forms are. It gives us ' Wulfstan's
town ' (v. Ton). If the D. form was accepted it would be
' Wigstan's town.' Wigstan frequently appears as Wistan,
even before the Conquest.
Wolverhampton. 985 Heantune (charter of Ethelred,
Cod. Dip. 650, clearly identified with Wolverhampton by
Wulfrun being mentioned in it, and Trysull, Trescote, and
Bilston also referred to) ; 994 Hamiun, Hantone (charter of
Wulfrun, only a corrupt copy of which remains); 1006
Heantun (Will of Wulfgate of Donnington nr. Albrigh-
ton) ; D. Hantone, Handone \ Worcestershire D. Wrehanton?,
Wrehantune', 12 c. Wulfrunehanton, Wulfrunhamtun, Wol-
verenehamplon, Wolvernhampton ; 13 c., commonly, Wolvern-
hampton. This is an interesting example of the value of
early forms and of the progress of corruption and mediaeval
addition. It is clear that the original name was Heantun
High town. D. confirms this, Hean in D. always being
represented by Han. The Wre in the Worcestershire D.
doubtless represents ' Wulfrun,' or as much of that name as
the scribe could master, the Normans abhorring Wu. Wul-
frun was a lady of rank who in 994 gave great possessions
to the church at Wolverhampton, and it is clear that soon
afterwards her name was prefixed for distinction. The
passage from Wulfrun to Wolverene-, Wolverne-, and Waiver-,
is in accordance with phonetic law. In my opinion many
Hamptons have been originally Heantun, but D., invariably
writing Han- for Hean-, has changed the form. Hampton
Lucy, in Warwickshire, was Heamtun in 1062; Hampton-
on-the-hill, nr. Warwick, is Hantone in D., and so is Hampton-
WOLSTANTON WOOTTON 175
in-Arden, Dugdale, no mean authority, writing ' from hean,
high, corrupted to ham! Hampton Gay, in Oxfordshire,
was Heantun in 958. The p in -hampton is excrescent, and
the natural result of accent falling on m. Wolverhampton
stands on high table-land.
Wombourne, 5 m. S\V. of Wolverhampton. D. Wam-
burne; 12 c. Wamburne; 13 c. Wombeburne, Wamburn. The
terminal is A. S. burne, a brook. I suggest that the prefix is
A. S. and M. E. wambe, wombe, ' belly, womb,' here used in
the sense of 'hollow.' In Cod. Dip. 559, the charter,
describing a boundary, says (translated) : ' Along the hedge-
row; then to Ondoncilles wombe,' and Kemble translates
this ' a womb or hollow.' The original meaning of ' belly '
was a bag, and ' bellows ' is only a plural form of the word.
If a seam of coal dips and rises again we 'say it 'bellies.'
The Cent. Diet, gives as one of the meanings of womb,
'any large or deep cavity that receives or contains any-
thing,' and Shakespeare speaks of 'the fatal cannon's
womb.'' Wombridge in Salop, and Wombwell in Yorkshire,
may be examples of the use of the word in the sense
suggested. I think we shall be right in construing Worn-
bourne as ' the brook in the hollow ' ; its situation quite
accords with that construction.
Woollaston, h., 7 m. SW. of Stafford. D. Ullavesione ;
1 3 c. Wolaston, Wollaston. D. never uses Wu, always spelling
Wulf Wl or Ul. We have here clearly 'Wulflaf's town'
(v. Ton). Before the Conquest the name sometimes appears
as Wullaf.
"Wootton, h., i^ m. S. of Eccleshall. D. Wodetone. A. S.
Wudutun, M. E. Wodetone Wood town (v. Ton). At the
time of D. the manor belonged to the king, and was * waste.'
Eyton (Staffordshire D. Studies) identifies this place with
Wodestone; but he is wrong: that manor was in Offlow
hundred; this is in Pirehill. And he identifies Wootton-
under- Weaver, 5 m. E. of Ashbourne, with this Wootton ; and
176 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
again he is wrong, as Wootton-under- Weaver is in Totmans-
low hundred. The D. manor of Wodeslone, in Offlow, has
yet to be ' discovered.' Most if not all ' Woottons/ if traced
to the original form, would probably prove to be ' Wood
town.' The common A. S. forms are Wudulun, Wudatun,
Wudeiun ; but a Wodestone (having the possessive s) I should
translate ' Wuda's town.'
Wordsley, h., in Kingswinford, 2 m. NW. of Stourbridge.
12 c. Wuluarde slea ; 13 c. Wolwardele. A. S. p. n. Wulf-
weard ' Wulfweard's lea ' (v. Ley). Wulf t wolf, plays a great
part in A. S. p. names.
Worstead Hall, Delves Green, 2 m. S. of Walsall, an
old farm. 15 c. Walstodc, Walslead, Walstede, the name
of a yeoman family living here for several generations in the
15, 1 6, and 170. The original name was A. S. Wealhstod,
A large number of our family names are corrupt forms of
A. S. p. names.
Worston, h., 5 m. NW. of Stafford. 13 and 14 c.
Wiveleston, Wyverstone, Wyfridestone, Worses/one. A. S. p. n.
Wifel (gen. Wifles) ' Wifel's town ' (v. Ton). Wiveliscombe,
in Devon, is ' Wifel's valley.' This example shows that words,
like most things, generally take the least line of resistance.
Wrinehill, h., in Madeley Manor, 5 m. W. of Newcastle.
975 Wriman ford; 14 c. Wryme; 15 and 16 c. Wrymhill,
Wryme hull. The an here is the gen. form of Wrim, and
gives us Wrim's ford. I am not sure that Wrim was an
A. S. p. n., as I have only met with it in this form, but I think
it was, it being a Teutonic name.
Wrottesley, h., 4 m. NW. of Wolverhampton. D. Wro-
tolei\ 12 c. Wrotelei, Wroteslea, Wrolesleg, Wrotleshy. I think
it probable the original name was Wrotesky, and the posses-
sive s points to a p. n. Though I have never met with Wrot
in that sense, I think it must have been a name, as in A. S. it
means a snout, trunk (of elephant, &c.), and was a likely
name to be conferred upon a man with a remarkable nose.
WORDSLEY YOXALL 1 77
I think it must be ' Wrot's lea ' (v. Ley). 1 can make nothing
else of it.
Wyrley (Great), 6 m. N. of Walsall. Wyrley (Little),
h., in Norton Canes, 5 m. N. of Walsall. D. Wireleia \ 1 2 c.
Wirlege; 13 c. Wirley, Wyrle. I think this is A. S. wir
and ley (q. v.) the lea of the myrtle. In A. S. wir and
gagel are synonyms for myrtle (Myrica Gale) ; but the
latter word was more commonly used, and I have not
met with wir in M. E., or in any dialectic form. The
greater part of Wyrley is low-lying land, on which the wild
myrtle would be likely to flourish before enclosure. It lay
in the hay of Cheslyn, in Cannock Forest. V. Gailey Hay,
which lies 2 m. W. Wirrall, in Cheshire, the low-lying
peninsula between the Mersey and the Dee, has probably
a similar origin.
Yarlett, 4^ m. N. of Stafford. D. Erlide; 12 c. Erlide \
13 c. Erlide, Erlyde, Herlide; 14 c. JErlede, Erlide; 15 c.
Erlid ; 1 6 c. Erlid, Yerlett. This is the only Erlide recorded
in D. It may have been A. S. geardlyt (g =y), little yard
(or enclosure) ; but one would expect the initial Y to appear
earlier in the forms. The accent falling distinctly on the
final / would squeeze out the d in geardlyt.
Yarnfleld, h., 2 m. W. of Norton Bridge. 1266 Ernefeld\
1327 Erne/en; 1379 Erne/en; 16 c. Yernfyn, Yarnefylde.
The terminal appears to have oscillated for a time between
' field ' and ' fen,' and finally to have settled down to ' field.'
I think the prefix must have been A. S. gearn (g =_y), M. E.
yarn, meaning, originally, thread of any kind spun from natural
fibres, vegetable, animal, or mineral. Probably, in primitive
times, the ' field ' or ' fen ' produced a vegetable of which a
rude ' yarn ' was made. Yarnfield, in Somersetshire, appears
to have had this origin, as D. records it Gernfelk.
Yoxall, 7 m. NE. of Lichfield. D. Locheshale; 13 c.
Yoxhal, Yoxhale, Joke sal \ 14 c. Yokes hale, Joxhale. The
N
178 STAFFORDSHIRE PLACE NAMES
D. scribe probably intended to write locheshak. The letters
L and 7, in D., are so much alike as to be easily mistaken
by a transcriber, and D. is a transcript. The same mistake
is made in Yockleton, Salop, which D. records as Loclthuile
(recte Geochult). The initial J in two of the forms must
be read /, a mediaeval J being merely I with a long tail. In
A. S. geoc, gioc, later toe, M.E. yok, mean a yoke, a yoke
of oxen, and also a measure of land. It is in the last sense
that we must construe Yoxall. Kyoke was ' as much land as
might be plowed by a pair of oxen in a day.' The word is
used in charters as descriptive of quantity ; e. g. ' Now of the
land which I give to the convent there are sixteen yokes
(gioc) of arable land and meadow' (Cod. Dip. 417). G
before e becomes^, a&geoc, toe, yok, yoke. The word is often
found in connexion with pi. names in A. S. charters, e. g.
Geocham (Cod. Dip. 477), Geocburne(\&. 1250), Geochangran
(id. 1235), the prefixes all meaning and becoming yoke.
Yoxford in Suffolk is Gokesford in D., the prefix represent-
ing an original geoc. The terminal here is clearly hale (q. v.),
and, having regard to the prefix, I translate it ' meadow
or pasture.' A yokelet is given in Jacob's Law Dictionary,
1784, as ' a little farm, so called from its requiring but &yoke
of oxen to till it.' Yoxall lay in Needwood, and probably
owes its name to some early squatter who carved his little
farm out of the Forest.
OXFORD : HOKACE HART
PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY
DA Duignan, William Henry
670 Notes on Staffordshire place
S7D9 names
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