The Sheffield Indexers - Probably Meantings of Old Place Names In And Around Sheffield

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PROBABLE MEANINGS OF
Old Place Names In and Around Sheffield

Plus origins of the first settlements from “The Ancient Suburbs of Sheffield”

By J. Edward Vickers ~Published 1871 by J.E.V. Publications, Sheffield

Village Origins

ANGLO-SAXON VILLAGES

VIKING VILLAGES

Attercliffe

Longley

Crookes

Bramley

Magathay

Grimesthorpe

Brightside

Norton

Hackenthorpe

Brincliffe

Owlerton

High Storrs

Cinderhill

Shirecliffe

Jordanthorpe

Darnall

Shiregreen

Osgathorpe

Dore

Southey

Ranmoor

Fulwood

Tinsley

Skinnerthorpe

Gleadless

Totley

Upperthorpe

Handsworth

Wadsley

Heeley

Walkley

Hurlfield

Woodseats

Place Names & Probable Meanings

Area Name

Probable Meaning

ABBEYDALE

The dale of the Abbey (Beauchief)

ATTERCLIFFE

The village at the cliff, which was probably at the bend in the River Don where Christ Church used to be until it was bombed in WW2. Aterclive in the Doomsday Book

BANNER CROSS

From the old French word Baneur meaning a standard bearer. At the time of Elizabeth I it was known as the Banner Field.

BEAUCHIEF

Name given by Norman Monks to the place they built their abbey – means beautiful headland.

BELL HAGG

From old Norse – Bale or Belle Hagi meaning a fire common.

BIRLEY SPA

Named after a spring of mineral water that was found very beneficial to health

BRIGHTSIDE

Brik’s ploughed land. Also variously called Brekesherth and Brixard

BURNGREAVE

Burn – a stream, Greave – a grove

CARBROOK

- a water meadow or marshy field next to a stream. Celtic or Saxon origin.

CARTERKNOWLE

Originally Carter-Knoll – a hill named after the Carter family

CROOKES

From the old Norse Krkor meaning a nook or corner of land

DARNALL

From Derne Halh – secluded piece of land

DORE

From the Anglo-Saxon Dor, meaning a door, pass or entrance into the Kingdom of Mercia

ECCLESALL

Probably derives from Hecksel-Hallr meaning the witches hill.

ENDCLIFFE

The elf cliff or bank. Originally called Elfcliffe.

FULWOOD

From the Anglo-Saxon Ful-Wudu – wet, marshy woodland. Also known at one time as Folewode

GLEADLESS

Old English Gilda Leah – a kite clearing in a wood

GRIMESTHORPE

Old Norse meaning an outlying farm belonging to Grim.

HACKENTHORPE

Hachen’s outlying farmstead

HANDSWORTH

Hand’s Worth – an enclosed homestead belonging to Hand. In Doomsday Book Handeswrde.

HANGINGWATER

A deep, slow-moving stream.

HEELEY

Derived from Heah Leah – a high woodland clearing. Called Heghlegh in 1343, Heghelgh in 1348 and Hamelet-de-Heyle in 1451. Called Heeley from 1553 on.

HILLSBOROUGH

Given its name by Thomas Steade of Burrowlee House as a compliment to Lord Downshire

JORDANTHORPE

Of Danish origin meaning Jourdain’s outlying farmstead.

LONGLEY

From Lang-Leah meaning long clearing

MALIN BRIDGE

Probably from Melum, meaning worn stones or pebbles in the bed of the river

MAUGERHAY

Originally Magathay

MEERSBROOK

Meers Brook means a boundary brook. The brook ran down from Norton Lees to the River Sheaf at Saxon Bridge Heeley and formed part of the frontier line between the ancient kingdoms of Northumbria and Mercia. Until recently was also the boundary between Yorkshire and Derbyshire.

MILLHOUSES

Arose from the gift of a corn mill on the River Sheaf, by Sir Robert de Ecclesall, to the abbey at Beauchief. Then it was known as the Miln Houses.

NEEPSEND

Possibly means home of the water spirits

NORTON

Derived from Nord-Tun meaning north farmstead

OSGATHORPE

Old Norse name – Osgar’s outlying farmstead

OWLERTON

Deriving from Alor-tun – a farmstead by the elders

PITSMOOR

Pits from which ore was obtained – originally called Or-pits

SHEFFIELD

Anglo Saxon name was Sceath-feld. Sceath meaning a dividing line or frontier and Feld was land near a river that was free from trees.

SHIRECLIFFE

Scir cliff - a bright, steep hillside. Also Shiercliffe

SHIREGREEN

Bright meadowland

TINSLEY

Old English word meaning Tingas Leah – Field of Council

TOTLEY

Totingelei in the Doomsday Book – a spy or watching place

WADSLEY

From the Old English Wadde’s Leah – Wadde’s forest clearing.

WALKLEY

From the old English Walca’s Leah – Walca’s forest clearing

WHITELEY WOODS

Derived from Hwit-Leah-Wudu – a bright, fair clearing

WOODSEATS

Or Norton Woodseats was originally Wodesettes

[Courtesy of: Ann Halford]

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ANGLO-SAXON VILLAGES		VIKING VILLAGES
Attercliffe	Longley	Crookes
Bramley	Magathay	Grimesthorpe
Brightside	Norton	Hackenthorpe
Brincliffe	Owlerton	High Storrs
Cinderhill	Shirecliffe	Jordanthorpe
Darnall	Shiregreen	Osgathorpe
Dore	Southey	Ranmoor
Fulwood	Tinsley	Skinnerthorpe
Gleadless	Totley	Upperthorpe
Handsworth	Wadsley
Heeley	Walkley
Hurlfield	Woodseats

Area Name	Probable Meaning

ABBEYDALE	The dale of the Abbey (Beauchief)
ATTERCLIFFE	The village at the cliff, which was probably at the bend in the River Don where Christ Church used to be until it was bombed in WW2. Aterclive in the Doomsday Book
BANNER CROSS	From the old French word Baneur meaning a standard bearer. At the time of Elizabeth I it was known as the Banner Field.
BEAUCHIEF	Name given by Norman Monks to the place they built their abbey – means beautiful headland.
BELL HAGG	From old Norse – Bale or Belle Hagi meaning a fire common.
BIRLEY SPA	Named after a spring of mineral water that was found very beneficial to health
BRIGHTSIDE	Brik’s ploughed land. Also variously called Brekesherth and Brixard
BURNGREAVE	Burn – a stream, Greave – a grove
CARBROOK	- a water meadow or marshy field next to a stream. Celtic or Saxon origin.
CARTERKNOWLE	Originally Carter-Knoll – a hill named after the Carter family
CROOKES	From the old Norse Krkor meaning a nook or corner of land
DARNALL	From Derne Halh – secluded piece of land
DORE	From the Anglo-Saxon Dor, meaning a door, pass or entrance into the Kingdom of Mercia
ECCLESALL	Probably derives from Hecksel-Hallr meaning the witches hill.
ENDCLIFFE	The elf cliff or bank. Originally called Elfcliffe.
FULWOOD	From the Anglo-Saxon Ful-Wudu – wet, marshy woodland. Also known at one time as Folewode
GLEADLESS	Old English Gilda Leah – a kite clearing in a wood
GRIMESTHORPE	Old Norse meaning an outlying farm belonging to Grim.
HACKENTHORPE	Hachen’s outlying farmstead
HANDSWORTH	Hand’s Worth – an enclosed homestead belonging to Hand. In Doomsday Book Handeswrde.
HANGINGWATER	A deep, slow-moving stream.
HEELEY	Derived from Heah Leah – a high woodland clearing. Called Heghlegh in 1343, Heghelgh in 1348 and Hamelet-de-Heyle in 1451. Called Heeley from 1553 on.
HILLSBOROUGH	Given its name by Thomas Steade of Burrowlee House as a compliment to Lord Downshire
JORDANTHORPE	Of Danish origin meaning Jourdain’s outlying farmstead.
LONGLEY	From Lang-Leah meaning long clearing
MALIN BRIDGE	Probably from Melum, meaning worn stones or pebbles in the bed of the river
MAUGERHAY	Originally Magathay
MEERSBROOK	Meers Brook means a boundary brook. The brook ran down from Norton Lees to the River Sheaf at Saxon Bridge Heeley and formed part of the frontier line between the ancient kingdoms of Northumbria and Mercia. Until recently was also the boundary between Yorkshire and Derbyshire.
MILLHOUSES	Arose from the gift of a corn mill on the River Sheaf, by Sir Robert de Ecclesall, to the abbey at Beauchief. Then it was known as the Miln Houses.
NEEPSEND	Possibly means home of the water spirits
NORTON	Derived from Nord-Tun meaning north farmstead
OSGATHORPE	Old Norse name – Osgar’s outlying farmstead
OWLERTON	Deriving from Alor-tun – a farmstead by the elders
PITSMOOR	Pits from which ore was obtained – originally called Or-pits
SHEFFIELD	Anglo Saxon name was Sceath-feld. Sceath meaning a dividing line or frontier and Feld was land near a river that was free from trees.
SHIRECLIFFE	Scir cliff - a bright, steep hillside. Also Shiercliffe
SHIREGREEN	Bright meadowland
TINSLEY	Old English word meaning Tingas Leah – Field of Council
TOTLEY	Totingelei in the Doomsday Book – a spy or watching place
WADSLEY	From the Old English Wadde’s Leah – Wadde’s forest clearing.
WALKLEY	From the old English Walca’s Leah – Walca’s forest clearing
WHITELEY WOODS	Derived from Hwit-Leah-Wudu – a bright, fair clearing
WOODSEATS	Or Norton Woodseats was originally Wodesettes