c           Welcome to the original
Sheffield Indexers


Other Historical Information

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]
 

More Sheffield History

Sheffield Indexers, Sheffield History
Sheffield Indexers collection of links to historical Sheffield including; Sheffield History, Laws & Acts, Living & Working Conditions, Historical Land & Buildings, Sheffield Flood and War Memories.

Sheffield Indexers, Other Historical Info
Sheffield Indexers collection of links to more articles of interest relating to Sheffield including; Sheffield Stories, Newspaper Articles, Editorials & General Interests, Sheffield Rhymes Etc, Cherished Sheffield Family Memories, Recipes of Olde Yorkshire, Old Sheffield Picture Post Cards and Yorkshire Expressions.
 

Back to Top

 


Don't see What
You're Looking
For?
Why not

Post a Question
.

Table of Website Contents - Site Map   
 What's on our Site?

 Maybe our Site Map
 can Guide Yo
u.

Tips & Tricks
 
Sheffield Indexers -Tips & Tricks Page
 
How to Make The
Most of Your Searches
.


 
Thank You For Visiting!

Please Sign Our
 Guest Book
.




Who's Who in Admin?
See our Contacts Page
.

copyright © Sheffield Indexers since 2004. All rights reserved.
| Terms of Use | Disclaimer | Contacts | Home | Site Map |