Chenies
Major Settlement in the Parish of Chenies
Historical Forms
- Isenhamstede Ri P 1195 Cur(P) 1232 WellsR 1241 Ass 1285 Fine 1352 Ipm
- Isenhamtone 1195 Cur(P)
- Hiselhamistude 1195 Cur(P)
- Iselhamstede 1232 WellsR 1241 Ass
- Ysenhamstede 1232 Cl
- Hisenhamsted 1235 Fees463
- Hysenhamstud 1235 Fees466
- Hyselhamstud 1235 Fees556
- Islamsted 1247 Ipm 1309 Ch
- Iselehamstede 1277 Pat
- Ysenamstud Cheyne 13th ADi
- Isnamsted 1315 Abbr 1378,1433 Pat 1467 ADvi
- Iselhampstede 1324,1327 Fine
- Esthamstede 1506 Pat
- Estnamsteyd 1523 LP
- Estmansted 1535 VE
- Cheynes 1536 LP
- Cheyney 1675 Ogilby
Etymology
The manorial part of the name, now used to the exclusion of the rest, goes back to the family of Cheyne who from at least 1232 (WellsR) were associated with it. The history of the other part of the name is not easy. In the first place the first element in it may be either Isel - or Isen - and it is difficult to say which is the more probable. The actual interchange of the consonants is due to Anglo-Norman influence (cf. IPN 106–8).If the true form is Isel , we may compare Islington (Mx), where there is the same variation between Isel - and Isen -, though the great preponderance of the former (cf. Gover. PN Mx ) and their ultimate triumph is all in favour of the Isel - ones as the original. These would point perhaps to an OE diminutive Īsel (a ) formed from Īs (a ) a somewhat doubtful element in OE personal name-compounds (cf. Björkman, NP 194). This p.n. Isa may be present in Isfield (Sx). The alternative is to take the true form as Īsen for Īsan the gen. sg. of this same name Īsa . (Those names which Searle gives as beginning in Isen - are all of continental origin. v. Forssner 164–6.) It should perhaps also be mentioned that in a Sussex charter (BCS 144) we have reference to an isenan æwylm , which may point to Isene as a river-name but is more probably simply a reference to a chalybeate spring (OE īsen , 'iron'). If so we should have to take Isene as an old name for the Misbourne at this point, According to these various views the name would have to be interpreted as 'Isela's hamstede,' 'Isa's hamstede' or the 'hamstede on the Isene ,'