Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• (æt) Fearndune 924 ASC 11

• Fearndun c.1118 FW c.1130 SD

• (æt) Farndune 924 ASC 11

• Farndun 1333 AD

• Farndon 1245 Pat

• Farnedoun 1321 AddCh

• Farneden 1644 Sheaf

• Ferentone 1086 DB

• Ferendon 1152 MRA

• Ferend' 13 AddCh

• Farendun 1194–8 Chest

• Pharendon e13 Bun

• Farrendon' 1216–30 AddCh

• Farendon 1245 Cl 1529 ChRR

• Farrunden 1560 Sheaf

• Fardon 1277 Misc 1360 AD 1507 ib

• Fardoun 1352 BPR

• Farnton 1321 AddCh 1524 Plea 1656 Orm2

• Farneton 1553 Pat

• Farnedon alias Farneton 1579 Orm2

• Faryngdon 1385 ChRR

• Faryngton 1391(p),1398 ChRR 1507 AD 1508 Pat

• Farynton 1404 ChRR

• Ferneton 1546 Dugd

• Fernton 1577 Sheaf

• Farne 1575 Sheaf 1600 Cre 1663,1671,1680 Sheaf

• Farn 1643 Orm2 1698 Assem

Etymology

'Fern hill', v. fearn , dūn . Stenton (Anglo -Saxon England , (second edn.) 334–5, and The Athenæum 7th October 1905) identifies Farndon with the F (e )arndun at which Edward the Elder died in 924. He cites William of Malmesbury (who was following reliable authority, cf. ASE 335 n.1, 315 n.1) for the fact that the last campaign of Edward the Elder (Alfred's son) was mounted against an alliance of Mercians and Welshmen. On this campaign, he quelled a revolt of the men of Chester, re-garrisoned the town, and died a few days later. In ASC (C) and (D) the place of his death is given as 'at F (e )arndune in Mercia'. In FW and SD the place is described as a royal town. In DB, Farndon was two manors, one held by the bishop of Chester, the other by the earl of Chester, v. 68supra , Aldford 76infra , which suggests that an Anglo-Saxon royal manor had been divided under the Norman earldom. Ekwall (DEPN) follows Earle & Plummer (Two of the Saxon Chronicles II 381) and identifies the place with Faringdon Brk. The origin of this tradition appears to be Higden VI, v, 'Rex Edwardus obiit apud Farnedoun (Farundun , Fernedon , Farndoun , cf. Faryngdoun Trev, Farndon Higd Anon) xii milliaribus ab Oxonia ad occidentem distantem'. Higden was a monk of Chester, and if any tradition of Edward's dying at Farndon had been known in his day, he might have been expected to report it.It has to be supposed that the fact was forgotten by his day, and that he identified F (e )arndun as best he might. Certainly, Stenton's identification removes the need to consider how the king reached a death-bed in Berkshire a few days after quelling a revolt in Chester.Since Farndon originally included Aldford, the king might, in fact, have died at Aldford.