Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Capeles 1086 DB

• Capenhurst 13 LRO 1278 1288 ChFor

• Capenhurst Hall 1831 Bry

• Capinhurst c.1235 Chol 1309 Ipm 1322(p),1327 Pat 1294 ChFor

• Capynhurst 1312–18 JRC

• Capenthurst 1297 Werb 15

• Capunhurst 1307–27 JRC 1313 Chamb 1347 Eyre

• Capanhurst 1342–53 ChAttorn

• Caponhurst 1354 Sheaf 1469 Orm2 1478 Plea 1597 Orm2

• Capulhurst 1338 Cl 1343 ib

• Capilhurst 1339 Cl

• Cappenhurst 1655 Sheaf 1724 NotCestr

• Chapenhurst 1663 Sheaf

Etymology

A difficult p.n. The forms with Capel -, Capul - are the result of AN influence, cf. Boleberie DB for Bunbury 3305, v. ANInfl 123.The basic form is Capenhurst . The final el. is hyrst 'a wooded hill'.For the first el. Ekwall (DEPN s.n. Capton , Capenhurst , but cf. Capton D 322) and Smith (EPN s.v. *cape) suggest an OE  *cape 'a look-out place' (OE  capian 'to look upwards', OHG  kapf 'lookout place'). This would give 'wooded hill at a look-out place'.Capenhurst is in the middle of the Wirral peninsula, on its median upland which is hereabouts a level undulating plateau. The topography shows no remarkable elevation and does not seem prominent enough to provide a natural look-out place. Perhaps Capenhurst was the site of a structure from which watch could be kept across the peninsula. The best solution might be to suggest that the first el. is a nomen agentis or pers.n. OE  *capa , *Capa 'he who looks out', gen.sg. -an .