Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Hildeburgheye 12 Chest

• Hildeburghee 1388 MinAcct

• Hildeburweye c.1280–1320 Chest

• Hildeburgheye 1545 Sheaf

• Heildeburgeye sua Hilbre Island 1724 NotCestr

• Hilburghee 1521 Life

• Hil(le)byri, Hylbyri, Hilbery c.1536 Leland

• Hilbree 1538 JRC 1819 Orm2

• Hilbree Island 1695 Sheaf

• Ilbree Island 1724 NotCestr

• the island of Hilbree 1819 Orm2

• Hilbre 1550,1552(17) Sheaf

• Hilbre, Hilbre Island 1842 OS 1882 Orm2

• the Iland of Helbrie, Helbrie 1575 Sheaf 1593 Morris

• Helbry 1584,1593 Morris

• Helbree c.1590 Sheaf 1602 Morris

• Helbree-island 1656 Orm2 1724 NotCestr

• Helbrey 1660 Sheaf

• Helbre Island 1831 Bry

• Elborough 1891 Sheaf34

• alia (ecclesia) prope ilium manerium in insula maris 1081 (12) Ord iii 26

• ecclesia de Insula 12 ib iii 281, a.1081 (n.d.) ib V 187, France 221

• monachi de Insula 1275 P

• quadam Insula prope Wyrhale 1277 ib

• the Ileland in the parish of Westkirbie 1592 JRC

• capella de Hildeburgheye 12 Chest

• insula de Hildeburghey cum sua capella c.1287 ib

• prior(atus) de Hyldeburheye 1280 P

• capella (de) Beate Marie de Hildeburgheye 1302 Chamb, 1356 MinAcct

• Hildburghey heremitagium 1328 Dugd

• a celle of monks of Chester and a pilgrimage of our lady of Hillbyri c.1536 Orm2 ii 501, Leland V 55

• a Meace or Celle called the house of Hilbree and the Ile there 1538 JRC

• the cell of Hillbree 1819 Orm2

• luminaria Sancte Marie 1232–7 Chest

• luminaris in capella de Hildeburg' 1277 P

• luminar' Beate Marie in eodem prioratu 1280 ib

• elemosina pro luminari inueniendo in cappela beate Marie de Hildeburgheye 1356 MinAcct

Etymology

'Hildeburg's island', from the OE  fem. pers.n. Hildeburg and ēg.The pers.n. may be that of some Anglo-Saxon holy woman, for there was a church on Hilbre from early times. This church was granted to St Évroul by Robert of Rhuddlan before 1081, subsequently becoming a cell of St Werburgh's Chester. The church, its community, and the island are mentioned as alia (ecclesia ) prope ilium manerium in insula maris 1081 (12) Ord iii26, 'the other church near that manor (West Kirby 294supra ) on an island in the sea', ecclesia de Insula 12 ib iii281, a.1081 (n.d.) ib V187, France 221, monachi de Insula 1275 P, quadam Insula prope Wyrhale 1277 ib, the Ileland in the parish of Westkirbie 1592JRC and also as capella de Hildeburgheye 12 Chest, insula de Hildeburghey cum sua capella c.1287 ib, prior (atus ) de Hyldeburheye 1280 P, capella (de ) Beate Marie de Hildeburgheye 1302 Chamb, 1356MinAcct , Hildburghey heremitagium 1328 Dugd, a celle of monks of Chester and a pilgrimage of our lady of Hillbyri c.1536 Orm2 ii501, Leland V55, a Meace or Celle called the house of Hilbree and the Ile there 1538JRC , the cell of Hillbree 1819 Orm2.The pilgrimage is probably to be associated with the miracle of the Constable's Sands, infra . There are references to a light in Hilbre chapel, luminaria Sancte Marie 1232–7 Chest, luminaris in capella de Hildeburg '1277 P, luminar ' Beate Marie in eodem prioratu 1280 ib, elemosina pro luminari inueniendo in cappela beate Marie de Hildeburgheye 1356MinAcct . It may have served as a lighthouse.