Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Crokemeresle 1216–72 Harl.

• (passagium de) Cnok(e)maresho, (passagium de) Knok(e)maresho 1237to1242 P

• Knok(e)mer(e)sho 1245,1247,1250 ib

• (passagium de) Crekemeresho 1245 P

• (passagium de) Croke(s)mersch 1275,1276 P

• a place called Crokemeresho, in Weston iuxta Berel' 1293 Plea

• Weston iuxta Berel 1293 Plea

Etymology

'(Wood, and spur of land, at) a pool at a corner', from krókr and mere 1 , with lēah and hōh . The form -mersho has been confused with -mershe (from mersc ), and a form Cn -, Kn - results from dissimilation of -r - to -n -. The identification of Weston iuxta Berel 1293 Plea (DKR xxvi, 42) with this Ch place is not certain. Moreover, the context concerns the rights of Geoffrey son of Geoffrey Griffin in land here. The Griffins were of Batherton 50supra , four miles from Weston, and Weston adjoins Barthomley 5supra . Since there is no p.n. in the area with a form like Berel , it could be a mistaken form of Barthomley or Batherton. The location of the toll-passage of Crokemeresho in this Weston would make it analogous with Bruneshurst and Donnington 53, 61supra , on a road to the salt-wich at Nantwich.Sheaf3 23 (5357) suggests that P refers to a fee in the earldom of Chester at Crakemarsh St. Crakemarsh is at a ford of R. Dove on the Db border north of Uttoxeter, and such a place might have had a toll-passage, but it is not on a major route, and there does not appear to be a Weston near it.