Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Redsetes 1459 ShefMD

• Redcetes 1470 AD

• ly Reedsettes 1474 ShefMD

• Redsettes 1495,1536 Bemrose

• Reidseat(e)s, Readseat(e)s 1548 ib

• Redseyts 1550 ib

• Redseats 1597 DbAxxiii 1638 ShefJC

• Red Seats Wood 1840 TA

Etymology

Redseats (lost), Redsetes 1459ShefMD , Redcetes 1470AD , ly Reedsettes 1474ShefMD , Redsettes 1495, 1536Bemrose , Reidseat (e )s , Readseat (e )s 1548 ib, Redseyts 1550 ib, Redseats 1597 DbA xxiii, 1638ShefJC , Red Seats Wood 1840TA . The first element may be either rēad 'red' or hrēod 'reed', two elements always difficult to separate. The second element presents greater difficulty for it could be OE  sǣte2 'house', ON  sǽtr 'shieling' or OE  (ge)set 'a dwelling, a fold'. There are several examples of names of this type in the north-east of the county and G. E. Morris (Proc. Leeds Philos. Soc. Hist. Lit. section vi, 137–47) argues that their situations, high on hillsides, tell in favour of the ON word. Although there is little in the evidence of the forms which would enable any definite conclusion to be reached, the ON  sǽtr is found for the most part in much more northerly parts of the country and OE  (ge)set would therefore be preferable. Cf. Moorseats and Woodseats infra 112 and 58.