English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Thirst Ho

Early-attested site in the Parish of Chelmorton

Historical Forms

  • Tursthous 1417 MinAcct
  • Thurstehouse 1600 ShefLxC

Etymology

Thirst Ho (local), Tursthous 1417MinAcct , Thurstehouse 1600ShefLxC , 'giant's house', v. þyrs , hūs , the name of a cave in Deep Dale, where numerous prehistoric and Roman finds have been made (v. VCH i, 233–5). This is a common appelation for such sites, v. further Bruce Dickins, 'Yorkshire Hobs', Transactions of the Yorkshire Dialect Society , Part xlviii, vol. vii, 9–23.