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.

Grindleford Bridge

Early-attested site in the Parish of Eyam Woodlands

Historical Forms

  • Grundelford 1248 DbCh 1330 Ass 1380 DbAxxii
  • Grundulford 1407 DbCh
  • Gryndelford, Gryndilford, Gryndulford, Gryndelford Hy3,Ed1 Brookhill 1351 WollCh 1359 DbAxxii 1381 SR 1386 DbAxxii
  • Grindelford(e), Grindulford(e), Grindelford(e) 1330 Ass 1356 Brookhill
  • Gryndelforth Brydge 1577 DbAi
  • Gryndlefordbridge 1584,1585 FF
  • Gringleford alias Gringleforthe 1583 FF

Etymology

This is a difficult name and the first element may be OE  *gryndel , a side-form of OE  *grindel , an instrumental noun from OE  grindan 'to grind' (with the suffix -el3 ); cf. the dial. grindlestone 'grind stone'. The sense might be 'ford which was ground away', v. ford .No trace of the ford can now be seen but it must have been near the modern bridge.

Places in the same Parish