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.

Forcewell

Early-attested site in the Parish of Hartland

Historical Forms

  • Forsewyll 1566 DA
  • Forcewell 1695 Recov

Etymology

This may be a compound of the Celtic word for 'ditch' (v. Voss infra 254) and OE  feld. For f > v > w cf. Introd. xxxiv-v.