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.

Mortgrove

Early-attested site in the Parish of Hexton

Historical Forms

  • Mordegrave 1296 SR 1348 Cassio
  • StAlbans, Mortegrave 1433 Cassio
  • Morgrave Way 1554 Whiteman
  • Mortgravefurlonge 1686 AddCh

Etymology

Mortgrove is Mordegrave 1296SR (p), 1348Cassio (p), t. Ed 3 StAlbans , Mortegrave 1433Cassio , Morgrave Way 1554 Whiteman, Mortgravefurlonge 1686AddCh . 'Thicket where a murder has been committed,' cf. OE  morþhlau (BCS 1234), a similar compound of morþ and hlaw . See also græfe infra 244.

Places in the same Parish

Early-attested site

Other OS name

Major Settlement