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.

Waterland Drain

Early-attested site in the Parish of Marsh Chapel

Historical Forms

  • Waterland Drain 1848 EnclA
  • le Waterlade 1399,1425 LMR
  • le waterlayd 1506 ib
  • the waterlaid dike 1579 Terrier
  • fossam voc the Water laide (sic) 1593 Anc
  • Waterlad 1595 FSurv
  • Waterlad Sewer 1595 FMap
  • Water Lade Drain 1819 EnclA
  • Water Landik 1595 FSurv
  • le waterland 1571 Anc
  • Water Land 1622 LMR
  • ye Water Lands 1712 Foster
  • Water Lands 1839 TA
  • Waterlands 1841 MC

Etymology

WATERLAND DRAIN, Waterland Drain 1848EnclA , le Waterlade 1399, 1425LMR , le waterlayd 1506ib , the waterlaid dike 1579Terrier , fossam voc the Water laide (sic)1593Anc , Waterlad 1595FSurv , Waterlad Sewer 1595FMap , Water Lade Drain 1819EnclA , Water Landik 1595FSurv , le waterland 1571Anc , Water Land 1622LMR , y e Water Lands 1712Foster , Water Lands 1839TA , Waterlands 1841MC , 'the water channel, open drain', v. wæter , lād , and for a discussion of OE  lād in p.ns. PNITL 23–25, where it is pointed out that the word is found in fenland areas of Hu and more so in C in minor names and f.ns. It has not, however, occurred so far in the survey of north L, though Marsh Chapel is the first marsh parish to have been researched in detail. By the late 16th century, lād was being replaced by land , cf. Land Dike in Fulstow supra .