Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Silingeham, Siling' 1086 DB

• Siringeham 1173–4 France 1313 Ch

• Seringeham 1207 P

• Sciringeham 1208 P

• Sciringham 1209,1210 P

• Shyrinham 1234 Bromh 1547 Pat

• Schiringh' 1239 Ch

• Scheringham 1242–3 Fees

• Scyringham 1250 Ass

• Siringham 1254–75 Val 1275 RH

• Shyringham 1257,1286 Ass 1335 Ipm 1338 Pat 1379 BM

• Schyringham 1269 Ass 1286 Ipm

• Schiringham 1271 Ipm

• Syringham 1275 RH

• Schyryngham 1302 FA

• Shiryngham 1308 Ipm 1316 FA 1339 FF 1357,1374,1409 Pat 1401–2 FA 1409 BM

• Sheringham 1328,1484 Pat

• Sheryngham 1329 FF 1428 FA 1535 VE

• Schiryngham 1346 FA

• Shiringham 1357 Cl 1380 Pat

• Schiryngham 1393 Pat

• Shyryngham 1454 AD

Etymology

The hām of the followers of Scīra ', an OE pers.n. which is independently recorded (Redin 53). The same OE pers.n. would seem to occur in Sherington Bk. The long i was shortened in the trisyllable and lowered to e . In the DB form the common substitution of -ling for -ring has taken place (IPN 107 note 1).

Sheringham consists of Upper Sheringham, the village on the hill (with a church dedicated to All Saints and a western tower from c. 1300), and Lower Sheringham (v. Old Hithe infra ), a fishing station, later also a seaside resort, which was chiefly developed in the 1890s and the early 20th cent. (Pevsner 313 f.). According to EAA 51: 49 (note 2), 166, a 19th-century chapel, called Lower Sheringham St Peter I, has been demolished. Sheringham has suffered many attacks from the sea, not least in the 19th century. Cliffs have fallen and much land has been lost.