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.

Hard Dale

Early-attested site in the Parish of Hackness

Historical Forms

  • Haradale 12 Whitby
  • Haredale c.1265–78 ib
  • Hardale 1286 ib

Etymology

These spellings have been taken to refer to the modern Harwood Dale 113infra but the site of the place, so far as can be ascertained from the bounds in the Whitby Cartulary, is here rather than at Harwood Dale, and the latter name can scarcely be a direct descendant of the above spellings. The first element is perhaps OE  hara 'hare.' v. dæl .