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.

Wrelton

Major Settlement in the Parish of Middleton

Historical Forms

  • Wereltun 1086 DB
  • Wrelton 1282 YI 1285 KI
  • Wherlton 1316 FA
  • Wrelleton' 1301 LS 1303 KF 1416 YI
  • Wrielton 1526 FF

Etymology

This is a difficult name but, as Professor Ekwall suggests, the first element may be OE  wearg-hyll , 'felon-hill,' found in Wreighill (PN NbDu s.n.), pronounced [riˑhil]. The whole name would mean 'farm by or on the gallows-hill.'