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.

Grosmont

Early-attested site in the Parish of Whitby

Historical Forms

  • Grosmunt' 1226–8 Fees
  • Grosmont 1540 Dugdiv.75 1665 Visit
  • Grandimont(e) 1228 Ebor 1287 Guis
  • Grauntmount 1301 LS
  • Gromunde 1301 LS
  • Gromo(u)nd 1469 Baildon 1615 NR
  • Growmand 1557 Saxton

Etymology

Grosmont was a priory founded by John Fossard in 1200.He gave to the Prior and Brothers of the order of Grandmont near Limoges a mansion and land in the Forest of Egton (Dugd vi. 1025). Grosmont takes its name from that of the mother priory of Limoges. The meaning is 'big hill.' Cf. Grosmont (Mon), Grosmont 1232 Pat, so named for a similar reason.