Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Mamesfelde 1086 DB

• Mamesfeld(e) 1093(13th),1162–5 RegAntiq 1197 P 1227 Ch 1231,1241,1247 Cl 1332 Wollaton

• Mamesfelt 1162–5 Ch 1329

• Mamisfeld' 1242 Fees

• Mamesfeud 1248–70 Ch

• Māmesfed (sic) 1086 DB

• Mammesfelt 1093 RegAntiq

• Mammesfeld 1153 BM 1174 P 1212 Fees 1244 Cl 1287 For 1305 Ebor 1316–22 Ipm 1332 Wollaton 1334 Pat

• Mamefeld 1130 P 1235 Cl 1282 Ebor

• Mamefeud 1249 Cl

• Mammefeld 1176 P 1212 Fees 1230 P 1235,1237,1247 Cl

• Mamfelde 1282 Ebor

• Manesfeld 1202 P 1236 Cl 1255 Pat

• Maunsfeld c.1250 Misc 1287,1295 Ipm 1307 Cl

• Maunsfewd 1275 RH

• Mannesfeld 1291 Tax 1312,1388 Pat 1399 Fine

• Manefeld 1239 Ebor

• Maummefeld 1241 Cl

• Maumefeld, Mamnefeld 1244 ib

• Malmefeud 1248–70 Ipm

• Mawnnesfeld 1451 Pat

• Mauncefeld c.1480 Wollaton 1515 ADvi

• Mancefeld 1520 LP

• Mainnesfeld 1217 ClR

• Mainefeld 1219 ib.

• Maniesfeld 1221 ib.

• Mainesfeld 1225, 1233 Cl

Etymology

Forms Mainnesfeld 1217 ClR, Mainefeld 1219 ib., Maniesfeld 1221 ib., Mainesfeld 1225, 1233 Cl, clearly show mistranscription of m as in , ni .

The interpretation of this name clearly depends upon the relation of the name Mansfield to the name of the river Maun (supra 5) on which it stands and to the place called Mamesheued in the Perambulation of Sherwood Forest. That perambulation brings us from Hartrey Bridge (infra 125) by the great Nottingham road to the bridge at Mulneford and so up to Mammesheued and thence between the fields of Kirkby and Hardwick to Nuncargate. This means that Mamesheued must be the high ground to the north-west of Kirkby Hardwick (supra 121) where the Maun river rises. The most natural interpretation of the three names would seem therefore to be to take the river-name Mam or Mome as an original one, to interpret Mammesheued as 'source of the Maun' (v. heafod ) and Mansfield as 'open ground of the Maun,' i.e. open ground in the valley of the Maun, v. feld .This seems more natural than with Ekwall (DEPN) to take Mamesheued and Mansfield as referring alike to a hill called Mamm .

The phonological development would seem to have been from Mam (m )esfeld by a process of dissimilation to Manesfeld , Maunesfeld . From the new form of the town-name a new form Maun for the river-name developed and took the place of the earlier and more correct Mom or Mam . The ultimate history of the river-name is obscure. v. Addenda xli.