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.

Redhill

Early-attested site in the Parish of Reigate

Historical Forms

  • Redehelde 1301 Pat
  • Redhill in Ryegate 1605 SACxii

Etymology

Redhill is Redehelde 1301 Pat (p), Redd hyll 1588, red hill 1601 ParReg, Redhill in Ryegate 1605 SAC xii, the name referring to the red colour of the sandstone here. The earliest form, if not a clerical or transcription error, points to OE  hielde, 'slope,' as the original second element. The town of Redhill is entirely of 19th century growth, dating from the opening of the Brighton railway in 1844.