Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Widuntorp 1086 DB

• Wilthorp(e) 1303 1403 Pat

• Wildethorp(e), Wyldethorp(e) 1344 FF 1546 YChant 1611,1617 FF

• Wildthorp(e), Wyldthorp(e) 1535 VE 1591 FF 1598 SessnR 1813 EnclA

• Wyldthroppe 1597 FF

Etymology

Wildthorpe (lost), Widuntorp 1086 DB, Wilthorp (e )1303 Aid, KF, 1403 Pat, Wildethorp (e ), Wyldethorp (e )1344 FF, 1546 YChant, 1611, 1617 FF, Wildthorp (e ), Wyldthorp (e )1535 VE, 1591et freq FF, 1598 SessnR, 1813EnclA , Wyldthroppe 1597 FF. On the site of this depopulated manor v. Hnt i, 370 (who says that “Wildthorpe Cliffs are well- known to the sportsmen of the neighbourhood”); the name remained as that of some fields in this parish, Wildthorpe Close & Flatt 1847TA 370. 'Wild or desolate outlying farmstead', v. wilde , þorp .Hunter (Hnt i, 370) remarks that at “that high and exposed point between Melton and Cadeby there is a tradition that a village once stood, and that it was blown away, a violent storm sweeping down into the valley all the houses, to which some who relate the tradition add the church”. The DB form is difficult, but probably stands for OE  wildan -; cf. DBWidtun for Wilton YN 159 and Bishop Wilton YE 175 (also from wilde ). Cf. Wilthorpe 304infra .