Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Scarvesdale 1086 DB
• Scaruesdal(e), Skaruesdal(e), Skarvesdal(e), Skarvisdal(e) Hy2 WollCh 1219 Fees 1252 Cl 1346 Harl
• Scharvisdale 1294 Ipm Ed1 LansdCh
• Scaluesdale 1130 P
• Scarewesdale 1179 P
• Scardesdale 1282 Ipm 1392 Pat
• Scar(r)esdal, Scar(r)esdall(e) 1306 Ass 1481 DbCh 1538 Ct
• Skarsdale 1386 IpmR
• Scarvedale 1086 DB
• Scaruedal(e), Scaruedall 1204 ChR 1205,1207,1209 P 1328 Ch
• Scarewedala 1185 P
• Scarfdale 1202,1203,1204 P
• Scarthedal' 1204 ClR 1204 P
• Scardedale 1227 ClR 1328 Ch
• Scarverdale 1330 QW
• Skerverdale 1238 FF
• wapentaki de Cestrefeld 1252 Darley
• wappentagium de Cestrefeld 1306 Ass

Etymology

Probably 'Skarf's valley', from the ON  pers.n. Skarfr and dalr, a Scandinavian compound. It was perhaps originally the name of part of the Amber valley as suggested by Anderson (EHN i, 33–4) as is suggested by such references as Wodethorp in Scharvisdale Ed 1LansdCh , Wodethorp …in Scharwesdale Ed 1Kniveton and Stratton in Scarvesdale 1322, 1331 Cl, cf. Woodthorpe and Stretton infra 337 and 307. In references to the 15th century it is referred to as a Wapentake whilst from the 16th century it is usually called a Hundred. It is also wapentaki de Cestrefeld 1252 Darley, wappentagium de Cestrefeld 1306 Ass, from Chesterfield infra 231. In the form Scalues - the -l - for -r - is due to AN sound-substitution.