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.

West Easewrithe Hundred

Hundred in the County of Sussex

Historical Forms

  • Isiwirde, Isiwiridi, Eswende (sic) 1086 DB
  • Eisewriða 1161 P
  • Eysewrith 1245 FF 1361 IpmR
  • Esewryth 1248 Ass
  • Esewrithe 1262 Ass 1263 Lewes 1283,1302 Ipm
  • West Esewrithe 1283 Ipm
  • Westesewryth(e) 1316 FA 1332 SR 1336 Ch

Etymology

There must have been originally only one hundred of Easewrithe which was at a later period divided into an east and a west part. The name is a compound of the OE  pers. name Ēsa and wriþ, 'thicket.' For similar hundred-names, v. Mawer, PN and History 23. The site of the meeting-place may have been in Sullington for in 1296 (SR) and 1338 (Ass ) we have mention in that vill of a Robert de Esewryth and Robt. fil. Alice de Esewrithe .