Ampthill
Major Settlement in the Parish of Ampthill
Historical Forms
- Ammetelle 1086 DB
- Amethull(e) 1202 Ass 1227 Ass 1242 1276 Ass 1305 Ipm 1316 FA 1323 Cl
- Aunthille c.1230 WellsL
- Hamethull 1242 Fees890
- Amett(e)hull 1247,1276 Ass
- Ammethull 1247 Ass
- Ametull(e) 1302 FA
- Ampt(e)hull(e) 1276 Ass 1346 FA 1350 Ipm 1362 Cl 1390–2 CS 1428 FA 1452 ADvi
- Anit(e)hull(e) 1276,1287 Ass
- Hampthull 1344,1366 Cl
- Amptyll(e) 1429 ChronStAlb 1509 ADv
- Amptehill 1442 ADii
- Anthill, Antyll 1528 LP 1530 NQi 1675 Ogilby
- Amptell, Amptle 1535 VE 1636 HMCiv 1675 Ogilby
Etymology
OE ǣmette -hyll , 'ant-hill,' presumably, as Skeat says, 'a somewhat jocular appellation,' though it might be that the site was simply ant-infested. Cf. Amethulle (Hy 3) as a field-name in Arlesey (Proc. Soc. Antiq. (2nd Ser) iii. 307).