Gravenhurst
Major Settlement in the Parish of Gravenhurst
Historical Forms
- Crauenhest 1086 DB
- Gravenherst 1206 FF 1504 Ipm
- Graveherst 1213 FF 1227 Ass
- Gravenhurst 1223 FF
- Gravehurst 1225 Pat 1302 FA
- Grauenhirst 1227 Ass
- Grauehirst 1227 Ass 1260 FF
- Grauenhirste, Grauenhyrst 1232 FF
- Grauenhyrst Parva 1266 ADi
- Grafhurst 1240 Ass
- Great Gravenhyrst c.1270 ADi
- Grauynherst 1287 Ass
- Cravenhurst 1377 BM
- Grovenhurst 1428 FA
- Overgravenest 1534 BM
Etymology
Professor Zachrisson suggests OE grāfan -hyrst , 'wooded hill of the grove or thicket,' with the rare grāfa , 'grove,' found in ellen -grāfa , 'elder-grove' (B.T. s. n .). The a would be shortened in the trisyllable, with sporadic preservation of the long vowel and development to grove . The vowel is now long but that may be due to ready association with grave .