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.

Wickfield Fm

Early-attested site in the Parish of East Shefford

Historical Forms

  • Wikefeld' 1199 FF 1211 Cur
  • Wikefeld 1212 ib
  • Wekefeud 1240–1 FF
  • Wykefeld 13th AD 1315 Pat 1341 Queen
  • Wykefelde 1316 FA

Etymology

Wickfield Fm, 1830 OS, Wikefeld '1199FF , 1211 Cur, Wikefeld 1212 ib, Wekefeud 1240–1FF , Wykefeld 13th AD, 1315 Pat, 1341Queen , Wykefelde 1316 FA. No trace has been found in minor names of a lost place called Wick in Shefford. There is some evidence that when wīc occurs as a first el. in p.ns. not referring to a nearby place called Wick, it may denote a Romano-British settlement. Wickfield ('open land by the wīc') is just over a mile from Wickham in Welford Pt 1274.