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.

Runsford Hole

Early-attested site in the Parish of Streatley

Historical Forms

  • (ofer) sunesforda c.895 BCS565 12th
  • Runeford 1250–60 Bodl
  • Rune(s)ford c.1260 Gor
  • (aqua de) Rensforde 1277 ib
  • Runesford 1338,1352 ib
  • (aqua et piscaria de) Renesford 1350 ib
  • Romisford 1366 Eynsh
  • Rumford 1405 AD

Etymology

The occasional spellings with -e - might indicate that the first el. was sometimes felt to be OE  ryne 'water-course', the source of dial. reen 'ditch', rhine 'large open ditch or drain', rune 'water-course'.Runsell Green Ess 249 has only ME spellings in -u - and -o -, so may, as Reaney suggests, contain a pers.n. *Rūn .