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.

Weycock Hill

Early-attested site in the Parish of Waltham St Lawrence

Etymology

Weycock Hill, cf. (to ) weg cocce 940 (c. 1240) BCS 762, Little Weacocke 17thPubLib (Clayton ), Weycock 1711 Hearne, Waycoak Field 1761 Rocque, Waycock Field 1790 Pride, 1846 Snare. The els. are weg 'way', and cocc 1 'hillock'. The point mentioned in the charter bounds (for which v. Pt 3) is on the west boundary of Waltham St Lawrence. There is no sharp ascent here, and it seems possible that cocc refers to some artificial feature, such as a tumulus, which, if it were situated by the wayside, would be a likely thing to be mentioned in charter bounds.