Muswell Hill
Early-attested site in the Parish of Brill
Historical Forms
- Mussewell 1255 For
- Mosewell 1305 Pat 1362 Cl
- Musewell 1346 Cl 1356 Ipm
- Mesewell 1362 Cl
Etymology
'Moss-spring' v. meos , wielle and cf. Muzwell supra . The ss in the earliest form would point rather to a p.n. *Mussa found in Robert fil, Musse but that would leave the 1362 form unexplained.The spring is also called Warborughwell (1228 VCH ii. 132), Seyntburwell (1273 Fine (p)) and this second name is due to association with St Werburgh, who actually lived at one time at Weedon (Nth). Cf. L. i. 106 and Pat (1251), which speaks of the 'hermitorium' of St Werburg in Brill.