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.

Croydon Wilds

Early-attested site in the Parish of Croydon cum Clopton

Historical Forms

  • (in) Waldis de Craudenn 1285 Ass
  • Croyden Wilde 1667 Borough
  • Croydon Wold 1760 EAxiii
  • the Wyld c.1840 TA

Etymology

Croydon Wilds is (in ) Waldis de Craudenn 1285Ass , Croyden Wilde 1667 Borough, Croydon Wold 1760 EA xiii, the Wyld c. 1840TA , v. weald . Cf. Hatley Wilds, Wild Barns and Wile(s) infra 56, 82, 359, in Waldis de Brun (n )e 13thStJohn 's , n.d. Cole xxxvi (Bourn), Woldeslande t. Hy 1 Rams and Grenewold 1322Ct (Elsworth), Chakestunesweald , Kakestunesweald c. 1150StNeot , Caxtoneswald c. 1180 ib., and Bersiunesw (e )ald c. 1150 ib. (Caxton), le Welde 1384, 1500Pembroke (Eltisley), Burneweld 1464Clare (Caldecote), Schortwalde 14thQueens ' (Eversden), and Dry Drayton infra 152, formerly Walddraitton . Here we have evidence for the use of weald for a stretch of high land on the clay from Croydon to Dry Drayton, extending across the border into Huntingdonshire, where we have Weald in Eynesbury Hardwicke (PN BedsHu 259), cf. Wold infra 246. For the phonology cf. Wild Fm (PN Herts 62) and v. Introd. xxvi-xxvii, xxxiv.

Places in the same Parish

Other OS name

Major Settlement