Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• (æt) Mórdune 1015 ASWills 11th

• Morduna 1086 ICC, InqEl

• Mordune 1086 ICC

• alia Mordune 1086 DB

• Mordun (Ylberti de Karenci) 1194 P

• Nort-Mordun, Su-Mordun 1218 SR

• Gilden' Mordun', Stepelmordun' 1242 Fees

• Norþ Mordun t.Hy3 Rental

• Gilde Mordun 1272 Ass

• Mordona 1086 ICC

• Mordon(e) 1198 FF

• Mordon Hildeberti 1176 P

• Gildene Mordon 1204 Cur

• Suth Mordon 1214 ib

• Coldene Mordon 1254 Val

• Guldene Mordon 1272 Ass

• Stupel Mordon 1284 Winton

• Nor-Mordon 13th Wymond

• Stepilmordon 1328 Ipm

• Stepulmordon 1345 CWool

• Stiplemordon 1347 FF

• Gildy Mordon 1495 Ipm

• Gil Mordon 1535 VE

• Mordoun 1386,1433 Cl

• Moredon 1231,1271 FF

• Morden 1237 Fees

• Moordo(u)n' c.1330 ElyCouch 1387 MinAcct 1413 Cl

• Moorden 1553 Pat

• Mourden 1550 Pat

• Mortuna 1086 InqEl

• Morton 1237 Cl 1329 Pat

• Marden 1274 Misc 1667 FF

• Merdone 1316 FA

• Guldene 1298 Ass

• Guldene and Morden 1317 Ch

• Geldenmorde al. Geldenmordon 1302 Ipm

• Mord' Peverel t.Hy2 Pat 1508

• Gilden et Mooreden 1553 Pat

• Ste(e)ple Morda(u)nt(e) 1585–1677 EgCh

Etymology

'Marsh-hill,' v. mōr , dūn . Guilden Morden is north of Steeple Morden, formerly called South Morden and now named from the church steeple which fell in the great storm of 1703. Ilbert de Carenci had land in Steeple Morden in 1176 (P) and William Peverel in Guilden Morden in 1166 (RBE). Guilden is OE  gylden , 'golden,' often used as an attribute of places in the sense 'rich, productive, splendid.' Cf. Moreton Pinkney (PN Nth 41), Gilmorton (Lei), Aurea Morton 1249 EpReg, Gilden Morton 1327 SR, and þa Gildene burh 1052 ASC, a name applied to the Abbey of Peterborough because of its splendour (PN Nth lii). The combined parishes are large and in DB included land in Litlington and Shingay. Sutton (infra 239) was also called Golden Sutton and one of the Swaff hams (infra 134) Gildene Swaffham.