Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Parva Campes 1316 FA

• Woode Campes 1570 SR

• Sudecampes 1218 SR 1236 Barnwell

• Sudicampes 1242 Fees

• Sudescampes 1272 Ass

• Sodecampes c.1278 ElyA

• S(c)hudecampes 1256 Barnwell 1279 RH

• Schuddecampes 1298 Ass

• S(c)hodecampes 1285 Ass

• Shodicampes 1327 Cl

• Shodcampes 1361 ib

• Shodocaunpys 1428 FA

• S(c)hudicampes 1286 Cl 1299,1347 SR 1304 FF 1345 CWool

• Scudicampes 1302 SR

• Shudycampes 1331 Pat

• Suth(e)campes 1260 Ass 1272 Ass

• Suþecampes 13th Ely

• Sut(e)campes 1268–72 Ass

• Souþecampes c.1330 ElyCouch

• Shuthecampes 1260 Ass

• Shuticampes 1331 FF

• Shydecampes 1285 Ass

• Shidicampes 1341 NI

• S(c)hitecampes 1298 Ass

• Shedicampes 1298 FF

• Schedecampes 1346 FA

• Sidecampes 1298 Ass

• Sythecampes 13th Waltham

• Citie Campes al. Shudycampes 1547 Pat

• Cytty(e) 1609,1640,1710 FF

• Sittycomps 1633 Will

• Shad(e)y Campes 1616,1715 Coleii

Etymology

This was formerly called Little and Wood Camps: Parva Campes 1316 FA, Woode Campes 1570 SR. The element Shudy occurs in the following forms:

There was apparently a tradition at Ely in the 13th century that Shudy preserved the name of the benefactress who bestowed lands here on the monastery: “Northo is a hamlet belonging to Shudecamps and the monks of Ely have it by the gift of Shudda (de dono Shudde ) formerly lady of Shudecamps from time out of mind” (RH ii, 428).Dr Palmer, however, has shown that the lady's name was really Juliana de Campes (CAS, 4 to, N.S. v, 36) and we should therefore abandon this interpretation. The variation in the vowel in the early forms points to OE y , though u is more common than one would have expected in this district. The element, whatever it was, was early confused with south , but late forms such as Citie point to the survival of the normal Cambridgeshire i . We have probably to do with OE  scydd , 'shed,' as in Limbo and Gunshot (PN Sx 117–18, 132), Puckshot (PN Sr 206) and Sheddon (PN Ess 344). The name may have been given because of mean buildings likely to be common in a parish called Wood Camps, or it may be that the place was called Shed Camps in jest or derision, in contrast to Great or Earl 's Camps with its 'Castle.'