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.

Stetchworth

Major Settlement in the Parish of Stetchworth

Historical Forms

  • Steuicheswrðe c.1050 KCD907 13th
  • Steuicesuuorde c.1050 LibEl 12th
  • Steuechesworđe 1086 InqEl
  • Steu(e)chesw(o)rth 1279 ElyM 1378 FF
  • Stechysworth 1410 ElyB
  • Steu(e)chw(o)rth(e) c.1060 ElyM 14th Ass 1340
  • Steueg-worþe 1268 Ass
  • Steuecheworđ 1086 InqEl
  • Steu(e)chew(o)rde, Steu(e)chew(o)rda, Steu(e)chew(o)rthe c.1060 KCD932 12th NI 1341
  • Stefecheworþe 13th Ely
  • Steuekewrth 1268 Ass
  • Stuuicesworde 1086 DB
  • Sticesuuorde 1086 DB
  • Stichew(o)rth, Stychew(o)rth 1268 Ass 1388 Pat
  • Stiuicesuuorde 1086 DB, InqEl
  • Stiuicesuuorð ib.
  • Stiuechesuurda 1086 ICC
  • Stiuic(h)esuuorð, Stiuic(h)esuuorda 1086 InqEl
  • Stiuic(h)eswrde c.1150 HarlCh
  • Stiuic(h)esworthe 1235 FF
  • Stew(e)ch(e)wrda, Stew(e)ch(e)w(o)rth(e) 1216,1223 ElyM 1375,1456 ADvi,i
  • Stiwechuurth 1218 SR
  • Stowecheworthe 1316 FA
  • Stiuechewrda, Stiuechew(u)rth, Stiuechyw(u)rth 1249 ElyM 1260 Ass
  • Stekworth 1277 ElyM
  • Stech(e)worde, Stech(e)worth(e) 1374 Elien 1567 Ely
  • Stecheford 1510 LP
  • Stachworth 1576 Saxton

Etymology

This is probably styfic -worþ , 'stump-enclosure.' Names in -worþ usually have a personal name as first element and this, perhaps, is the explanation of the forms with genitival s. Apart from this name, there seems to be no evidence for a personal name Styfic , as suggested by Skeat. For another example of worþ compounded with a descriptive element, cf. Wentworth infra 243. v. styfic , worþ .