Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Haregrave 1086 DB 1305 Chest

• Haregrave in Wirral 1330 Pat

• Haregreue 13 AddCh

• Haregreve 1313 Plea 1521 et freq

• Haregreve in Wirhale 1315 Adl

• Parva Neston et Haregreve 1353 Plea

• Hargreue 1304 Chamb 1602 Orm2

• Litel-Neston et Hargreue 1431 ChRR

• Hargreave, Hargreave in Wyrhal 1316 ib

• Hargreave 1724 NotCestr

• Little Neston cum Hargreave 1819 Orm2

• Litelneston et Hargrave, Hargrave 1432 ChRR 1724 NotCestr 1819 Orm2

• Hargrave Hall & Hargrave Lane 1831 Bry

• Harregreve, Little Neston cum Harregreve 1499 ChRR 1507 Orm2

• Hergreave 1620 Orm2

Etymology

'The hoar wood', from hār2 and grǣfe , with hall and lane .Hargrave was a manor in the same hands as Little Neston, TRE and 1086. hār is probably used here in the sense 'boundary', hence 'the boundary wood', cf. Raby 229infra . Boundary marks and territory would tend to be left undisturbed for fear of trespass, and an unbroken wood or an untouched boundary stone would grow mossy, venerable and 'hoary' with age. Cf. Hargrave Cottages, etc. 229 infra , v. Addenda.