Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• æt Rūm cofan 915 ASC c.1000 ASC 915 m11

• Runcofan c.1118 FW 15 Trev

• Runcofam, Rucofan, Rouncofan 14 Higden

• Runcoua 1115 Runc 1154–60 Ch 1329 Cott.Nerociii 1190–1211

• Runcovan, but now called Runcorne 1672 Orm2i5

• Runcorna c.1134 Orm2 17 Higden 14

• Runcorne 1172 Tab 17 Plea 1420 AD 1549

• Runcorn 1262 ArlB 1354 Sheaf

• Nether Runcorn 1430 Sheaf 1527 ChRR

• Runcorn inferior 1672 Orm2

• Lower Runcorn 1831 Bry

• Runcorn abbatis 1536 Dugd

• Runcorn Abbatt(e) 1607,1619 Chol

• Rungcorne 1487 MinAcct

• Runckorne alias Runckorne Abatis 1635 Chol

• Rounckorne 1681 ib

• Roncoueria 1172 Facs

• Roncover 1178–90 Orm2

• Roncouer 1186–90 Whall

• Roncouer inferior 1306 MinAcct

• Roncouere 1291 Tax

• Roncour 1242 Cl

• Ronkor(e), Roncore 1311 1312 Plea 1322

• Runcouer(e) 1245 P 1295

• Runcovere 1295 Cl

• Runcour' 1245 P

• Runcore 1255 Plea 1370 MinAcct

• Runkore 1303 Chamb

• Rancovere 1249 Lib

• Runcar 1329 IpmR

• Roncorne 1464 LRODx

• Roncorn 1535 VE

• Rencorn 1475 ChRR

• Rencorne 1554 Pat

• Ronkhorne 1500 Chol

• Nether Ronkhorne 1655 ib

• Ro(u)nckhorne 1630 ib

• Run(c)khorn(e) 1577 Saxton 1656,1660 Sheaf

• Nether Run(c)khorn(e) 1665 Chol

• Romcorne 1507 MinAcct

• Ronnakherne 1534 Chol

• Runkon 1692 Sheaf

• the castle rock 1817 Orm2 i 675

Etymology

'At the roomy cover', v. rūm , cofa . This would aptly describe the part of the Mersey estuary above Runcorn Gap infra , where the constriction of the channel by the promontories of Widnes La 106 and Castle Rock infra caused river and tide to form a wide lagoon.This pool was le creke de Runcorne 1481 ChRR (cf. Runcorn , now a poore townlet by a salt creke c.1536 Leland), a creek of the port of Chester.

Runcorn was the site of a burh made by Æþelflǣd, lady of the Mercians, v. Saga Book xiv 313. The location of the fortification is not certain, but it has been supposed to be the castle rock 1817 Orm2 i675, which was removed in 1862 to improve the navigation of the R. Mersey. In 1845 this site was 'a triangular piece of ground opposite the gap (Runcorn Gap infra ) which juts out into the river, by which it was defended. It was cut off from the land by a ditch six yards in breadth', ChetOS viii 353n. A fortification at this point would command the narrow passage from the lower estuary into the upper reaches of R. Mersey, a strategic requirement, v. Saga Book loc. cit .

The lower part of Runcorn was associated with Norton Priory, originally founded here, cf. 174supra , v. neoðera , inferior , abbas , abbat , cf. Higher Runcorn infra .