Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• capella Sancti Leonardi de Rode in Thorperl' 1287 ChFine, MRA

• Chapel de Rood(e), Chapel de Rood(e) in Torperlee, Chapel of Rood(e), Chapel of Rood(e) in Torperlee 1301 NotCestr 1724 Orm2 1301 ChRR 1819 1496

• Chapel de la Roode 1507 Orm2

• Chapel of the Rode, Chapel of Rode, Chapel of the Rode of Torperle, Chapel of Rode of Torperle, capella de la Rode, capella de Rode 1317,1388 Orm2 1440 ChRR 1494,1508 ChCert

• cantaria del Rode juxta Torperlegh 1364 Orm2

• The Hermitage 1289 Court

• Heremitorium 1290–3 Chest

• capella de la Rode vocata le Ermitage 1338 Plea

• capella heremet' juxta Torpurlegh 1385 Orm2

• capella vocata le Hermytes 1388 ib

• þe Chappell called Le Hermitage 1389 NotCestr 1724

• Chapel of 'Hermitage juxta Torplegh' 1396 1724 ib

• capella libera beate Marie Virginis et Sancti Leonardi heremet' de la Rode juxta Torplegh 1387 Orm2

• (libera) capella (siue) her(e)mitagium Sancti Leonardi de la Rode juxta Torplegh, (libera) capella (siue) her(e)mitagium Sancti Leonardi de la Rode juxta Torpurley 1388,1397 Orm2

• a cottage called Le Ermytage 1564–5 Orm2

• Further Hermitage, Middle Hermitage and Nearer Hermitage 1838 TA

Etymology

Orm2 ii 237 records the discovery c.1816 of the site, in Hermitage Field about half a mile NW of Tarporley church, of this, 'the free chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Leonard, of the hermitage of the Rood beside Tarporley', v. ermitage , rōd 2 . The rood-cross probably gave name to Road Street infra , that road passing the hermitage. In 1290–3 Chest (ChetNS lxxxii783) a road from the hermitage to Iddinshall was at the boundary of Iddinshall and Tarporley, 109–540634 to 540630.