Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Rengles c.1180 CWxxix

• Renglas 1208 ChR 1208,1210 Pipe 1292 QW 1292 Ass

• Renglass 1209 FF

• Reynglas c.1240 StB

• Ranglass c.1240 StB c.1250 ib

• Ranglas 1278,1279 Ass c.1290 StB 1294 Cl c.1310 BM 1323 MinAcct

• Ranglasse 1292 Ass 1294 Ipm

• Rayneglas c.1270 StB

• Ringlas 1278 Ass

• Rynglas 1279 ib

• Raynglas 1279 StB

• Ravenglas 1297 Cl 1321,1334,1370 Ipm 1540 MinAcct

• Ravenglasse 1298,1321,1334 Ipm 1338 Cl 1540 MinAcct

• Ravengles 1334 Ipm

• Ravenglasce 1369 ib

• Ravynglas 1364 Ipm 1440 Cl

• Ravinglas 1364 Ipm

• Ravyn Glasse t.Hy8 AOMB

• Rawnglasse 1654 CantWvii

• the Market Cross 1774 ib

Etymology

This is probably a compound of OIr  rann and the Irish personal name Glas . Such a name, meaning 'Glas 's part, lot or share,' has an exact parallel in the lost south Scottish Reinpatrik , in which the element rann is followed by the personal name Patrick . The name is discussed at length by Ekwall (ScandCelts 92–3. See also DEPN) who shows that its earliest forms can all be explained by this derivation. Owing to extensive changes in the coast-line, it is impossible to recover the ancient topography of the site, and in any case, no topographical explanation that has so far been suggested will adequately account for the forms which are on record. The forms beginning with Raven - are clearly attempts to make intelligible a name which has lost its meaning.

For the Romano-British name of Ravenglass v. Appendix.