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.

Yewbarrow

Early-attested site in the Parish of Nether Wasdale

Historical Forms

  • le Mikeldor de Yowberg 1322 Cl
  • le Durre de Youbergh 1338 ib
  • Yeweberrowe, Yewberie hill 1540 LRMB

Etymology

The medieval boundary of the free chace of Kinniside and Nether Wasdale proceeded from Over Beck (supra 23) “usque le Nose de Cambe de Youbergh et sic sequendo sursum per le Cambe de Youbergh usque le Durre de Youbergh.” The 'nose' of Yewbarrow is the southern projection of the mountain, and the passage supplies a good example of OE  nosu , 'nose,' used in a topographical sense. The 'cambe' is the long ridge of the mountain itself (v. camb ). The 'door' (from OE  duru , cf. Lodore supra 350) is the depression between the northern end of Yewbarrow and the fells which lie between Bull Crags and Black Comb (supra 391). It appears now as

The name Yewbarrow itself seems to be a compound of OE  eōwu , ewe, 'and be(o)rg.