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.

Sparket

Early-attested site in the Parish of Watermillock

Historical Forms

  • Sparcheued c.1250 Lowther
  • Sperkeheved 1253 Ipm
  • Sparkehefd 1323 ib
  • Sparkheued 1332 SR 1348 Cl 1348,1359 Ipm
  • Sparkeheved 1348 Ipm
  • Sparkhed(e) 1419 IpmR 1711 PR(Greystoke)
  • Sperket 1575 PR(Dacre)
  • Sparket 1586 PR
  • mills of Sparkehefd 1323 Cl
  • Sparket Milne 1624 PaineBk
  • Sparkhead Milln 1705 PR

Etymology

A number of place-names in southern England, such as Sparkford (Ha) and Sparkwell (D) seem to imply the existence of an OE  *spearca or *spearce related to OE  spræc , 'branch or twig,' with the probable meaning 'brushwood' (DEPN). The present name seems to contain a northern example of the same word. If so, the meaning is 'brushwood,' v. hēafod .