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.

Trentworthy

Early-attested site in the Parish of Bradworthy

Historical Forms

  • Trentaworth 1333 SR
  • Trenteworthy 1353 Ass
  • Trendeworthy 1356 Ass
  • Trent Tree 1765 D

Etymology

The forms are too late for any satisfactory solution to be offered. There is no stream here, even if one could have a compound of worþig and a stream-name. It is just possible that the first element is OE  trendel , 'circle,' hence 'circular enclosure.' The last form is evidently an attempt to represent the local pronunciation [trentəri], cf. Great Tree infra 433.