Holsworthy
Major Settlement in the Parish of Holsworthy
Historical Forms
- Haldeurdi 1086 DB(Exon)
- Haldeword
- Halleswrthia late12th BM 1291 Tax
- Haldewurth 1228 FF
- Aldeswrh' 1257 Ipm
- Haldeswrthy 1277 Ass 1389 ADiv
- Holdesworthe 1308 Exon
- Hollesworthi 1327 Ass
- Holdiswortħ et non Haldiswortħ 1330 Ass
- Houlsworthy 1675 Ogilby
- Holsworthy vulgo Holsery 1765 D
- Healdesworthe c.1320 Exon
- Hyallesworthi 1326 Exon
Etymology
This place must be considered along with healdesuuyrth in a Sussex charter (BCS 197), cited by Blomé (145), Holdstrong infra 188 and Halsworthy infra 520, all alike containing a first element Healdes -. The triple occurrence of this otherwise unrecorded element in genitival form is in favour of interpreting it as a pers. name Heald , rather than a common noun (ge )heald , 'stronghold,' postulated by Blomé or an unmutated OE heald , 'slope,' allied to OE hielde. If it is a pers. name it must be derived from OE heald , 'bent.' Cf. also Holdworth (Y), DB Haldeuurde , Holdsworth (Y) 1276 RH Haldewrthe , and the pers. name Halda recorded in OE, apparently the weak form of this name.