Morthoe
Major Settlement in the Parish of Morthoe
Historical Forms
- Morteho 1086 DB 1450 IpmR
- Mortaho 1258 Exon
- Marto 1628 Barum1,62
- Moorthoe 1739 FF
Etymology
This name must probably be taken along with the unidentified mortan cumb (BCS 479) in Wiltshire, Mortlake (Sr), DBMortelage , Mortlock's Fm in Radwinter (Ess) 1201 FF Mortlake , Murtwell infra 301, Moretor infra 516, Mortham (PN NRY 30) and Mosterton (Do), DBMortesthorn , and it must certainly be taken with the neighbouring North Morte. Morthoe and North Morte can have no relation to any stream. They are both on the tops of hills 400–500 ft. high, away from any stream. If we trace out the topography of mortan cumb in Grundy's analysis of BCS 479 (Arch. Journ. 76, 179) we find ourselves far away from any stream, and as Murtwell is high on a hillside, it is more likely that it takes its name from a spring than from a stream. Mosterton is on the Axe and so cannot contain a stream-name. Presumably there was some water which gave rise to the lake in Mortlake, but the only stream here is the Beverley Brook, which has an OE name (BCS 994). Mortlock's Fm is near a tiny tributary of the Pant. Mortham (NRY) is on the Greta; as this is a Scandinavian river-name the question of its earlier name must be left open. It is clear from this analysis that any assumption of a river-name Morta in England, as made by Blomé (24), is extremely doubtful and is certainly impossible for Mosterton, mortan cumb , Morthoe and North Morte. Professor Ekwall notes, so far as Morthoe itself is concerned, that by far the most prominent feature of the district is Morte Point and he suggests that Morte is the original name of the point and that this name is allied to the common Germanic stem found in Norwegian murt , 'small fish,' Eng. Dial. murt , 'small person,' Icel. murtr , 'short, stumpy,' MHG murz , 'stump' (cf. further Hellquist s. v. mort ). If that is the case, we must assume that some at least of the other names given above contain a pers. name Mort or Morta derived from this stem and ultimately of nickname origin.