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.

Witheridge

Major Settlement in the Parish of Witheridge

Historical Forms

  • Wiriga 1086 DB
  • Wyrig' 1242 Fees787
  • Wetherigge 1249 Ass
  • Wetherudge 1535 VE
  • Wytherigge 1256,1262 FF

Etymology

It is probably unnecessary to go beyond OE  weðra -hrycg , 'ridge of the wethers,' for this name, with the same fluctuation between forms with e and i as in Withersfield (PN Sf 30) and Weathersfield (Ess). Cf. Wedreriga (Exch Wederige ), an unidentified DB manor in Plympton Hundred.