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.

Whitfield Barn, Whitfield Fm

Early-attested site in the Parish of Bradford Peverell

Historical Forms

  • Whitewell(e) 1195–1202 P 1231,1301 Cl
  • Whitewell(e) ferme 1615 DuCo
  • Whitewell(e) house 1664 HTax
  • Wittewell 1195 P
  • Witewell 1196–1202 ChancR 1205,1222 ClR 1227 Fees
  • Witewill 1212 ib
  • Witewolle 1328 Ct
  • Wytewll 1268 Ass
  • Wytewelle 1335 Ct
  • Whytewell(e) 1300 Ipm 1319 Pat 1650 ParlSurv
  • Whetewell(e) 1315 FF
  • Whittewell(e) 1318 Fine
  • Whitwell 1345 Rent
  • Frome Whit(e)well 1774 Hutch1 1863 Hutch3
  • Whitfield Fm 1798 EnclA

Etymology

Whitfield Barn, Whitfield Fm (SY 675915), Whitewell (e )1195–1202 P, 1231, 1301 Cl et freq toWhitewell (e ) ferme 1615DuCo , Whitewell (e ) house 1664 HTax, Wittewell 1195 P, Witewell 1196–1202 ChancR, 1205, 1222 ClR, 1227 Fees, Witewill 1212 ib, Witewolle 1328Ct , Wytewll 1268Ass , Wytewelle 1335Ct , Whytewell (e )1300 Ipm, 1319 Pat, 1650ParlSurv , Whetewell (e )1315 FF, Whittewell (e )1318 Fine, Whitwell 1345Rent , Frome Whit (e )well 1774 Hutch1, 1863 Hutch3, Whitfield Fm 1798EnclA . 'White spring', from hwīt and wella , in allusion to a spring (marked 6″) 'which breaks out here at the bottom of a chalky hill' (Hutch3 2415), near R. Frome. The modern alteration of the name is due to confusion with Frome Whitfield (in Stinsford par. infra ) to which manor it once belonged.