Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Ermingewell 1225 FF

• Hermingeswll' 13 GlastR

• Hermyngeswell' 1342 GlastF

• Ermingeswell 1258 For

• Ermyngyswell(e) 1303 FA 1428 Weld1

• Ermyngeswell(') 1309 FF c.1325 GlastE 1417,1421 Weld1 1431 FA

• Ermyngeswoll 1346 ib

• Ermyngiswill 1428 ib

• Emmyngeswelle e14 GlastE

• Ermeswell 1362 IpmR

• Ermeneswell 1366 Ext, IpmR

• Ermeneswill 1412 FA

• Armyngswell 1546 Hutch3

• Armeswell 1675 Feth

• Armswell 1795 Boswell

Etymology

v. well(a) 'spring, stream', referring to the small stream which rises near here (spring also marked 6″). The meaning of the first part of the name is uncertain without earlier forms. Fägersten's suggestion (205) that it contains the rare OE  fem. pers.n. Eormengȳþ remains a possibility even though only the 1225 form is without medial s . If the first part of the name is indeed a pers.n., another possibility is that it is an -ing 3 derivative of an OE  Eorma (a short form of names in OE  Eormen -, postulated by Ekwall DEPN s.n. Irmingland Nf). On the other hand it is perhaps more likely that Erming (e ) is an -ing 2 formation on such a pers.n., meaning 'Eorma's place' or the like, the whole name then meaning 'stream at Erming (e )' or even 'stream called Erming (e )'. It should also be noted that Zachrisson DTR 133 thinks the first part of the name may be identical with the river-name Erme in Devon, but this is itself of uncertain origin, v. discussion s.nn. Erme and Ermington in PN D 5, 272, Ekwall RN 150, DEPN.