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.

Little Down

Early-attested site in the Parish of Cann

Historical Forms

  • Little Down 1568,1628 Hutch3 1840 TA
  • viam super liteledoune 1356 GillCt
  • Liteldo(u)ne 1362 For 1438 GillCt
  • Lyteldoune 1362 For
  • lytyldowne c.1500 Eg
  • (one windemill uppon) Little Downe 1609 LRMB

Etymology

Little Down (ST 868241), Little Down 1568, 1628 Hutch3, 1840TA , viam super liteledoune 1356GillCt , Liteldo (u )ne 1362For et freq to 1438GillCt , Lyteldoune 1362For , lytyldowne c.1500Eg , (one windemill uppon ) Little Downe 1609LRMB , v. lȳtel 'little', dūn 'hill, down'; the ground rises to 760′ here, but reaches over 800′ just to the N.