Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Satberga c.1150 Finc

• Satberge 1235 Ass

• Sadberga 1169 P

• Sadbirg' late12th Spec 15th

• Sadberg' 1183 BB c.1320 BB 1183 Elemos c.1382 Spec c.1260 Halm c.1275×1300 RPD 1296 Spec 1303,1312 Rav 1378 ChancH 1385 Rav 1433 1623

• Sadberg 1189 DST c.1220 Spec 1293 Bek early15th RPD 1307 IPM 1322etfreqto1529 Lang 1418 Pat 1435 Wills 1378 Rav 1698×9

• Sadbergia early13th Spec 1235×6 Ass 1480 Ct

• Sadberge 1174×95 Elemos 1235 Ass

• (burgi de) Sadberge 1235×6 1242×3 1244×9 Spec 1256(p),c.1300(p) GD 1302,1303,1312 RPD 1320etfreqto1625 IPM 1348 GT 1382 Hatf 1385 Rot 1547×53 Proc 1580 Surv 1597 Wills 1644×5 GD 1647 ParlSurv 1657 CC 1723×4 Hud

• Sadberghe 1236 Ass

• Sadb'ge 1247 Ct

• Sadber' 1283 Pont

• Sadbergh' 1313 RPD 1381 Spec 1385 Rav 1387 Ct

• Sadbergh 1378 Wills 1383 GD

• Sadb'g' 1382 Hatf 1420 Spec 1432 Ct

• Sadburge 1406 Pont 1620,1634 IPM

• Sadbergh on the Hyll a.1457 SurteesIII266

• Sethberga 1176 NbDu

• Sedberge 1198 Fees 1242×3 Ass

• Sedberg 1234 Pat 1615 GD

• Se(d)berge 1318 Ch

• cymiterium quod est in Sedberuie c.1170 RD

• Sedberue 1238 Cl

• Sadebergh' 1303 Bek

• Sadbarghe 1485 Spec

• Sadbardg 1582 Wills

• Sadbiry 1312 RPD

• Sadbrig' mid14th Spec

• Sadbery 1387 Spec 1411 Lang 1415–6etfreqto1580 IPM 1593 Wills

• Sadberye 1606 IPM

• Sadberye on the Hill 1583 IPM

• Sadbury 1408×9etfreqto1624 IPM 1418 Lang 1535 Finc

• Sadburye on the Hill, Sadburye alias Sadberge 1611 IPM

• Sadbury super montem 1620 IPM

• Sadburye

• Sadburye 1622 IPM

• Sadburn 1552 DX1022/1

• Sadberge alias Sadbury on the Hill 1607 IPM

• Sadberge otherwise called Sadbury 1741 DX718/3

• Sadberge 1676 DX487/1/109 1692 1787 1802 ib

Etymology

A difficult name. Mawer, without committing himself, compares Sedbergh, YW (NbDu 171) and Ekwall treats both names as examples of ON  set-berg 'flat-topped hill'. But a -spellings predominate at Sadberge and differentiate it from Sedbergh with its higher preponderance of e -spellings, Sedberg (e ), Sedberge , Sedbergh (e ) 1086, a.1177, 1193 et passim to 1660, Sadberg (e ), Sadbergh 13th, 1231, 1251 et freq to 1428, PNYW 6 263. Of the a -spellings for Sedbergh Smith says, “The form with Sat - is due to confusion with ON  sætr which appears in English as set and sat ”, ib 263–4. But sætr is an element rare if not absent in lowland eastern England and at Sadberge the a -spellings seem to be primary. ON  set-berg means 'seat-shaped (i.e. flat) hill' as also Sedber PNYW 699. Sedbury North Yorkshire, Sadberge 1175, 13th, Satberg 1257, Saddeberge 1285, Sadbery 1301, 1328, 1406, Sedbury 1519 PNYN 289, presents a similar problem to that of Sadberge: Smith compares it with Sedbergh and adds “Sedbury like Sadberge is probably a parallel formation, with Norw  sate 'a small flat piece of ground on a hill.'” An alternative explanation might be to think of OE  sǣt 'lurking place, snare, gin' + berg .

The village lies along the crest of a narrow elongated hill “rising gradually with an easy ascent from every side [from 160ˈ to 230ˈ], and commanding an extensive view over the level lands to the South-east, and up Tees-dale Westwards as far as Barnard Castle; the prospect is limited only on the North”, Surtees III 265. The hill is crossed at right angles by the Roman road from Barmby to Durham, Margary no.80a.The place was at one time of considerable importance as the administrative centre of the only Durham wapentake purchased from the king by bishop Hugh du Puiset in 1189. As a separate jurisdiction it retained for a time its own sheriff, escheator, coroner and gaol.