Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Mordun c.1040 HSC(O)Hinde 12th SD c.1104 GD late13th(p),1371

• mordu' early13th Elemos

• Mordune late13th GD

• Mordon 1072×83 RBk 15th P 1196 GD 1294 Finc late13th Ct c.1300 GD c.1324(p)etfreqto1558–9 IPM 1334etfreqto1622 Wills 1558 ParlSurv 1647 Hud 1723×4 Eldon 1734 Bran 1788

• Mordone 1235 Ass 1291(p)etfreqto1443 GD

• Mordon' 1316,1351 Lond 1351(p),1367(p),1370(p) Spec 1382 Hatf 1406 Pont

• mordon' 1370 Spec

• Morden 1559,1621,1635×6 IPM 1614,1734 Eldon 1791 Bran 1838 TA

• Mordant alias Morden 1625 IPM

• Mordon otherwise Morden 1801 Eldon 1861

Etymology

'Marsh hill', OE  mōr + dūn. The village lies at the edge of higher ground surrounded with “rich low pasture grounds, verging to the marsh.To the South, the slow mazy waters of the Skerne and its numerous feeders form a wide morass, in winter frequently a continued sheet of water”, Surtees III 44.