Withernsea
Major Settlement in the Parish of Hollym
Historical Forms
- Witfornes, Widfornessei 1086 DB
- Withornese, Wythornese 13th Bridl 1228 Ebor 1401 Melsa
- Withornse(e), Wythornse(e) 1260 YI 1486 Test
- Wythorense(e) 1260 YI
- Wythornesse 1260 Rental 1276 Abbr
- Wytornesse 1260 Rental
- Whythornese 1300 ChancW
- Whithornse 1339 Extent
- Wytthornse 1342 SR
- Withorn, Wythorn 1180–97 Melsa, 1338 Ch, 1339 Extent
- Withoren 1260 YI
- Witthor(e)n, Wytthor(e)n 1260 ib., Rental, 1342 SR
- (lacus vocat') Withornse Mar(re), (lacus vocat') Wythornse Mar(re) 1260 Rental, YI, 1341 Extent, 1365 Pat
Etymology
Withernwick infra 69 has a similar run of spellings and the first part of each name would appear to have a common origin.In the case of Withernsea this is clearly an older place-name which is found independently as Withorn , Wythorn 1180–97 Melsa, 1338 Ch, 1339Extent , Withoren 1260 YI, Witthor (e )n , Wytthor (e )n 1260 ib., Rental , 1342SR . This was in the neighbourhood of Withernsea.
An obvious explanation of Witthorn would be ME w (h )itþorn 'white-thorn,' but there is only a single Whit - spelling and none in Qu -, such as we might have expected from the forms for Wharram infra 134. The first element is therefore preferably a word with initial w . OE wīt (e ) 'torture, execution' with þorn is possible in the sense 'thorntree used for hanging felons.'Cf. Warter infra 168 for a similar idea. In view, however, of the origin of the nearby Owthorne we may have here a prepositional or adverbial compound of OE wiþ or ON við 'against, near, beside' and þorn , with the meaning 'near the thorntree.'Withernwick is 12 miles from Withernsea and might be of quite independent though similar origin. It might, however, have been a dairy-farm belonging to Witthorn , though by the time of DB any such connexion had been lost. Cf. Skirlington infra 80.
The final element in Withernsea is OE sǣ 'pool' (cf. Kilnsea supra 15). The lake has disappeared but it is frequently referred to as (lacus vocat ') Withornse Mar (re ), (lacus vocat ') Wythornse Mar (re )1260Rental , YI, 1341Extent , 1365 Pat from OScand marr 'pool.'