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.

Chignall St James

Major Settlement in the Parish of Chignall

Historical Forms

  • Cingehala(m), Cinguehellam 1086 DB
  • Chikehala 1179 P 1254 Ass
  • Chykenhall 1286 Abbr
  • Chikenhale 1302 Misc 1331 Londin
  • Chikenhale Zoyn 1346 FA 1360 Ipm
  • Chigeuale (sic) 1199 Cur
  • Chigehal(e) 1203 FF
  • Chigehal(e) Zoin 1238 SR
  • Chigehal(e) Sancti Jacobi, Chigehal(e) Tany 1255 Ass 1264 Misc
  • Chigehal(e) Smetheleye, Chigehal(e) de Zoun 1279 FF
  • Chyg(g)ehale Zuyn 1248 Ass
  • Chyg(g)ehale Trenchefoyl 1255 ib
  • Chigenhale 1218 FF
  • Chigenhale Zoin 1286 ib
  • Chigenhale Seyn 1303 FA
  • Chigenhale St Mary, Chigenhale St James 1339 FF
  • Chygenhale Smethelegh, Chygenhale Sci Jacobi 1291 For
  • Chigenhall 1218 FF 1270 Ipm
  • Chigenhall Zony 1285 Ipm
  • Smeley Chyggenhale 1548 LP
  • Guggehallzuyn 1248 Ass
  • Chichehal' Sci Jacobi, Chichehal'Taenny 1254 Ass
  • Chygewell Tany, Chygewell Zoyn, Chygewell Smetheleye 1291 For
  • Chekenhull 1322 Pat
  • Chegehale Tany, Chegehale Zoyn 1395 IpmR
  • Jekenhale St James 1420 Pat
  • Shigenhale Trenchefoill p.1420 FA
  • Smely shikenale 1524 DKRxliii
  • Trenchevele 1491 MinAcct
  • Chyngenhall 1523 LP
  • Chyngenhall, Chingenhall alias Chiggenhall alias Chignall St Mary and St James 1545 LP 1563 FF
  • Chickney St James 1542 FF
  • Chycknell 1575 BM
  • Chicknell St Jeames 1594 N
  • Chicknal 1768 M
  • Chignall Smeely vulgo Brick Chignall because both ye church and tower and steeple is built with brick 1640 ERiv
  • Brick Chignal 1716 EssPRiii
  • del Zuin (1203 Cur)
  • Trenchfuill (t. Hy 2 M)

Etymology

This is probably, as Professor Ekwall suggests, a derivative of the same pers. name Cicca which is found in Chickney infra 474. Hence 'Cicca 's nook,' v. healh . The first form is irregular and reminiscent of those for Chingford and Chigwell.

There were formerly three parishes, two of the churches being dedicated to SS Mary and James respectively. Zoin from the family of Jordan del Zuin (1203 Cur), Tany from that of Tany of Stapleford Tawney (1199 ib.) and Trenchefoil from that of John Trenchfuill (t. Hy 2 M). Chignall St James is also known as Great Chignall (M ii, 79).

Places in the same Parish