Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Waledanā 1086 DB

• Waleden(e) 1119–98 Colch

• Waleden(e) Parva 1248 Ass

• Waleden(e) Magna 1254 ib

• Waleden(e) Castel 1285 FF

• Waleden(e) Mercati 1292 ib

• Waleden(e) St Mary 1295 Ch

• Chepyng Waleden(e) 1328 Banco

• Waleden(e) Abbas 1347 Cl

• Waleden(e) monachorum, Waleden(e) beate marie, Waleden(e) ad forum, Waleden(e) Sancte Marie 1387 Walden

• Weleden(e) 1119 Colch 1218 Fees 1285 Ass

• Walden(a)(m) 1141 Mandeville 1379 et freq

• (m) ad Turrim 1388 FF

• Waldeyn 1427 MinAcct

• Waldon' 1190 P

• Waledun' 1213 Orig

• Waledon' 1248 Cl

• Waledon' Abbatis 1347 Ipm

• Walenden' 1236 Cl 1387 Walden

• Castelwauden(e) 1285 Ass

• Saffornewalden 1582 AD iii, Walden

• called Safron Waldon 1594 N

• Safrongardyn (in Widdington) 1467 Ct

Etymology

OE  weala-denu , 'the valley of the Britons or of the serfs,' v. wealh , denu . The church is dedicated to St Mary . The cieping is the market. The cultivation of saffron was introduced into England c. 1340. The earliest reference to it at Walden is in 1545 when the town made a gift of a pound of saffron to 'my ladye Pagett,' the wife of one of the Secretaries of State.References to its cultivation are very common in Essex field- names, more especially in examples of Saffron Garden, Close, Field, Ground, Piece and Shot. v. ER xix, 57 ff. The earliest form noted is Safrongardyn (in Widdington) 1467Ct .