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.

Moor Fm

Early-attested site in the Parish of Woodham Ferrers

Historical Forms

  • Moruefelde, Morefeldes 1469 MinAcct
  • Morelande, Morelandehall 1527 Rental
  • Moriyenesfeld 12th Colch
  • Morghynelond 1240 FF
  • Morithynelond 1279 FF
  • Morghyuafeld 13th Dunmow
  • Morʒenescroft 1300 ColchA
  • le More- weʒenefanne 1316 Cl
  • Morkynlese 1349 Ipm
  • Moreʒeuegroue, Moreweyuelond (Thorrington) 1391 Rental
  • Mor(y)euecroft 1406,1415 Ct
  • Maryʒewe 1436 Tilty
  • Moryewyscroft 1451 MinAcct
  • le moreweve Dane 1459 Ct
  • Moreyngcrofte 1547 HarlR

Etymology

Moor Fm is Moruefelde , Morefeldes 1469MinAcct , Morelande , Morelandehall 1527Rental . OE  morgen-giefu , 'morning-gift,' i.e. the gift given the morning after marriage by the husband to the wife. Baddow and Burstead formed part of the morgen-giefu of Ælfhelm to his wife, and Rettendon of that of Brihtnoth to Ælfflæd (ASWills xiii, xv). Cf. Morgay, PN Sx 519, PN D i, lvii. Other Essex examples, in some of which there is confusion between n and u , are: Moriyenesfeld (Layer de la Haye) 12th Colch, Morghynelond (Langenhoe) 1240 FF, Morithynelond (Sandon) 1279 FF, Morghyuafeld (Tolleshunt Major) 13thDunmow , Morʒenescroft (Brightlingsea) 1300ColchA , le More - weʒenefanne (Aveley) 1316 Cl, Morkynlese (Gosfield) 1349 Ipm, Moreʒeuegroue , Moreweyuelond (Thorrington)1391Rental , Mor (y )euecroft (Feering) 1406, 1415Ct , Maryʒewe (Debden) 1436Tilty , Moryewyscroft (Layer Marney) 1451MinAcct , le moreweve Dane (Widdington) 1459Ct , Morevesclose , Morywesclose (Rochford) 1486–9MinAcct , Moreyngcrofte (Purley) 1547HarlR .