Dixton
Early-attested site in the Parish of Alderton
Historical Forms
- Dic(c)lesdon(e), Dyc(c)lesdon(e), Dicklesdon(e), Dicklesduna 1059 WinchAn 12,13 WinchLB 12 Tewk78 1201–12 RBE c.1218 ADiii 1220 Fees 1221 1236 Theok 1248 Ass 1327 SR
- -als. Dixton 1622 FF
- Dricledone 1086 DB
- Diclisdon 1169 P
- Dichestone 1166 RBE
- Dichelesdona 1175 WinchLB
- Dikelesdon, Dykelesdon 1204 P Hy3 Ipm 1248 Ass 1347 Ipm
- Dicleston(e), Dycleston(e) 1212 RBE 1418 IpmR
- -als. Dixton 1593 FF
- Dikulston 1546 Will
- Dykelston 1559 FF
- Dikesdun' 1221 Ass
- Dyckesdon 1262 Ipm
- Dekelesdon 1283 Episc
- Dekelysdon 1387 Ipm
- Duchelesdune 1372 Ch
- Dixton, Dyxton 1487 MinAcct 1505 Ipm 1591 ADv
- Dykston 1517 InqEncl
- Dyxston 1580 Talbot
- Dixon 1611,1640 FF
Etymology
The form suggests that the first el. is an OE pers.n. Diccel which, apart from one or two p.ns. like Ditchling (Sx 300), is not otherwise known and is obscure in origin; we may therefore have an OE dīc - hylles dūn 'down of the dike-hill', v. dīc , hyll , dūn . This is the more likely as the name describes a small but prominent and isolated hill surmounted by the dikes and other earthworks of a considerable ancient encampment called Castle Mound (infra ). Crigglestone (YW iii, 101) is presumed to have a similar very early reduction of a medial -hylles - to -(e )les -.