Matford Bridge
Early-attested site in the Parish of Alkington
Historical Forms
- Mathford c.1270 Berk
- Matford(e) 1492 Aug 1516 MinAcct 1575 TRMB
- Mattesford 1548 Pat
Etymology
Matford Bridge, Mathford c. 1270 Berk, Matford (e )1492 Aug, 1516MinAcct , 1575TRMB , Mattesford 1548 Pat. Possibly 'Mat's ford', from ME Mat (te ), a diminutive of Matthew , in view of the Mat -, Mattes - spellings, but since the p.n. is repeated iii, 117 infra and in Matford (D 496), the coincidence of several ford-names containing this rare pers.n. is great, and we probably therefore have either an OE mǣð -ford 'ford used chiefly at hay-making time' (v. mǣð 'mowing' and cf. such names as Ryeford 203supra , Barford 'barley ford', EPN i, 182), or, as was suggested by Professor Ekwall for the Devon name, OE mægðan -ford 'ford near the mayweed' (v. mægðe ) or OE mægða -ford 'maidens' ford', that is, 'one easily crossed' or 'one where maidens gathered' (v. mægð 1 , cf. EPN i, 183, Maidford W72).
Places in the same Parish
Early-attested site
- Baynham Court
- Goldwick
- Michael Wood
- Newport
- Ryeham Fields
- Saltmore Court
- Swanley
- Lower Wick & Upper Wick
- Woodford, Woodford Green