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.

Woodford, Woodford Green

Early-attested site in the Parish of Alkington

Historical Forms

  • Wdeford' 1221 Ass
  • Wudeford' 1221 Ass 1238 Berk 1248 Ass
  • Wodeford(e) 13 Glouc c.1250 Berk 1287 Ass 1516 MinAcct
  • Wodford 1541 AOMB 1547 Rent
  • Wydeford 1399 FF 1401 Ass 1413 FF
  • Wydford Hy8 Harl
  • Woodford 1540 MinAcct 1575 TRMB
  • Woodford Green 1777 M

Etymology

'Ford by the wood', v. wudu , ford ; the Roman road from Gloucester crossed the Little Avon here. The later Wyde - forms are due to a well-evidenced change of -u - to -i - before dentals (Phonol. § 29), cf. Diddington (Hu 254), Dinnington (YW i, 146) rather than survivals of the earlier OE  widu .