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.

Whelford

Early-attested site in the Parish of Kempsford

Historical Forms

  • Welford(e) 12 Glouc 1287 Ass 1387 Ipm 1779 Rudder
  • Weleforde 1262 Ipm
  • Whelford(e) 1535 VE 1541 LP 1542 MinAcct 1822 M
  • Welneford 1540 AOMB, MinAcct

Etymology

'Ford at the deep river-poor', v. wēl 2 , ford ; the ford crossed the R. Coln. The spellings Whel - (which might suggest OE  hwēol 'mill- wheel') and Welne - are too late to be significant.