Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Mat(t)resdon(e), Mat(t)resdunn 1121,1164–79,13 Glouc c.1200 GlChv,12 1221 Ass c.1230 GlChiv,13 1331 GlR

• Materesdon(e) c.1190 GlChi,24 1203 Cur

• Matteresdon c.1200,c.1220 GlR

• Matrisdon 1236 Fees

• Metteresdun 1200 GlR

• Matirden' 1221 Ass

• Matredon' 1268 FF

• Mattesdon(e), Mattesdun 13 Glouc c.1260,1261 GlR 1266 MinAcct 1287 QW 1542 GlR

• Mattisdon, Mattysdon 1535 VE 1589 Dep

• Matesden' 1221,1248 Ass 1303 Abbr

• Matesdon(e) c.1275 For 1291 Tax 1375 Ipm

• Matlesdon' 1248 Ass

• Mettesdune c.1250 Berk

• Metesdon(e) 1413 Cl, FF

• Madesden 1385 ECP

• Madesdon 1460 FF

• Madeston 1608 Will

• Matson 1535 VE 1574 PR

• Matteson als. Mattesdon 1638 Misc

Etymology

'Mǣðhere's or Mattere's hill', v. dūn . The first el. which is found also in Matson Hill (infra ) and a lost Matteshall 1320Ass , 1327SR (p) (from halh 'nook of land'), may be OE  mǣðere 'mower' or an OE  pers.n. Mǣðhere assumed for Mattersey (Nt 86), but although OE  -ð - in such a consonant-cluster frequently appears as -t - through AN influence (cf. IPN 109) or later as -d - by a dial. change as in Siddington i, 81supra (cf. Phonol. § 41b ), we should usually expect better early evidence of OE  -ð - in spellings with -d - or -th -, which in fact we find in Mattersey and Madresfield (Wo 209). Reaney 216 has noted a ME  name (le ) Mattere (from OE  matte , Lat  matta ) and such a byname from a late OE  *mattere 'mat-maker' would be appropriate phonologically; the change of -t - to -d - is well-evidenced (Phonol. § 40a ). Culkerton (i, 105supra ) may offer similar problems of pers.n. formation.