Earith
Early-attested site in the Parish of Bluntisham cum Earith
Historical Forms
- Herhethe 1244 Rams c.1350
- Earheth 1260 Ass
- Erehithe 1260 Ass
- Erheth 1279 RH 1286 Ass
- Ereheth 1286 Ass 1318 Ch
- Herhyth 1350 ADi
- Erethe 1548 BM
- Eryth(e) 1557 FF 1616 BM
Etymology
We must have here and in Erith (K), as suggested by Skeat (PN C 34), a compound of OE ēar and hyð, for the OE form of the Kentish name is Earhyð (BCS 87). If so the meaning is perhaps 'muddy landing place.' ēar is only found as the name of one of the runic letters in OE , and in the Runic Poem it probably denotes 'earth.' The ON cognate aurr is used of wet clay or loam, and as these places are 'hithes' we are probably right in taking the sense of the OE word also to be 'mud' here. The situation of the place, immediately upon the bank of the Ouse, suits this derivation.