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.

Ratcliffe on the Wreake

Major Settlement in the Parish of Ratcliffe on the Wreake

Historical Forms

  • Radeclive 1086 DB 1166 LN 1220 MHW 1316 FA 1322 Pat
  • Radecliue 1196 ChancR 1332 LCh
  • Radecliua 1259 Deed
  • Radeclyue 1327 SR
  • Radeclyve 1260 Cur 1285 FA 1315 Inqaqd 1375 AD
  • Radecleve 1253×58 RHug c.1291 Tax
  • Radeclif(') 1332 SR 1379 Ass 1403 AD 15 Ferrers
  • Radecliff(') 1360 Coram 1396 Ferrers 1407 RTemple
  • Radeclyf 1365 Coram 1368 Misc 1412 RTemple 1432 Pat
  • Radeclyff(') 1378 Banco 1396 Ferrers 1399 Banco
  • Radeclyffe 1403,1412,1416 ib
  • Raddecliffi(') 1424 Ferrers 1426 WoCart 1449
  • Raddeclyf 1426 1449 AAS 1428
  • Raddeclyff(') 1431,1447 Ferrers
  • Radclif(f) 1285 Banco 1360 Coram 1378 Banco 1502 Ipm 1577 LEpis
  • Radcliffe 1326 Pat
  • Radclyf 1377 SR 1424 AD
  • Radclyff(e) 1368 Banco 14 Ferrers 1543 AAS 1547 Pat
  • Radclyve 1311 Banco 1360 Cl
  • Ratcliff(e) 1415,1424 Banco 1456 MiD 1604 SR 1610 Speed
  • Ratclyff(') 1424,1434 Banco 1486 Ferrers 1487 Fisher 1553 Pat 1576 Saxton
  • Ratclyf 1492 Fisher 1506 Ipm
  • Ratclif 1515 LCh
  • Rotclefe 1447 RTemple
  • ~ Burdet 1242 Fees 1262 Ass
  • ~ super (le) Wrethek, ~ super Wre(y)ke 1259 Deed 1293 Pat 1360 Cl 1407 RTemple 1699 LML
  • ~ Surwrek 1326 Pat
  • ~ sur Wreyk' 1396 Ferrers
  • ~ opon Wrethek 1456 MiD
  • ~ opon Wreyk 1486 Ferrers
  • ~ uppon the Wreake 1612 Terrier

Etymology

'The red cliff, v. rēad , clif . The township, which stands beside the river Wreake, takes its name from the red marl cliff here. Willelmus Burdet held the manor in 1242 Fees, while Alexander Burdet is still associated with it in 1428 FA.

Note MLat  super , AFr  sur and OE  uppan, all with the meaning 'on, upon', in the formation of the affixes.