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.

The Ridings

Early-attested site in the Parish of Fulstow

Historical Forms

  • Fulstow Redhenges lHy2 Alv 13
  • Redhenges 1291 Holywell
  • le Redenges 1409 LMR
  • Redheng p1261 Holywell
  • Fulstowe Redenges l12 Alv 13
  • redenges 1283 Holywell
  • le Redenges 1317 Ipm 1438 Anc
  • leʒ Redenges 1442 LMR 1452 Anc
  • Redenges 1425,1429 LMR
  • Redengs 1366,1369 1372 Ipm
  • le Redengs 1399,1408 LMR
  • les Redengs 1407 ib
  • les Redeng eHy3 Gilb 1409
  • le Redenge 1417 LMR
  • les Redynges 1342 LMR
  • le Redynges 14,1519,1556 Anc
  • leʒ Redynges 1505 LMR
  • le redynges 1588 Holywell
  • leʒ Redinges 1562 Anc
  • le Redinges 1567,1576,1590 1618 LMR
  • les Redinges 1622 ib
  • le Redings 1588 Anc
  • les Redings 1614 LMR
  • the Redings 1668 Holywell
  • Ouerredinges 1595 FSurv
  • le Redeings 1405 LMR
  • Reddinges 1541 LMR
  • Redde Inges 1595 FSurv
  • the Red-ynges 1637 Holywell
  • Red Inges 1666 ib
  • les Rydynges 1522,1542 Anc
  • leʒ Rydinges 1567 ib
  • les Rydinges 1567 ib
  • le Ryddynges 1543,1545 Anc
  • Readinges 1560 Pat
  • Readings 1582 Anc
  • la Readings 1585 ib
  • le Readings 1574,1587 ib
  • ye Readings 1588 Holywell
  • les Readings 1620 LMR
  • the Readings 1628 ib
  • Fulstowe Readings 1585 Anc
  • Readings Drain 1819 EnclA
  • le Reedings 1632 LMR
  • the Reedings 1659 Holywell
  • Broad Reedings, Narrow Reedings 1819 EnclA
  • Reedings Close 1595 FSurv

Etymology

les Redynges 1342LMR , le Redynges 14, 1519, 1556Anc , leʒ Redynges 1505LMR , le redynges 1588Holywell , leʒ Redinges 1562Anc , le Redinges 1567, 1576, 1590ib , 1618LMR , les Redinges 1622ib , le Redings 1588Anc , les Redings 1614LMR , the Redings 1668Holywell , Ouerredinges 1595FSurv (v . uferra 'upper')

All the forms quoted above refer to the same name, in spite of the varied later developments. It means 'the (outlying) meadows where reed grows', v. hrēod , eng in the pl., with occasional spellings in the sg. The name apparently denoted a fairly extensive outlying area in the west of the parish. The Ridings 1828 was in the extreme south-west corner of the parish with Redde Inges and Reedings Close 1595 in the same area and Ouerredinges , also 1595, a little to the north-east. Readings Drain , 1819, ran alongside Bull Bank, the southern boundary of the parish here. Broad Reedings and Narrow Reedings on the EnclA Plan 1819 were fields further north - north of the Fulstow-Ludborough road and along the boundary with Ludborough. The frequency in the recording of this name in medieval sources seems to indicate its local importance.