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.

Ashford

Major Settlement in the Parish of Ashford

Historical Forms

  • Ecelesford 969 Crawford c.1100
  • Ecclesforde 969 BCS1264 14th WDB 1042–66 13th
  • Echelesford 1042–66 WAM 13th Ass 1274 FF 1383
  • Echelford 1274 Ass 1285 FF 1535 VE
  • Echeleford 1279 QW 1294 Ass 1341 NI
  • Echillesford 1443 FF
  • (æt) Exforde 1062 KCD812 13th
  • Exeforde 1086 DB
  • Exford 1274 Ass
  • Exeford 1293 Ipm
  • Exenford 1294 Ass
  • Eglesford 1445 FF
  • Assheford 1488,1517 FF
  • Assheford otherwise Echelford 1561 ib
  • Echelford otherwise Assheford 1567 ib
  • Echeford 1563 Recov
  • Asheford al. Echeford 1606 PCC
  • Achilforde 1509 PCC

Etymology

Ashford lies on the Ash river (supra 1), called eclesbroc in the bounds of Sunbury (BCS 1085). On the basis of these forms Ekwall (RN 141) suggests the possibility of the gen. sg. of a personal name *Eccel , a diminutive of the recorded Ecca as the first element, hence 'Eccel 's broc' and 'ford.' He notes there, however, the occurrence of the element eccles - in other OE stream-names, including ecclesbroc (KCD 682) in Worcestershire, and in his treatment of Ecchinswell (Ha) in DEPN he notes a nearby Ecclesburna (BCS 674), Ecclesbourne, R. (Db) (Ecclesborne 1298 Ipm) and an ecles cumb (BCS 927) in Somerset, all of which suggest the possibility of ec (c )les as an early stream- name.

Places in the same Parish

Early-attested site