Harrow
Major Settlement in the Parish of Harrow
Historical Forms
- gumeninga hergae 767 BCS201
- (æt) Hearge 825 ib
- Hergas, (apud) Hergan 832 BCS402 c.1250
- Herges 1086 DB 1232 Cl 1235 Ass
- Her(e)ghes 1232 1235 1265 Pat
- Hareghes 1258 FF 1294 Ass
- Her(e)wes 1234 Ch 1249 FF 1251,1269 Pat 1261 Ch 1270 Ipm 1272 FF
- Hergeg' 1240 FF
- Hergh 1243 1270 Ipm
- Heregh' 1294 Ass
- Har(e)wes c.1250 MP 1291 Tax 1294 Ass 1307 Cl
- Harwys 1295 Ipm
- Har(e)we 1278 FF 1294 Ass 1313 Ch 1316 FA 1341 NI
- Haruwe 1348 FF
- Hargwe 1397 Pat
- Harghe 1299 Pat
- Harwo 1347 ib
- Harogh' 1368 FF
- Harowe 1369,1377 ib
- Harow(e) atte Hille 1398 IpmR 1468 FF
- Harow on the Hull 1400 Pat
- Harow of the hyll 1421 FF
- Harowe on the Hill or Harwe on the Hull 1426 Pat
- Harowe upon le Hill 1474 ib
Etymology
This is OE hearg , 'heathen temple or shrine,' cf. Harrowden (PN Nth 125). Harrow is on a prominent isolated sand-capped hill, rising to about 300 ft. above the Middlesex plain, the ground falling away steeply on all sides. There must have been a site of ancient heathen worship here, perhaps on the site of the present church which stands on the summit of the hill. The early and persistent use of a plural form side by side with the singular one is curious. gumeninga would seem to be the gen. pl. of some tribal or folk-name, cf. linga hæs (supra 39). Nothing further is known of it.