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.

Hipswell

Major Settlement in the Parish of Catterick

Historical Forms

  • Hiplewelle 1086 DB
  • Hippleswell 12 Easby
  • Hippeswell(e) 1184 RichReg 12 Easby 1228 1285 KI 1316 Vill 1328 Banco 1396 Pap 1561 FF
  • Hippeleswell(e) 1260 Easby 1300 Ebor
  • Hipleswelle c.1270 Easby
  • Hippliswell 1301 LS
  • Hipsewell 1545 RichWills

Etymology

v. w(i)ella. No satisfactory pers. name can be suggested for the first element, and it is probably a lost hȳpels (Angl  hēpels ), a derivative of OE  hēap 'heap,' used of a hill as in Heape (PN La 61). If so we have very early shortening of ē to ĕ and raising to ĭ . Cf. Redmire 257infra . There is an isolated hill on the west side of the village which might well be so called.Hence, 'hill stream or spring.'