Shunner Howe
Early-attested site in the Parish of Egton
Historical Forms
- Senerhou 13 Guis 1223 FF
- Shonerhom (sic) 1252 YI
- Shonerhowes 15 Whitby
- Shenerhoues 1619 NRS
Etymology
'Sjon's mound' v. haugr . The first element is ON Sjónr , gen. Sjónar (LindN), which enters into the parallel Norw place- name Sjonhaug (ONorw i Siónarhaugi , Rygh NG i. 10).Ekwall (NoB ix. 162) would derive the name from ON sjón and explain it as 'look-out hill' and compares it with Shunner Fell (not evidenced in early documents) in Wensleydale.
The modern form of the name Shunner is borrowed directly from the late ON form Sjónar , for initial sh - can in this case be derived only from the acoustically neighbouring sound [sj], a tendency in sound development which is reflected in such modern English words as sure , sugar (18th cent. [siuə, siugə]).The earlier forms Sener - are what we should normally have in English for ON Sjónar (PrN *sēonaR ). The phonetic history of this name and possibly of Shunner Fell indicate a late connexion with the Scandinavians (v. IPN 92).