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.

Healam House, Healam Beck

Early-attested site in the Parish of Kirklington

Historical Forms

  • Hilum 1257 YD
  • Healam Bridge in Watlinge Streete 1613 NR

Etymology

'(At) the pools' from ON  hylr, dat. plur. hylum . The modern form shows that the original vowel -i - was short and was lengthened in an open syllable in ME; cf. Upleatham 153supra .The country round about is flat and the name probably refers to pools formed by Healam Beck. On Watling Street cf. Leeming Lane 1supra .

Places in the same Parish