Nosterfield
Early-attested site in the Parish of West Tanfield
Historical Forms
- Nostrefeld 1204 Ass
- Nostreffeld 1245 Cl
- Nosterfeld 1257 YD 1282 YI 1285 KI 1298 YI 1301 LS 1521 FF
Etymology
This name is probably a case of metanalysis of the final sound of the ME inflected definite article then with the beginning of the place-name itself. Nosterfield goes back to the OE name formula æt ðǣm eowestrefelda , 'at the sheepfold field,' ME at then (e )ostrefelde , which before the recorded instances of the name became (atte ) Nostrefelde . A name of similar origin is Nosterfield (C), Nostresfelda c. 1080 Skeat (PN C).Cf. Napleton, PN Wo 146.
The name is ultimately derived from OE ēowestre , 'sheep fold,' and feld, whilst the compound ēowestrefeld in addition to the two Nosterfields is also found in Austerfield (YWR), which appears as OE Ouestraefelda in Eddi's Life of St Wilfrid , Oustrefeld in 1086 DB. For Austerfield, v. Bradley in EHR xxxvi. 299.