Arksome
Early-attested site in the Parish of Rothersthorpe
Historical Forms
- Irkesham 1240 FF 1540 LRMB
- Yrkesham 1540 LRMB
- Thorpe Arksholme 1780 EnclA
Etymology
Arksome (field-name) is Irkesham (1240FF , 1540LRMB ), Yrkesham (1540LRMB ), Thorpe Arksholme (1780EnclA ).Bridges (i, 262) quotes forms Yrkesholm , Irkesham , from the Cartulary of St James', Northampton, which cannot now be traced, and speaks of Arxam near Upton Mill. Arksholme is also the name of a field on the other side of the river, in Wootton.Professor Ekwall notes the possibility of a compound containing Anglo-Scand. Yric (on record in OE) for ON Eiríkr . He points out that such a compound of OE ham and a Scand pers. name is unlikely, but the situation would suggest the possibility of a hamm in the bend of a river as the second element.