Hardwater Mill
Early-attested site in the Parish of Wollaston
Historical Forms
- molend. de Herdewath' 1330 Ass
- pons de Hardewath' c.1377 Seld40
- Hardwater mill 1826 G
- Froxwade 1263 FF
Etymology
Hardwater Mill (6″) is molend. de Herdewath '1330Ass , pons de Hardewath 'c. 1377 Seld 40, Hardwater mill 1826 G. The second element in the first two forms looks like OScand vað, 'ford,' but it is difficult to see how wath could have developed to water , and in the absence of further forms the name must remain unexplained. We may perhaps compare Broxwater (Co), earlier Froxwade (1263 FF) where there has clearly been confusion between OE wæd, 'ford' and water .