Tiln
Early-attested site in the Parish of Hayton
Historical Forms
- Tille 1086 DB
- Northtill, Southtill 1524 FF
- Tylle t.Hy8 MinAcct
- Tilne 1086 DB 1189 P 1211 RBE 1212 Fees
- Thilne 1211 RBE
- in duabus Tilnis 1221 FineR
- Suthtilne 1224 FF
- Northtylne 1280 Ass
- Tilnea 1189,1194 P
- Tilney 1629 Recov
Etymology
No certain solution of this name is possible. Ekwall (DEPN), on the basis chiefly of the Tilnea forms, would take this to be 'Tila 's river,' from OE ea , 'river,' in contrast to Tilney (Nf) which he takes to be 'Tila 's island (of marshland).' The only river, however, is the Idle itself and it does not seem very likely that this had a second name 'Tila 's river.' If Tilne (a ) is a river- name it would perhaps be more reasonable to take it as standing for tilan ēa , 'excellent, useful river,' a nickname used in contrast to its usual name 'idle.' Side by side with Tilney (Nf) we have Thorpe Tilney (L) which is Tileneia in 1185 and might be for OE tilan ēg , 'serviceable marshland,' and the river-name Tilnoð (BCS 217) which may be a nickname compounded of til , 'excellent' and nōþ , 'striving.' Another river-name of somewhat similar form is Till (Nb) with forms Tille , Tilne 1256 Ass. The extent to which and the way in which these river-names and marsh-names are related to one another is entirely obscure. If the final element is ea , we may perhaps compare the forms of Misson infra 87 for the syllabic development.