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.

Saxondale

Major Settlement in the Parish of Saxondale

Historical Forms

  • Saxeden 1086 DB
  • Saxenden 1316 Ch
  • Saxendala c.1130 Thoroton
  • Saxendale 1199 Cur 1200 Abbr 1208 Cur 1358 Ipm
  • Saxindale 1218 Pap 1223 FF 1280 Ass 1323 Ipm 1333 Cl
  • Saxendall 1200 Abbr 1242 Fees

Etymology

This is probably from OE  Seaxna denu , 'Saxons' valley,' denoting some isolated Saxon settlement in this Anglian territory, as suggested by Ekwall (DEPN). (For such names cf. PN Wo 116 and Mawer, PN and History 10). Such a settlement might account for the use of the rare denu as against the Anglian dæl in the original form of this name. There was also a lost Saxedale in Withcall (L), frequently mentioned in the Kirkstead cartulary.

Places in the same Parish

None