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.

Heckdyke

Early-attested site in the Parish of West Stockwith

Historical Forms

  • Hecdike 1298 Ipm
  • Hek dike flu 1575 Saxton
  • Hokdik (sic) water 1677 Thoroton

Etymology

Heckdyke is Hecdike 1298 Ipm, Hek dike flu 1575 Saxton, Hokdik (sic)water 1677 Thoroton. This is probably a dyke which has a heck or hatch of some kind for catching fish. Cf. s. v. heck (sb. 1) in NED, “fishgarthes, piles, stakes, heckes and other ingins sett in the Ryver and Water of Ouse and Humbre” (Act 23 Hy 8).

Places in the same Parish

Major Settlement