Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Nortune 1086 DB
• sub Limam 1225 Cur
• subtus Lymam 1292-5 Ass
• under Lyme 1313 Pat

Etymology

'North' in this Norton may refer to the position of the settlement in the district called Hales, which stretched at least as far as Hales in Tyrley St, three miles south.

Affixes include sub Limam 1225 Cur, subtus Lymam 1292-5Ass , under Lyme 1313 Pat, referring to the southern extremity of the district called Lyme. In 1121-6 SAC the place is described as “Nortona que sita est iuxta nemus quod lima dicitur”. v. PN Ch 1, 2-6, for a discussion of Lyme.

A much more frequent affix is in Hales , which occurs 1271-2Ass et freq with occasional variants such as in Halys , in Halles . The district-name is discussed under Market Drayton. Both affixes are used in 1291Ass where the place is called Norton ' in Hales subtus Lyme .

The modern civil parish includes the township of Betton, which was transferred from Market Drayton in 1914.

Major Settlements

• Betton in Hales
• Norton in Hales