Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Capella de la Wachna c.1170 AD

• Hewachne c.1180 AD

• Ewaken 1229 FF

• Ewakne 1255 Ass 1272 FF

• Ewakene 1255 Ass

• Ewekene t.Hy2 MandB 1263,1272 Ass 1281 Norfolk 1332 SR

• capelle de Ewekne 1307 Ass

• Hewekene 1400 Norfolk

• Ewalkene c.1270 Winton

• Ewelkene 1272 Ass

• Eweykene 1282 FF

• Ewkene 1281 Norfolk

• Ewkne 1380 ib

• Ewkins 1597 Norfolk

• Ewtons 1719 Aubrey

• Eutons 1765 R.

Etymology

This is a difficult name. It is clearly the original name of the settlement, which, from its chapel, later came to be known simply as Capel . The forms suggest the possibility of an OE  ēawacen or ēawæcen , 'river-watch' or 'river-guard,' though it is a little difficult to say just why such should be found here.Ewekene's Farm lies on a small stream just to the west of the old Dorking-Horsham road, where that road is crossed by what must have been an important east and west track from Newdigate through Capel to Ockley on Stane Street, and it is just possible that at this important junction of tracks there may have been some early watch-place.