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.

Wethersell

Early-attested site in the Parish of Cranleigh

Historical Forms

  • Wetereshull 1383 Ct
  • Wethershille, Wedershulle 1521 Ct
  • Whethers Hill 1611 SACxxxv
  • Wyteheresfald, Wytheresfald 1248 Ass
  • Wytheresfaud 1279 Ass
  • Wytherefold 1321 Cl
  • Wytheresfold 1335 Ass

Etymology

Wethersell is Wetereshull 1383Ct (p), Wethershille , Wedershulle 1521Ct , Whethers Hill 1611 SAC xxxv. It must have been near a lost place in the parish found as Wyteheresfald , Wytheresfald 1248Ass , Wytheresfaud 1279Ass , Wytherefold 1321 Cl, Wytheresfold 1335Ass (p). These spellings suggest that the first element in both names may be the personal name Wiðer , v. fal(o)d and cf. Witherenden (PN Sx 454) and Wittering and Werrington (PN Nth 247, 246).