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.

Hodshrove

Early-attested site in the Parish of Falmer

Historical Forms

  • Hoteshrove 1557 Rental
  • Hotshrove 1609 AOMB414 1795 GY
  • Hod(h)schorne (sic) 1296 SR
  • Hothshorne (sic) 1327 SR

Etymology

Hodshrove is Hoteshrove 1557Rental , Hotshrove 1609AOMB 414, 1795 GY and gave name to John and Wm de Hod (h )schorne (sic) (1296 SR) and Alice and Johanna de Hothshorne (sic) (1327 SR). This name should be taken in conjunction with Hoadsherf supra 263. It is clear that in both cases the first element is the word hoth discussed under Hoathly supra 270.The second is a word which in ME  would seem to have been schorf , schorve . Hoadsherf is on the side of a hill in a hollow, Hodshrove is almost at the foot of a steep slope of the Downs and there can be little doubt that the second element is an English cognate of MHG schorf , schroff (e ), ModHG (dial.) schroffe , Swiss schroff , of which the general sense is 'cliff, bluff' and the like (v. schroffen in Grimm, Deutsches Wb and cf. ModGer  schroff , 'abrupt.' It is allied to OE  scræf, 'pit, hollow'). The meaning of the whole name would then be 'steep slope covered with heath-land.'