Weeks's Common
Early-attested site in the Parish of Harting
Historical Forms
- pratum de Wyxe 1386 Ct
- Wicks Common 1823 G
Etymology
Weeks's Common (6″) probably contains the element Wexe found in a pers. name in 1291 (Ct ) and as a p.n. in 1350 (Cl), It is called pratum de Wyxe in 1386 (Ct ) and Wicks Common in 1823 (G). Professor Ekwall and Dr Ritter suggest that we have here a metathesised form of OE wisce, so common in Sussex in the form wish . It should be noted that it is a pratum or meadow in 1386. This gains support from the field-names Wyseke , Wiske (Bay 73) of the 13th cent., and the pers. names John ate Wyseke (probably of Ripe) and Robert atte Wiske (1365 Ripe Ct ). The sc would remain as [sk ] in the oblique case forms wiscan and wiscum . This sk when metathesised would give ks or x . Cf. Cleeve Axe infra 511.