Rowfant
Early-attested site in the Parish of Worth
Historical Forms
- Rowfraunte 1574 SAC3,242
- Rowvant 1610 Speed
- Rovat or Rowat 1776 SAC52,78
- Ronferth 1327 SR
Etymology
Rowfant is Rowfraunte in 1574 (SAC 3, 242), Rowvant in 1610 (Speed), Rovat or Rowat in 1776 (SAC 52, 78), and is probably to be associated with Adam de Ronferth (1327 SR). If the n should be read as u this last name may be a compound of OE ruh and fyrhþe , aptly descriptive of the rough forest land which formerly covered this district. For the n of the second syllable, cf. a similar intrusive n in Navant supra 112. Professor Ekwall suggests that the second element is fyrnþe , as in Frant infra 373, hence 'rough bracken-covered land.'