Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Wrethefeld 1318 Ct

• drain called Old Wryde 1753 BedL

• Wryde 1597 WisbechMap

• Old Ryde 1674 BLAcct

• Wridelake 1586 Ct

• Wrydestreame 1597 WisbechMap

• Wryde River 1720 BLAcct

Etymology

Wryde Croft is a large area of marsh, probably referred to in Wrethefeld 1318Ct . Cf. (le ) Wride , Wryde c. 1250ElyM , c. 1270Thorney et passim , Wrydeweare 1617AddCh , Ryde 1674BLAcct . Old Wryde Drain (6″) is drain called Old Wryde 1753 BedL. Wryde 1597Wisbech Map refers to Old Wryde Fm (Old Ryde 1674BLAcct ). These, with Wryde Bridge, Wrydelands Fm and Old Wryde Bank Holt (6″) all derive from a stream, Wridelake 1586Ct , Wrydestreame 1597Wisbech Map , Wryde River 1720BLAcct which, flowing south of Thorney Abbey, wound round near Old Wryde Fm, passing near the site of East Wryde Fm. It was also known as le Wride , possibly a contraction of wride -ēa . Cf. the alternation between Cricke and Crickelake , s. n. Creek supra 254. This is from an OE  *wride , 'twist, turn,' from OE  wrīþan , 'to twist,' hence 'the winding stream.' Cf. Wordwell (Sf), (æt ) Wridewellan c. 1025 (11th) BCS 1018, Wridewella 1086 DB and Worlington (Sf), Wirilintona 1086 DB, Wridelingeton 1201 Cur.The first is an old name of the Lark, on which both are situated; the second means 'the tūn of the dwellers on the winding river' (Studies2 100).