Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Marchesden(e) 1177-93 YCh1517 1274,1277 Font 1349 WCR

• Marcheden(e) 1275 WCR 1292 MinAcct 1306 WCR 1313 Pat 1323 MinAcct 1341 Surv 5,1487 MinAcct

• Marchedone 1331 YDi

• Marchden(e) 1323 1638 BM 1649 MinAcct

• Mercheden 1341 Surv

• Mersseden' 1379 PT

• Marshden 1619 DodsN 1620 Skyr

• Marsden 1540 Testvi 1625 YAS 5,1641 Rates

Etymology

Marsden clearly means 'boundary valley' and refers to its position on the Lancashire boundary, v. denu . The first el. cannot, however, be OE  mearc 'boundary', as this word would neither yield the palatalised Marche - which we have in Marsden nor appear with a gen.sg. in -es (since it was an OE fem. ō -stem, gen.sg. mearce ). The first el. is therefore most probably OE  mercels 'boundary', reduced to Marches - in the ME  spellings, and is closely paralleled by that of Marsden La 86 (which has also spellings in Merkeles - as well as Merkes -, Merches -). Cf. also March Clough & Haigh infra . Later spellings show some confusion with mersc 'marsh' as is the case with Masbrough i, 189supra (from OE  mearc ).