Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Skyr 1439 YDxii,250

• Skirhouse 1580 WillY

• Skirehowse 1619 WB163

• Skirebothome 1586 WillY

• Skyre Lane 1843 O.S.

• Scar Field, Scaur Field 1851 TA

Etymology

Scarhouse, Scar Bottom, Scar Lane, Skyr 1439 YD xii, 250, Skirhouse 1580 WillY, Skirehowse 1619WB 163, Skirebothome 1586 WillY, Skyre Lane 1843 O.S., Scar Field , Scaur Field 1851TA .These places are on a steep rocky declivity, which could be aptly described by ON  sker 'a scar', dial. scar 'a rocky cliff', but the regular forms with Skir (e )- cannot easily be reconciled with this, although sker does once appear with the l.ME  spelling skyrre c. 1450 (NED s.v. scar ); on the treatment of ME  -er - as occasional -ir - cf. Phonol. § 14. The name may ultimately, however, be of similar origin to Skier's Hall i, 112supra ; cf. also lez Shyres (Spofforth) pt. v infra ; in certain other minor names and f.ns., Skyars, Skyres more , Skyers supra , we may have the surname Skire , but there is in most examples the possibility of an ON  *skýrr , a mutated form of Dan  skur 'a hut' or an OE  scȳr (e ) 'hut' (v. Addenda).