Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• (riuulus de) Iweden 1154–91 RegAlbi,65d,71,ii,57d

• Iwdene 1175 Font 1176 YDi

• riuulus de Iuwedene 1154–91 RegAlbi,72,ii,57d

• Youden 1307 YI

• Yowden 1379 PT 1509 Rent 1580 WillY

• Yoden Grene 1533 MinAcct

• Yudding 1771 M

Etymology

'Yew-tree valley', v. īw , denu , cf. Ewden i, 223supra . The modern spelling represents a later dial. development; ME  īw fell in with ME ō when the latter became [iu] in the sixteenth century, and so followed the same development to modern dial. [iə] and [jiə] initially in this region (cf. Phonol. § 30).