Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Rodouuelle, Rodewelle 1086 DB

• Rowelle, Rowell(a) 12 YCh1439 1480,1497,1516 Nost14 c.1212 Pont 1215 ChR 1241 Pat 1242 1249 RegAlbii,6d 1251 Ch 1313 Pat

• Rouell(a) 1130–40 YCh 1316 Vill

• Rueliam 1180–93 YCh1818

• Rouuelle 1255–77 Nost20

• Rouwell(e) 1249 RegAlbiii,92d 1253,1290 Ebor 1298 Nost40d

• Rothenwella 1121–7 YCh1428

• Rothewell(a), Rothewelle 1189 Nost4 1255–77 1259 Ass 1270 Nost44 1284,1286 Ebor 1291 Tax 1292 Nost63d 1297,1324 WCR 1328 FF 1531 ADi

• Rodwell(a) 1137–9 YCh 16 FF 1588

• Routhewele 1235 DodsN

• Rowthwell 1550 TestLds

• Rothwell 1280 Ch 1409 DiocV 1505 ADi 1641 Rates

• Roithwell 1545 LS

• Roythewell 1554 TestLds

Etymology

The persistent early Rowell spellings, with AN  loss of medial -th -, show that we have to start with late OE  Roð (a )-wella , and the frequent Rothewell spellings with a medial -e - and the later dialect spellings Roith - (which arise from short o in an open syllable, cf. Phonol. § 28) point rather to an OE  Rŏða -wella . The single Rod - and the single Routhe - spellings are from late transcripts and because of their uniqueness have no significance; Goodall's suggested derivation from ON  rauðr 'red' must therefore be rejected, as indeed it must be for Rothwell Nth 118–19, which, according to Ekwall, is from an OE  roð 'clearing', a word found in an OE  p.n. form Roðe (BCS 737) for Roe Green Hrt 165 and in other p.ns. Rothwell means 'well by the clearing(s)' (v. lēah ), and if Royds Hall infra is in fact an old name it may be the name of the clearings referred to.