Follifoot
Early-attested site in the Parish of Wighill
Historical Forms
- Fulifet 1167 P
- Folifayt(e), Folyfayt(e), Folyfeit, Folyfait(e) 1180,1196 P 13 Heal12d 1285 KI 1303 Aid 1371 Works 1428 FA 1537 Dugdv
- Potter Folyfait(e) 1329 FF
- Est Folyfait(e) 1346 FF 1379 PT 1402 Pat
- Folyfet a.1240 Heal61d
- Folafayt 1276 RH
- Folitwait 1316 Vill
- Folyfatt 1538 FF
- Follifoot 1716 Terrier 1849 TA
Etymology
'Place where horse-fighting took place', v. fola , gefeoht ; the compound is repeated in Follifoot v, 27infra , from which this place is distinguished as Potter - (v. pottere 'potter', perhaps as a surname) and Est - (v. ēast ). Horse-fighting was a Scandinavian sport in which a pair of horses were urged on to fight each other by men armed with goads; it is described in the Icelandic sagas and depicted on Swedish stones (v. A. H. Smith, 'Horse-fighting in Viking England' in Arv ii, 104 ff). The TA map (40, 17, fields 303, 436–8) indicates the position of Follifoot as east of Moat House and running north from the R. Wharfe, 1″ O.S. 97–460463, cf. also KI 25n.