English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Barwise Hall

Early-attested site in the Parish of Appleby St Lawrence

Historical Forms

  • Berewis, Berewys 1190 Lowth 1242 FF 1256 Ass 1286 CWxxii,307 1292 QW
  • Beruse 13 Whitby
  • Beruis c.1235 Clib
  • Berwis, Berwys 13 Whitby Hy3 NB 1234–6 Weth 1265 Cl 1440 Clib 1490 Weth
  • Barwise 1415 NWm 1777 M
  • Barwise Hall 1823 M
  • Barwys, Barwis 1539 DRH 1540 TRMB 1652 FF
  • -Hall 1704 Terr
  • Barwesse 1543 Kendi,235
  • Barwyshe 1570 FF
  • Barwayes (Hall) 1632,1652 FF
  • Barways 1725 PR(CR)
  • Barwies 1701 Dep

Etymology

All the earlier spellings before 1415, with the single exception of the 1242 form Berewis , are surnames of the local family of Berwis (on which cf. A. MacDonald in CW xxxvii, 106 ff). This family name is probably of local origin, but the exclusive -is ending as well as the later forms like -wise , -wyshe , -wesse , etc., makes it very unlikely to be OE  beorgas , pl. of beorg 'hill'; it might be a compound of OE  bere 'barley' and wisce or wis(s)e 'meadow, marsh'. The hall is in a clearing near the moorland fringe.