Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Asctuait c.1180 Lanc

• Askethwayt 1300–15 Kendi,279

• Assethwat 1256 Ass11d

• Asthwaite, Asthwayt(e) 1301,1344 Kendi,138,281 1375 Ipm

• Asthauyt 1346 ADiv

• Asw(h)ayt ha(u)ll in Nether Staveley 1595,1596 Kendi,334–5

• Astthewayt 1301 Kendi,14

• Astthetwayt 1310 Ipm

• Astthwayt 1345 Cl 1375 Ipm 1383 Pedw79d 1401 Cl

• Eshtwayt, Ashtwayt 1599 NCWills

• Esthwaite 1650 Kendi,118

Etymology

'Ash-tree clearing', v. æsc (ON  askr), þveit . Some of the Ast - spellings may be alternatively read as Asc -. Cf. Astenthwaite (i, 88supra ).