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.

Smardale

Early-attested site in the Parish of Kirkby Stephen

Historical Forms

  • Smer(e)dal(e) Hy2 NB 1645 Lowth(AB7) 1190 P 1197,1198 Pipe 1199 FF 1202 Cur 1212 Knipe c.1230 Comm 1657
  • Smerdall(e) 1415 NWm 1504 Ipm 1530 Visit
  • Smardale, Smardall 1422 Cl Hy6 Rent 1546 AOMB 1795 PR(CG)
  • Smardle 1663 Dep

Etymology

Smardale, Smer (e )dal (e )Hy 2 (1645) NB 518, 1190Lowth (AB 7) (p), 1197, 1198 P (p), 1199 Pipe (p), 1202FF (p), 1212 Cur (p), c. 1230 Knipe (p)et passim to 1657Comm , (-bec ) 1224 Smerdall (e )1415 NWm 140, 1504 Ipm, 1530 Visit, Smardale , Smardall 1422 Cl, Hy 6Rent , 1546AOMB et freq to 1795 PR(CG), Smardle 1663Dep . 'Valley with rich (butter-producing) pasture', v. smeoru (smjór), dæl (dalr); ON  smjór is frequent in Scandinavian p.ns. and usually indicates good pasturage (cf. Franzen, LaxdON 129 and references). It is, of course, possible that in some of these names we have a word corresponding to Icel  smári (masc.), smǽra (fem.) 'clover', which also survives in Norw  dial. smære , Swed dial. smäre 'clover' (cf. Jóhannesson 909) and as Lakeland dial. smere 'clover' (EDD s.v.).

Places in the same Parish

Other OS name

Early-attested site