Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Rauenstandal(e), Ravenstandal(e) Hy2 NB 1251 Ch 1292 1577 Harrison

• -daile 1581 BdyR

• Ravenestandale 1302 Ebor

• Rauen(e)steindal(e), Raven(e)steindal(e), -stain-, -steyn- 1223 Cur 1224 1279 Ass 1292 QW

• Ravenesdal' 1223 Cur

• Raustandal(e) 1279 Ass20d,21

• Ranestandale 1291 Tax

• Raunstandale 14 Musg 1405 Pat

• Rastendale, Rasstayndale 1291 Ass1,33

• Rayvinstondall 1577 PR(R)

• Ravinstondale, Ravenstondale, -dall 1593 PR(CR) 1611 PR(K) 1628 Dep 1704 Terr

• -daile 1657 Comm 1679 PR(R)

• Ristnedall, Rystnedall 1578–1586 PR(R)

• Rissendaill 1605 PR(Wp) 1625 PR(R)

• Russendale 1655 FF 1727 Defoe

• Russendale Town 1721 PR(R)

Etymology

'Valley of the raven stone', v. hræfn (hrafn), stān (steinn), dalr ; the names of rocks often contain bird-names (cf. Foulstone i, 47supra ). This name could be English or Scandinavian. The later contracted forms Ristne -, Rissen -, Russendale are noteworthy.This large parish was formerly divided into four parts called 'angles' (cf. 1672 NWm 221–2).