Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Speerful (sic) 1065 KCD817 14th

• Spertella 1153 RegMalm

• Spercella 1156 ib

• Sperchulle 1284 ib

• Sperthull 1305 Ass

• Spirthille 1535 VE

• Spirtehille 1546 LP

• Sperthille 1575 FF

Etymology

Spirthill is Speerful (sic)1065 (14th) KCD 817, Spertella 1153 RegMalm, Spercella 1156 ib., Sperchulle 1284 ib., Sperthull 1305Ass , Spirthille 1535 VE, Spirtehille 1546 LP, Sperthille 1575FF . The form from KCD is clearly corrupt. The first element would seem to be the word spirt , 'jet of liquid,' noticed in Spurt Street (PN Bk 158), Spurtham (PN D 642). Although the charter in KCD is a late copy, there is no reason to suppose that the place- name did not exist in the 11th century, and if so the history of the word is carried back to OE times. There is a spring close at hand.