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.

Totterdale Fm

Early-attested site in the Parish of Wardour

Historical Forms

  • Totederehilla t.Hy1 Shaston
  • Totedereshull 1249 Ass
  • Toteredehulle 1332 SR
  • Tuturdesh' t.Hy2 Shaston
  • Toderdeulla 1225 SR
  • Todredehella t.Hy3 Shaston
  • Todrydhull 1390 ADii
  • Toterdehulle 1383 ADvi
  • Toderhull 1529 FF
  • Totterdill 1590 ib

Etymology

It is difficult to be certain with regard to this name, but perhaps the most likely explanation is to take the first element to be the word tote , 'look-out,' compounded with OE  dēor -hyll , hence 'look-out deer-hill,' the hill standing high, with good views except to the south. Later the first part of the name seems to have been confused with the word tottered , a variant of tattered (cf. NED s. v .), a suitable description of the broken ground here.