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.

Ditchford

Early-attested site in the Parish of Blockley

Historical Forms

  • Dicford c.1050 KCD804 11th DB 1086

Etymology

As the Fosse Way here crosses Paddle Brook, the dic must refer to that road and the name mean 'dyke-ford.' The name is interesting as showing that the Roman road could be described by the English word dic as well as by its Latin equivalent fossa .Similarly in the Ditcheat (So) Charter, Dichesgate in BCS 438, Dr Grundy points out that landmark no. 9 in the bounds, referring to a dich is either the agger of the Fosse Way or the ditch at the side of it.