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.

Paxford

Early-attested site in the Parish of Blockley

Historical Forms

  • Paxford 1208 Fees38 1275,1327 SR 1346 FA
  • Pakesheye 1299 RBB

Etymology

We probably have here a lost pers. name Pæcc which lies also behind Packington (Ess, Wa), Patching(Sx). Hence 'Pæcc 's Ford,' v. ford . This place included a Pakesheye in 1299 (RBB ). We should have expected Patchford , but there are many difficulties as yet unsolved in regard to names of this type, cf. Seckley supra 32 which one would have expected to appear as Setchley or Sedgeley . The explanation may be that Pæcc was influenced by a corresponding form *Paca (cf. Packington).