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.

Wrens Nest Hill

Early-attested site in the Parish of Dudley

Historical Forms

  • de la Wrosne 1273 Ipm 1275 1278 FF
  • Wrosne 1278 FF
  • Wrosene 1291 Tax
  • ate Wrosne 1293 Ipm
  • atte Wrosome 1395 Ipm

Etymology

This is a prominent isolated hill and it is probable that Skeat is right in identifying the name with the OE  word wrāsn , 'chain, fetter,' but used also as a gloss for the Latin nodus , so that it may appropriately refer to what may be described as a hill- knot, cf. Bowland Knotts (Y), Blawith Knott (La).

Places in the same Parish

Major Settlement