Eldersfield
Major Settlement in the Parish of Eldersfield
Historical Forms
- Yldresfeld 972 BCS1282 c.1050
- Edresfelle 1086 DB
- Heldresfelde c.1086 EveA 1190 P 1167
- Hederefeld, Ederefeld, Ederesfeld, Æderesfeld 1183,1185,1190 P
- Eldrefeld(ia) 1220 Bracton 1221 FF
- Eldresfeld 1262 Ipm 1275 SR 1291 Tax 1394 IpmR
- Elde(s)feld 1327 SR 1362 FF
- Ellesfeld 1431 FA
- Eldresfeld al. Elsfeld 1493 Ipm
Etymology
It is impossible to explain the first element in this name without assuming some kind of irregular development. OE Yldres - could not in this district, if we assume the y to be original, yield post-Conquest e and æ . It is possible to associate yld -, eld - and æld - forms if we take y to be LWS for ie , but no pers. name which could yield in WS Ieldres - or in Mercian Aeldres - is known. The suggestion may be hazarded that the first element is really the OE pers. name Ealdhere but that this was confused with the comparative form ældra (WS ieldra ) derived from eald and that the name became Aeldresfeld and even Yldresfeld . In many of the early forms the first l of the whole name has been lost by a process of dissimilation. Hence 'Ealdhere's open land,' v. feld .