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.

Cladswell

Early-attested site in the Parish of Inkberrow

Historical Forms

  • Cloddesheale c.1012 KCD898
  • Glodeshale Marescalli 1167–8 P
  • Clodeshala, Clodeshale 1180 P 1253 Pat 1255 1327 SR 1357 Pat
  • Cloddeshale 1182 P 1494 Ipm
  • Clotsall 1535 VE
  • Clodeshaw al. Clodsall 1542 LP
  • Cladsole 1650 FF
  • Cloddesley Felde 1535 VE

Etymology

The word clod first appears independently as clodde in the 14th cent. (NED s. v .), but, as the editors remark, it must have existed in OE, to judge by such a compound as clod-hangra (BCS 963). That word clodd must have been used as a pers. name, probably of the nickname type, and have given rise to this place-name, 'Clodd's nook' (v. healh ). The existence of such a pers. name in Worcestershire is made the more probable by the place-names cloddeslæhge and cloddeswællan found in the bounds of Tardebigge as given by Heming (362). The first of these names survives as Cloddesley Felde in 1535 (VE). These places are some nine miles away from Cladswell. Marescalli from the family of Marshal (VCH iii. 421).