Saxon's Lode
Early-attested site in the Parish of Ripple
Historical Forms
- Cestrelade 12th Hab 17th RBB 1299 18th
- Cestraneslede 1202 P
- Sesterlade 1255 FF
- Sesteneslod 1270 Wigorn
- Sistonlade 1298 Wigorn
- Cestaneslade 1298 Wigorn
- Sextaneslade 1299 RBB 18th
- Cesterneslade 1303 Wigorn
- Sestaneslade 1319 Pat
- la lode de Rippul 1347 Pat
- Sextons Loade 1636 VCHiii.491
Etymology
It is difficult to attain any certainty with regard to this name.The suffix is OE (ge)lad and the reference is to the passage of the Severn at this point, but the first element is less certain.It is probable that it is really the OFr Segrestein , Secrestein , 'sacristan, sexton ,' and that the passage in question was so called from its use by some such person. The word, as we might expect, assumes a bewildering variety of forms in ME (v. NED s.v. sexton ) which would serve largely to explain the ME forms of the place-name. If this etymology is correct the history of the word sexton is carried back some 150 years earlier than the examples of it quoted in the NED.Professor Zachrisson points out that folk-etymology may have had its part in the history of this word through association with the common O and ME sester , 'jar, measure for beer.'