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.

Port Hill

Other OS name in the Parish of Slawston

Historical Forms

  • Porthill 1625,1674 Terrier 1877 White
  • Portehill 1637 Bru
  • le portgat' 1318 Peake
  • Portgate 1352 SlCart 16
  • Le Porte Weye 1322 Peake

Etymology

, Porthill 1625, 1674Terrier et freq to1877 White, Portehill 1637Bru . The hill carries the Roman Via Devana (Gartree Road) across its summit on its way to the market town ofLeicester. The road is recorded as le portgat '1318Peake , Portgate 1352(16) SlCart (v. port-gate) and Le Porte Weye 1322Peake ( v. port-wey ) . The several instances of Port Hill in the county appear to be shortenings of *Port-gate hill and *Port-wey hill rather than representing early hilltop market sites ( port 2 ) , v. Cox 81 .