Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Sct James Crosse 1621 MiscDon

• St James Crosse 1658 BPD 1697 Terrier

• St James cross 1681 MiscDep 1700 Terrier

• St James Cross 1709 ib

• St James's Cross 1788 BPD

• Sowerhill 1621 MiscDon

• sourehill 1658 BPD

• Soure hill 1668 ib

• sourhills 1694 ib

• Sore-hill 1702 MiscDon

• Sore hill 1704,1733 BPD

• Sorehill 1755 MiscDon

Etymology

( local ) , S ct James Crosse 1621MiscDon 251 , S t James Crosse 1658BPD , 1697Terrier , St James cross 1681MiscDep 166 , 1700Terrier , S t James Cross 1709ib , S tJames 's Cross 1788BPD , a medieval cross dedicated to St James,situated at the point where the Thornton and Burnham roads meet,TA 043206, as Mr Paul Everson informs me. Mr R. Newtoncomments “said to have replaced a wayside shrine. The foundationsof the shrine were exposed when the Home Guard dug a defensivetrench there at the beginning of the last war. Foundationsdestroyed by a bomb.” SOUR HILL (lost), Sowerhill 1621MiscDon 251 , sourehill 1658BPD , Soure hill 1668ib , sourhills 1694ib ,Sore-hill 1702MiscDon 251 , Sore hill 1704, 1733BPD , Sorehill 1755MiscDon 248 , v. sūr , hyll , the first el . being used of coarse , worked - out or add soil . Mr David Neave suggests its location is TA 038208 .