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.

Spelhoe Hundred

Hundred in the County of Northamptonshire

Historical Forms

  • Spelhoh a.1076 GeldRoll 1316 FA
  • Sperehou 1086 DB
  • Speleho 12th Survey
  • Spelesho 1185 P
  • Spello(we) 1337 Ass 1428 FA

Etymology

'Hill of speech,' v. hoh and cf. spelstow (BCS 129, 882), 'place of speech,' used probably of the site of some moot.Cf. further Spella and Speller supra 33, 78, Spelborw (14th) and Spello (15th) in Daventry, Spelwell spring in Daventry (Bridges i, 41), and Spellow Close infra 155.