The Origin of Local Place Names

Compiled by Matthew Geyman

Essex - 'Land of the East Saxons'
(A Seaxe is the Saxon short sword shown in the Essex Coat of Arms)

Gules three Seaxes fessewise in pale Argent pomels and hilts Or points to the sinister and cutting edges upwards
Granted by the College of Arms 15th July 1932 (first noted used C16th)

After the fall of the Roman Empire (400AD) and before the Norman Invasion (1066), parts of Britain (Essex, Kent, London) were settled by invaders from Saxony, Germany. Their influence was strongest in C7th, before the Viking (Old Norse for 'pirate raid') invasions began from Scandinavia in 793AD.
They should be regarded as separate from the Anglian North and South Folk (Norfolk and Suffolk).

Epping Forest

First mentioned in Edward the Confessor's charter of 1062, Loughton's listing in the Domesday book shows it as the smaller of the three parishes of Debden and Alderton

Loughton - , Lukinton(C11th), Lochintuna, Lochetuna(c11th), Luketune(C13th), Luketon(C13th) Loketon(C14th), Lughton(C14th) -AngloSaxon , Lucton(C16th), Luction(c17th),  3

Loughton's Domesday Entry

research notes: Luc (Welsh version of Luke) Bringer of Light ?
loughton in bucks, essex, middx, shropshire

Debden - Tippedana/Tippedene(C11th) - Typeden - Tipeden(C13th) AngloSaxon 3

Alderton - Ælwartun - Aluertuna, Alwartune, Alwarton, Alwardtun (AngloSaxon - Ailward's Town)3

Waltham Forest - Wealdham (AngloSaxon - 'forest dwelling') 4

Monks Wood (Abbots Woods in Luketon Snarringe) 5 snarryng from snoring in norfolk - other of Peter de Valoines 2 manors

Pole's Lane (Rectory Lane / Pyrle's lane - John Pyrle

Allard's Grove - Achelard (a Debden tennant)

Golding's Hill - John Goldyng

Algers road - Geoffrey Algor

Traps Hill - John Trapp

Wroth's Path - Wroth family

Pump Hill (Lyngs / Lings Lane) Lyng - Saxon Fortified Town in Somerset @ Athelney. Lyng is also Norse for heather; or possibly a derivative of Lig - Anglo Saxon for fire (heather as fuel / Wood / potter?) or Walter Leinge, hanged near York Hill Grn ('Grouts Corner') for stealing sheep

York Hill (Mutton Row after the vernacular (black mutton?) for Deer poached from the forest)

Clays Lane (Richard Lomax Clay)

Durolito (2ndC) Little London. On Antoine Itenerary Map showing roman road from London (Lundinio) to Gt Dunmow on the route to Chelmsford (Caesaromago)

Loughton 1880 (click for higher resolution)

 

Bibliography

The Essex Records Office
A History of the County of Essex: volume IV
Epping Forest With Maps Edward North Buxton - 4th Edition - 4(p2,52), 5(p177)
Loughton, Essex. A Brief Account of the History of the Manor an Parish, from Domesday to 1900 (ed. Richard Morris OBE), 3(p3,4), 5(p6), 6(p8), 7(p11)
This is Essex website
Chapman and Andre map 1777


Compiled by Matthew Geyman