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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Sussex => Topic started by: Chris in 1066Land on Sunday 17 July 05 00:11 BST (UK)
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The following Anglo-Saxon words will be traced in the names of almost all the towns and villages in Sussex:
BECC. A brook. Beck as in Bexhill.
BÚR. A cottage; a dwelling as in Edburton.
BURH A hill; a citadel. Burghersh; Bury; Pulborough.
BURNE. A stream; a river. Bourne as in Eastbowne
CEASTER A camp. [From Lat. castrum.] Chester, Winchester.
COMB. A .alley. \FromWelsH^ Combe. Balcombe.
COTE. A cot. Woodmancote; Coates.
CROFT. A small enclosed field. Wivelscroft.
DAL. A valley. Dell; del. as in Arundel.
DENU. A valley. Den; dean as in Marden; Westdean.
DÚN. A hill; a down. Don as in Slindon.
EA. Water; marshy place. Ea as in Selsea and Winchelsea.
FELD. An open field; pasture; plain. Field as in Heathfield.
FOLDE A field. Fold as in Slinfold.
GAT A gate; or rather, a way; street. Gate as in Rogate or Eastergate.
GRÆF. A grave; or a grove. Grove as in Boxgrove
HAM. A village; an enclosed place. Ham as in Beddingham.
HOU. A hill. Hoe as in Piddinghoe and Houghton.
HOLT. A grove. Wigginholt.
HURST. A wood. Nuthurst.
IG. An island. Ey as in Thorney.
ING. A meadow as in Angmering.
ING Used as a patronymic; thus Wilming would signify the descendants of Wilm; whence Wilmington or Rustington, etc.
LEAG A pasture. Ley as in Earnley.
MERE. A pool or lake. Mare; mere as in Haremare or Tangmere.
MERSC. A marsh. Marsh as in Peasmarsh.
STEDE. A place; a station. Stead; sted as in East Grinstead or Horsted.
STÓC. A place. Stock; stoke as in West Stoke.
TÚN A close, a field, a dwelling Ton as in Alciston
WEORTHIG A farm, an estate, a public way WORTH as in Fittleworth
WIC A dwelling place, a village. Wick as in Wick or Terwick and Berwik
WINCEL A corner, as in Winchelsea.
From “A Dictionary of the Sussex Dialect” by Rev W.D. Parish, Vicar of Selmeston, Sussex, Printed 1967 by Gardeners of Bexhill Ltd.
Chris in 1066