C == Celtic.  N = Nonnan.   F == French. D = Domoday Book.   S = Saxon. L = Latin

 

 

Where no date of early occurrence of a place-name is given the spelling is that found in Domesday Book. The explanations given are based on the study of early forms of spelling.

 

 

AMBERLEY (S): Ambrelie. ' Earner's clearing.'
ANGMERING (S): Angemare. 'The meadow of Angemær.'
ARDINGLY (S) : Erdingelega (ll07). 'The clearing of the sons of Earda.'
ASHURST (S) : Essehurst (1165). 'Ash wood.'
ASHINGTON (S): Eschintone. ' ~Æsca's enclosure.'
ATHERINGTON (S) : Atherinton (1274). '~Æthela's farm.'

BARCOMBE (S) : Bercham. ' Settlement among birch trees.'
BARLAVINGTON (S) : Berleventune. ' Beornlaf's farm.'
BEACHY (HEAD) (N) : Beuchef. 'Fair Head.'
BEDDINGHAM (S) : Beadingahamme (880). ' Enclosure of the sons of Beada.'
BERWICK (S) : Berewice. ' Barley-place.'
BEXHILL (S) : Bexelei. ' Box-tree clearing or meadow.'
BILLINGSHURST (S): Bellingeshurst (1202). 'Billings-wood.'
BODIAM (S) : BodehSã. ' Boda's homestead.'
BOGNOR (S) : Bucganora (680). ' The shore or bank of Bucga.'
BOSHAM (S) : Boseham. ' Bosa's homestead.'
BRIGHTON (S) : Bristelmestune. ' Brihthelm's farm or enclosure.'
BROYLE (F): Bruill (1226). "Thicket or rough coppice.'
BURWASH (S) : Borwhesse (1274)- ' Ashtree by the burgh.'
BUXTED (S) .Bokstede (1323). 'Place given by boc or charter.'

CHAILEY (S): Chagelegh (1284). 'Ceagga's meadow.'
GHARLTON (S) : Cerletone. ' Enclosure of the churls or free men.'
CHICHESTER (S) .Cisseceastre (900 c.). Cicestre(D). 'The city of Cissa.'
CUCKFIELD (S) : Cucufelda (1121). ' Cuca's field.'

DITCHLING (S) : Dicelinges. ? ' Place of dwellers near the ditch.'

EARNLEY (S) : Earneleagh (780) . ? ' Eagles' meadow.'
EASTBOURNE (S) : Burne. Estborn (1294). ' The east brook,'
EDBURTON (S) (1316). ' The tun or farm of Eadburg.'
EGDEAN (S) : Egedene (1278). 'Ecg's valley.'
EWHURST (S) : Iwehurste (1279). 'Yew-tree wood.'

FALMER (S) : Falemere, Felesmere. ? ' Boundary of the fallow.'
FIRLE (? S) : Ferla, Ferle. ? ' Little furrow.'
FITTLEWORTH (S) : Fitelwurda (1167). 'The enclosure of Fitela.'

GLYNDE (C) : Glinde (1274). ' Glen, valley.'
GOODWOOD (S) : Godynewod (1252). ' The wood of Godwin.'
GRINSTEAD, E. & W. (S) : Gremstede. ' The green place.'

HAILSHAM (S) : Eylesham (1230). 'Ægel's homestead.'
HARTING (S) : Hertinges. ' Stag-meadow (s).'
HASTINGS (S) : Hastinges. ' (Settlement of the) sons of Haesten.'
HEATHFIELD (S) : La Hethfeld. ' Heath, or waste land.'
HELLINGLY (S) : Hilyngelegh (Fourteenth century). ' The meadow of the hill-dwellers.'
HEYSHOTT (S) : (1283). ' A hedged or fenced-in corner.'
HOATHLY (S) : Hodlegh (1278). ' Heath meadow or clearing.'
HORSHAM (S) : Horsham (947)- 'Horsa's homestead, or enclosure for horses.'
HORSTED (S) KEYNES (F) : Horstede Kaynes (1294). 'The place for horses belonging to de Cahanges,'
HOVE (S) : Hou. ' The Hall or lord's abode.'

IPING (S) : Epinges (1095). ? ' Dwelling of lpa's sons.'
ITCHENOR, W. (L) : lccanore (683). ' lcca's bank or shore.'

KEYMER (S) : Chemere. ' Cow's lake or drinking-pond.'

LANCING (S) : Wlencing (900c.). ' (Landing-place of) Wiencing, son of Ella.'
LAUGHTON (S) : Lestone. ' Vegetable garden.'
LAVINGTON, E. & W. (S) : Levitone. ' Home or farm of Lufa.'
LEWES (S) : Lewes; also Lœwes (961). ' A mound.'
LINDFIELD (S) : Lindefeldia (765). ' Limetree field or enclosure.'
LURGASHALL (S): Letegareshale (1136). 'Lothgar's corner,'
LYMINSTER (L) : Limestre (1250). ' Leo's Minster,'

MARESFIELD (S) : Mersefelde (1316). 'Marshfield.'
MAYFIELD (S) : Magefeud (1260), also Maghefeld (1316). ' The field of the Virgin,'

NEWICK (S)': Niwicha (1107). ' New dwelling.'
NINFIELD (S) : Nymynefeld (1278). ' St. Ninian's field.'

OVINGDEAN (S) : Ouingdene (1100). ' The valley meadow of Ofa.'

PAGHAM (S) : Pageham. ' Pæcga's settlement.'
PATCHAM (S) : Pecham (1278). ' The homestead of Pæcca.'
PETWORTH (S) : Peteorde. ' Pit enclosure.'
PEVENSEY (S) : Pefenesa (1100 c.). ' Pefn's island.'
POLING (S) : Pellinges. ? ' The boundary-stake water-meadow.'
PULBOROUGH (S) : Poleberge. ' The pool stronghold.'

RACTON (S) : Rachetone. ' The tun or enclosure of Raculf or Raca.'
RINGMER (S) : Ringemere (1275) ' The lake (or boundary) of Hring.'
ROTHERFIELD (S) : Reredfelle (? for Redrevelle) : also Hrytheranfelda (880)Either ' field of cattle ' or ' Hrother's field.'
RUDGWICK (S): Ruggewyk (1259) ' The hill-side abode.'
RUSPER (S) : Rousparre (1325) ' Rough spar or pole ' (? as landmark).

SEDLESCOMBE (S) : Selescombe. ' Sædel's hillside hollow.'
SELSEY (S) : Seolesige (683?). 'Seals' island.'
SHERMANBURY (S) : Shurmandbury ( 1349). ' Sheriff's city ' or perhaps ' Shearer's town.'
SHIPLEY (S) : Sepelie. ' Sheep pasture land (or ? lake).'
SLINDON (S) : Eslindone. ' Hill with narrow pass.'
SOMPTING (?S) : Suntinga (956). ? 'Abode of Sunting,' or 'Sunte's meadow.'
STANMER (S) : Stamere. ' Stone lake or boundary.'
STEYNING (S) : Staninges. ' Stony meadow.'

TELSCOMBE (S) : Tetelscombe (1274). 'Tetels narrow valley.'
THAKEHAM (S) : Tacaham (1073). ' The Thatcher's homestead.'

UCKFIELD (S): Ochefeud (1248), Uckfeude (1316). ? 'Oat-field' or 'Ucca's field.'
UDIMORE (S) : Odmere (1252). 'Uda's boundary (or ? lake).'

WADHURST (S) : Wadeherst. ' Wada's wood.'
WASHINGTON (S) : Wassingatune (947). ' The hamlet of the Wassings.'
WESTMESTON (S) : Wesmestun. ' West moss enclosure.'
WILMINGTON (S) : (1294). ' Settlement of the sons of Wilma.'
WINCHELSEA (S) : (1165). ' Island or water in an angle of land.'
WITHYHAM (S) : Wydyham (1326). ' Willow (-grown) bend in a river.'
WORTHING (S) : Werthing (1328). ' Enclosed place or land'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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