South of the Mersey
The Origin of Local Place Names @ allertonOak  
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Place Original Name Language Meaning Notes
Alvanley Elveldelie (DB 1086) Anglo-Saxon Aelfwald's wood or clearing  
Ashton Estone (DB 1086) Anglo-Saxon Ash tree enclosure or farmstead  
Backford   Old Norse / Anglo-Saxon Brook ford The OS map shows a brook with a path across it.
Barrow   Anglo-Saxon Hill Little Barrow and Great Barrow sit on a well-defined ridge.
Bridge Trafford   Anglo-Saxon Bridge valley ford Bridge over the River Gowy.
Clifton Clistune (DB 1086) Anglo-Saxon Cliff enclosure or farmstead Location beneath the elevated sandstone of Runcorn.
Daresbury   Anglo-Saxon Deor's fortification  
Dunham on the Hill Doneha (DB 1086) Anglo-Saxon Hill homestead or village Built on a little sandstone outcrop above low-lying ground.
Ellesmere Port Modern   Proper name + mere Port on the canal from Ellesmere in Shropshire.
Elton Eltone (DB 1086) Anglo-Saxon Eel enclosure or farmstead Eels were once fished in the Mersey.
Frodsham Frotesham (DB 1086) Anglo-Saxon Frod's homestead or village (or hemmed-in land)  
Gowy   Welsh Water  
Guilden Sutton   Anglo-Saxon Golden (productive) south farm  
Halton Heletune (DB 1086) Anglo-Saxon Heathery enclosure or farmstead This high sandstone area could well have been heathery.
Hapsford   Anglo-Saxon Haep's ford  
Helsby Helesbe (DB 1086) Old Norse Village by the ledge A precise description of the flat top of Helsby Hill towering over the village.
Ince Inise (DB 1086) Welsh Island (cf. Welsh Ynys) One of several little hamlets south of the Mersey situated on small sandstone outcrops above what were once marshes liable to flooding.
Keckwick   Anglo-Saxon Keikr's (Norse name) specialised farm  
Kellsall   Anglo-Saxon Kell's nook of land  
Ledsham Levetesham (DB 1086) Anglo-Saxon Leofede's homestead or village  
Manley Menlie (DB 1086) Anglo-Saxon Common wood or clearing  
Mickle Trafford   Old Norse / Anglo-Saxon Great valley ford Perhaps referring to a crossing of the River Gowy at Plemstall
Mollington Molintune (DB 1086) Anglo-Saxon Molling's enclosure or farmstead  
Moore   Anglo-Saxon Moor A once marshy area by the River Mersey.
Mouldsworth   Anglo-Saxon Hill enclosure On the Cheshire sandstone ridge
Norton Nortune (DB 1086) Anglo-Saxon North enclosure or farmstead Close to the south bank of the River Mersey.
Overpool Pol (DB 1086) Anglo-Saxon Upper pool  
Overton   Anglo-Saxon Ridge enclosure or farmstead Tucked under the northern end of the Cheshire Sandstone Ridge.
Picton Pichetone (DB 1086) Anglo-Saxon Pica's enclosure or farmstead
Plemstall Plegmondestowe Anglo-Saxon Fenny island of Plegmund Associated with St. Plegmund, the 9th century scholar and tutor to King Alfred, e.g. the well of that name.
Runcorn   Anglo-Saxon Wide bay or cove Reference to the widening of the River Mersey upstream from here.
Saughall   Anglo-Saxon Willow-tree nook of land  
Stanlow Stanlaw (1066) Anglo-Saxon Stone mound Apt description of the meagre and bleak outcrop at Stanlow Point, location of the ancient abbey (ruins).
Stanney (Great/Little) Stanei (DB 1086) Anglo-Saxon Stoney island  
Stoak   Anglo-Saxon Stockaded place Perhaps piles were used as a defence against the surrounding marshes.
Tarvin Terfyn Welsh Boundary Near the River Gowy, originally the River Tarvin, the old Welsh border.
Thornton-le-Moors Torentune (DB 1086) Anglo-Saxon Thorn-tree enclosure or farmstead by the moor Another hamlet on a rocky outcrop over once marshy land.
Wervin Wivevrine (DB 1086) Anglo-Saxon Cattle fen (uncertain) Low lying, originally marshy, land.
Weston Westone (DB 1086) Anglo-Saxon West enclosure or farmstead At the western end of Runcorn.
Willington   Anglo-Saxon Wynflaeth's enclosure or farmstead  
Wimbolds Trafford   Anglo-Saxon Winebald's valley ford Perhaps near a ford over the River Gowy.