PLACE NAMES OF THE FYLDE 43 



killed in 91 i . A hold was next in rank to an earl. But Amoundemess may 

 originally have referred to a special headland, e.g., Rossall Point. 



Scandinavian influence shows itself not only in Scandinavian place-names, 

 but also in modification (Scandinavianisation) of earlier English names. 

 Both types of Scandinavian influence are noticeable in the Fylde. Rawclif fe 

 is a Scandinavianised form of oe' Reade clif, ' red cliff, Redcliff.' Carleton 

 is probably a Scandinavianised form of OE Ceorla-tun, 'tun of the churls.' 

 Bradkirk, ' plank church,' is a modification of OE Bred-cirice, Kirkham one 

 of OE Ciric-ham. 



Scandinavian or Scandinavianised names are numerous north of the lower 

 Wyre. Stalmin contains ON ? mynni, 'mouth of a river.' Staynall is a 

 Scandinavianised form of OE Stdn-holh, ' stony hollow.' Rawcliffe is also 

 Scandinavianised. Preesall is a hybrid containing a British name and 

 an ON word for 'headland' ; while Hackinsall is Norse Hakuns haugr, 

 ' Hakuns mound.' Nateby is obviously Scandinavian, and Tarnacre 

 contains ON trani, ' crane ' or a personal name derived from it. Of minor 

 names may be mentioned Ea gland (on Eiki-lundr, ' oak grove ') and 

 Skitham (formerly Scytholm). 



In other districts we notice the curious circumstance that townships often 

 have composite names consisting of one English and one Norse name, e.g., 

 Bispham with Norbreck, Bryning with Kellamergh, Little Eccleston 

 with Larbnck, Layton with Warbreck, Westby with Plumptons. 

 Sometimes both are Norse, as Ribby with Wrea (Ribby from ON Hryggbyr, 

 ' village on a ridge,' Wrea from ON (v)rd, ' corner, remote place '). Treales, 

 Roseacre and Wharles contains one British name (cf. supra), Norse 

 Roseacre (formerly Raysacre, ' field with a cairn,' ON hreysi) and English 

 Wharles, from OE hwerfel, ' circle ' and hldw, ' mound,' the name very likely 

 referring to the same ancient monument as Roseacre. 



The Norse names include names of the usual types, as names in 'by 

 (Ribby, Westby, Sowerby, the last being ON Saurbyr, ' village by a 

 marsh '). But some names belong to characteristic types and give important 

 special information. 



Place-names show that the Scandinavians in the Fylde were chiefly 

 Norwegians, Norsemen, not Danes, as in the east of England. Danish and 

 Norse place-names have certain distinctive features of their own. A Danish 

 test- word is thorpe ; there are no Thorpes in the Fylde. Norse test- words 

 are breck, ' slope, hill ' (from ON brekka), scale, ' hut ' (from ON skdli). Names 

 in -breck are common in the Fylde, as Larbrick (first element ON leir, 

 ' clay '), Mowbrick (first element ON Mult), Norbreck, ' northern hill ' ; 

 Swarbrick, (first element ON Svarti), Warbreck, 'beacon hill,' Esprick 

 (on Eski-brekka, ' ashtree slope'). Scale is found in Scales. 



It is generally held that the Norse in Lancashire came over from Celtic lands 

 in the west, Ireland, the Isle of Man, etc. Norse place-names here show 

 unmistakable Celtic features. A common place-name element in the north- 

 west is erg, " shieling,' from OIR airge. It is found in some place-names in the 

 Fylde, but it is not so common as in the hilly eastern parts of Amoundemess. 

 Kellamergh, which contains an Old Norse personal name, and Medlar, 

 ■, the middle erg,' are cases in point. 



1 OE = 01d English. -ON = 01d Norse. 



