b'Place NamesKate PrattP lace names can reveal a lot of history, althoughBishops on Mordens map of 1722). The reason for the true meaning can be surprisingly difficult tothis usage was the fact that the Manor of Wilton was unravel. owned by the Archbishop of York, until 1544 when it passed to the Crown.Bishop Wilton Putting Bishop Wilton into its local context, place It is commonly accepted that the Wil element isnames with the suffix ham are usually earlier than from Old English wilde meaning wild or uncultivated,those ending in ton, and those ending in thorpe but there are other equally attractive possibilities: are later still, and are usually considered to be 1.Most of the other places called Wiltonsubsidiary settlements, dependent on tons and more (Cumberland, Hereford, Norfolk) derive the firstevidence of Danish influence. The original meaning ofelement from the Old English wilg meaning-thorpe was newly reclaimed land, new settlement. willows. Thus, we may conclude that Yapham preceded 2.Wilton and Bolton, while Belthorpe, Gowthorpe Wilton in Somerset is generally supposed to be near a well or spring, and come from the Oldand Youlthorpe were farms belonging to a mother English wiell. village. The suffix by as in Garrowby is from Old 3.Wilton in Wiltshire is on the River Wylye, whichScandinavian, meaning a homestead, and in thisderives from the Welsh gwil, a river name whicharea is usually affixed to a Scandinavian personal is cognate with Old English wil, meaning trickyname.or wily, therefore a river liable to flood, needingHagworm Woodwatching.4.Above the village lies Hagworm Wood. Vil or Vella is a Celtic river name, and as the village Beck has no name of its own, it isThe Hag element is probably from Old English possible that Vil was used as its name. haga (Old Scandinavian hagi) meaning fence, or The ton element is less debatable, coming fromfenced enclosure, though it may be from the Old the Anglo-Saxon, originally meaning an enclosure orDanish hag meaning a bog. The second element even a fence, but soon used to refer to an enclosedworm is undoubtedly wyrm from the Old English, homestead or even a town. It is by far the commonestmeaning a reptile or serpent or worm. suffix of place names in this area, there being noThus the probable meaning is an enclosed area fewer than 119 in the East Ridingit is unmistakablewhere one might see snakes.evidence of Danish influence. References:So we may conclude, not very controversially, thatEkwall: Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names Wilton means an enclosed village beside a beck! (1964)The village was referred to simply as Wilton inNicholson: Place Names of the East Riding of Domesday Book, and certainly until 1388. The BishopYorkshire in The Transactions of the East Riding prefix was in use by 1428, although it was sometimesAntiquarian Society, Vol XXV (1926)used as a suffix, (for instance it appeared as Wilton Map ExplorationL ocal History Group members with an interest insurvey map for 1816 [5], which confirms the maps of Bishop Wilton and the surrounding areaexistence of a building on the latter site. met on Sunday 3rd November 2002 to examine OSThe boundaries of the North, West and South maps, 18th and 19th century enclosure and landFields are shown as they existed prior to survey maps and more recent aerial views. enclosure. Some sections of these boundaries The following observations are based on thecoincide with post-enclosure (i.e. existing) material examined: boundaries. Perhaps a survey of hedges on 1.From plans accompanying the 1772 enclosurethese boundaries would show them to be older award [see reference 1]: than those planted as a result of enclosure?There were two Poor Houses in the village, one2.From a 1765 survey map [2]: right by the side of the north side of the beck,The land bordering the Garrowby Lane/ down the bank below where Witton House isWorsendale Road corner is split into areas now (a building is shown); the other just belownamed as Little Park, Lakeing Park, Flatt West End Farm on the same side (no building(currently the Playing Field) and another Flatt is shown). Both plots are shown again on a(currently Vale Crescent). The area immediately 20 BULLETIN 2'