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The Name Of Sheffield; Its Derivation


RichardB

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Just for the curious the real meaning of Sheffield is "boundary river passing by open land".

Sheaf = boundary between Mercia and Northumbria.

Feld = Open land - an area without trees, perhaps appearing natural as compared to a man made cleared area.

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Just for the curious the real meaning of Sheffield is "boundary river passing by open land".

Sheaf = boundary between Mercia and Northumbria.

Feld = Open land - an area without trees, perhaps appearing natural as compared to a man made cleared area.

I've seen a number of explanations for the name, but never that one. Do you have a source?

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I've seen a number of explanations for the name, but never that one. Do you have a source?

The River Don was the ancient boundary between Mercia and Northumbria and the Sheef flows into the Don.

I can find a quote for the River Don being the boundary between Mercia and Northumbria from an eminent historian if I go through my books but googling may find it. I can also vouch for the name of Sheffield being derived from the River Sheef,

ADDED, just found this among my notes.

"Northumbria was divided into two, Bernicia, which was similar to modern Northumberland, and Deira, which was similar to modern Yorkshire. Mercia lay to the south of Northumberland. The southern boundary of Northumbria was from the River Mersey on the west coast, south to Dore near Sheffield including the Peak District, then north to Doncaster and from there to the River Humber and north to the Scottish border."

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The River Don was the ancient boundary between Mercia and Northumbria and the Sheef flows into the Don.

I can find a quote for the River Don being the boundary between Mercia and Northumbria from an eminent historian if I go through my books but googling may find it. I can also vouch for the name of Sheffield being derived from the River Sheef,

ADDED, just found this among my notes.

"Northumbria was divided into two, Bernicia, which was similar to modern Northumberland, and Deira, which was similar to modern Yorkshire. Mercia lay to the south of Northumberland. The southern boundary of Northumbria was from the River Mersey on the west coast, south to Dore near Sheffield including the Peak District, then north to Doncaster and from there to the River Humber and north to the Scottish border."

I don't disagree with the suggestion that Sheffield gets its name in part from the Sheaf, nor do I necessarily disagree that the Sheaf was the boundary, as a continuation from the Don. Indeed the Limb Brook was in its turn part of the same boundary and it runs into the Sheaf. My query was the connection between the river as a boundary and the name 'Sheaf'. The name Limb denotes a boundary, but what is the etymological evidence for the name 'Sheaf' meaning a boundary?

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I don't disagree with the suggestion that Sheffield gets its name in part from the Sheaf, nor do I necessarily disagree that the Sheaf was the boundary, as a continuation from the Don. Indeed the Limb Brook was in its turn part of the same boundary and it runs into the Sheaf. My query was the connection between the river as a boundary and the name 'Sheaf'. The name Limb denotes a boundary, but what is the etymological evidence for the name 'Sheaf' meaning a boundary?

Google is our friend :

"Until the 17th century the name Sheaf was written as Scheth or Sheath. Sidney Oldall Addy equates the origins of this word with the Old English shed (as in water-shed) or sheth, which mean to divide, or separate.[2] Historically, the Sheaf—along with its tributaries the Meers Brook and the Limb Brook—formed part of the border separating the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of Mercia and Northumbria; it remained on the border between Yorkshire and Derbyshire into the 20th century. The city of Sheffield derives its name from the Sheaf."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Sheaf

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Google is our friend :

"Until the 17th century the name Sheaf was written as Scheth or Sheath. Sidney Oldall Addy equates the origins of this word with the Old English shed (as in water-shed) or sheth, which mean to divide, or separate.[2] Historically, the Sheaf—along with its tributaries the Meers Brook and the Limb Brook—formed part of the border separating the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of Mercia and Northumbria; it remained on the border between Yorkshire and Derbyshire into the 20th century. The city of Sheffield derives its name from the Sheaf."

http://en.wikipedia....iki/River_Sheaf

Thanks Robin, I'll add it to my list! While I have the greatest respect for Addy, some of his conclusions can be open to debate, so I'll add a note of caution. (It also calls into question the Sheffield coat of arms, but sheaves do look better than a shed don't you think?) ;-)

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Thanks Robin, I'll add it to my list! While I have the greatest respect for Addy, some of his conclusions can be open to debate, so I'll add a note of caution. (It also calls into question the Sheffield coat of arms, but sheaves do look better than a shed don't you think?) ;-)

A watershed is high ground that separates two adjacent river systems.

SHED means to divide or separate. Used before 12th century http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shed?show=0&t=1302266273

SHEATH means to split. Used before 12th century. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sheath

SHETH is the part of a plow which projects downward beneath the beam, for holding the share and other working parts.

I can only guess how it became corrupted to sheaf.

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A watershed is high ground that separates two adjacent river systems.

Sheth is the part of a plow which projects downward beneath the beam, for holding the share and other working parts.

Both of these divide the land which might be quite fertile and suitable for growing corn which we do in a field giving us Shethfield and with association of sheaves of corn it evolved over the years into what we have today?

I'm using my imagination here, a little like Addy used to. :)

I must admit I like the idea of the boundary river as in Addy's version. And the use of three different words denoting parts of the same boundary on three rivers, two of which flow into the third, all within a fairly small area, sounds rather like an illustration of the English language and history, Limb from Latin limbus=border, Mere from the Old English via Middle English= a boundary, and sheth from Old English= divide or separate. What a rich history and culture we have!

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I must admit I like the idea of the boundary river as in Addy's version. And the use of three different words denoting parts of the same boundary on three rivers, two of which flow into the third, all within a fairly small area, sounds rather like an illustration of the English language and history, Limb from Latin limbus=border, Mere from the Old English via Middle English= a boundary, and sheth from Old English= divide or separate. What a rich history and culture we have!

Sure thing. :)

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I did read it in a book in the central library probably a place names of England one! I can't remember which one. I think it also mentioned that "Dore" being the entrance in the boundary, don't know if that is true :huh:

Robin seems to have pieced the rest together, thanks for that.

On the coat of arms for Sheffield. I believe these are drawn up by the College of Arms, when it was applied for the College would draw up some ideas or anything requested by the client. They would probably not have looked up the actual meaning of the name at any point and of course the Arms are meant to impress. Some coats of arms for families etc take a more recent explanation of the name put forward. For example one drawn up today to the name "Carr" might well have a motor car in it.

Oddly the coat of arms for my name "Appleyard" doesn't have any apples in it, but three Owls and a chevron ("^" one of these), which always reminds me of a famous local football team :)

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I did read it in a book in the central library probably a place names of England one! I can't remember which one. I think it also mentioned that "Dore" being the entrance in the boundary, don't know if that is true :huh:

Dore denoted a crossing place in boundaries. You might be interested in this post if you haven't already seen it.

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