Ashmansworth
county:
coords:
Hampshire
SU4157
otherwise: aescmaereswierthe, 909-12; aescmaeres wyrthe; aescmeres weorth, 934-12; Esmeresworde, 1171
ASHMANSWORTH
Since no personal name 'AEscmaer' is known, the first element is likely to be a hypothetical place name 'AEscmere'='ash pool'. Grundy (1921: 90; 1927: 281-3) drew attention to the lost 'escmerae' mentioned in an Anglo Saxon period charter alongside Buttermere (Wiltshire), about 5 miles away just over the county boundary. He showed that 'AEscmere' comprised the modern VERNHAM'S DEAN and LINKENHOLT. The present name is therefore 'curtilage (perhaps here 'secondary settlement') of AEscmere'. Ancient place names compounded with 'worth' are, however, rare (Smith, English Place Name Elements II: 274).
The spellings 'wierth, wyrth, weorth' are a feature of West Saxon documents. For a little discussion see Smith (loc cit).
The resemblance of the first element to Old English 'aescmann'='pirate' is pure coincidence. Forms in 'n' are not found till 1398 ('Asshmansworthe').
Shown on an old map by Harrison 1788
- settlement, hamlet - Evinger Hundred - Hampshire
Period - 1780s
Shown on an old map by Morden 1695
- settlement, village - Evinger Hundred - Hampshire
Period - 1690s-1720s
Shown on an old map by Blaeu 1645
- settlement, village - Evinger Hundred - Hantshire
Shown on an old map by Speed 1611
- settlement, village - Evinger Hundred - Hantshire
Shown on an old map by Norden 1607
- church - Evinger Hundred - Hamshire
Period - 1590s-1600s
Shown on an old map by Saxton 1575
- settlement, village - Southamtoniae
