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From: "Tompkins, M L.L. (Dr.)" <>
Subject: Re: [DEV] Little Silver
Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2010 10:51:21 +0000
References: <B6F35B5D-D018-48C8-8A49-CA58580C3740@yahoo.com.au>
In-Reply-To: <B6F35B5D-D018-48C8-8A49-CA58580C3740@yahoo.com.au>


An origin in the Latin word silva is a bit unlikely - the number of English place-names formed directly from Latin words is very, very small (as opposed to latinised forms of originally English affixes like Magna, Parva etc).

Old English sulh-ford, meaning a ford in a hollow or gulley, is a possibility, as also is OE syle-ford, meaning a ford in a miry, muddy spot (which is almost certainly the origin of Silford in Northam, and may also be the explanation of the first element in Silverton in Hayridge hundred).

The problem with either of these explanations for Silverton and the many places called Little Silver in Devon and Somerset is that we have no records of any of them in a form with a -d on the end. In fact, so far as the Little Silvers are concerned, we have no early records of them at all - most are first recorded in the 16-18th centuries, and the earliest record, of Little Silver in High Bickington, dates only from 1449 (when it appeared as Lytelselver).

The lack of early forms with a -d suggests that the most obvious explanation may be the correct one; that the place-name means 'silver', as in the metal and colour. This was 'seolfor' in Old English and 'silver, selver' in Middle English (the apparent late occurrence of the names suggests they may only have been formed in the late medieval period, in Middle English). Places might have been given this name because they lay next to a stream called Silver (because it was bright and shiny or sparkly) - there was certainly a stream called Silver in Yealm - or because the soil was particularly rich and profitable, or because a particularly high cash rent was paid for it, or because the place was in some other way silvery in appearance or nature. Or just possibly because silver was mined there.

What is odd is that none of them seems to be associated with another place called Great Silver, or something like it, and that there are no places called just Silver. Why is the name only found in the form Little Silver?

Matt Tompkins


-----Original Message-----
From: [mailto:] On Behalf Of Marion Stainsby
Sent: 06 December 2010 08:42
To: DEVON-L
Subject: Re: [DEV] Little Silver

Many thanks, Judy, Kate, Joy, and Angela.

I should have thought of the Latin silva; it certainly works in
relation to Exeter. which does go back to Roman times. Depending on
how far out the Romans settled in the countryside, other places could
derive from the Old English Sulh, as Kate suggests.

Judy's suggestion of a link to the Spanish platina, actually meaning
little silver, raises that old theory about the influence of
shipwrecked Armada sailors around the coast, but that would probably
go the opposite way, with names related to platina itself.

It will be interesting to see if there is any response from Kate's
helpful enquiry to the Institute for Name-Studies at Nottingham.

Thanks again,

Marion


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