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Cornish place-names are usually very descriptive. They have changed over time and the best way of trying to find out what they mean is to look at the earliest recorded forms of the names. I haven’t yet done that for a number of the names listed below, marked with an asterisk) and they are just my best guess and no more than that. I’ve used the work done by Oliver Padel, Julian Holmes and Craig Weatherhill, where it refers to local sites. In Cornish the spelling of words changes in some circumstances. The first letter of adjectives following a feminine noun and the second part of a close-compound name change as follows: ‘b’ and ‘m’ become ‘v’ ‘c’ and ‘k’ become ‘g’ ‘ch’ becomes ‘j’ ‘d’ becomes ‘dh’ ‘g’ can disappear altogether or become ‘w’ ‘gw’ becomes ‘g’ ‘p’ becomes ‘b’ ‘t’ becomes ‘d’
Binnerton Binna’s farm – from the Old English ‘Binna’ + ‘tun. “Benkerton” in 1262 Bolankan* dwelling by ravines from ‘bos’ + ‘lonk’ but second element may be a personal name Borthog the first part is ‘bos’ or ‘bod’ meaning dwelling. It was Bosworthogo in 1300, which means dwelling above the cave and in 1680 there was a field name Park an Toll meaning filed of the hole. This name could show that there was once a fogou1 here, though it may have been a hull2. It is now suggested that the second element is a personal name. Botetoe* the first part is ‘bos’ or ‘bod’ meaning dwelling. The second part could be a personal name or possibly ‘etew’ meaning fire-log. Cardinham fort fort! From ‘ker’ + ‘dinan’ Cargenwen Kenwynn’s fort or possibly the fort on a white ridge from ‘ker’ + ‘keyn’ + ‘wynn’. “Kargenwyn” in 1360. Carn Vean Farm little rocky outcrop farm from ‘karn’ + ‘byghan’ Carn Veor Farm big rocky outcrop farm from ‘karn’ + ‘meur’ Carsize Englishman’s fort from ‘ker’ + ‘seys’ Clowance Craig Weatherhill used to say this was from the Cornish ‘klewans’ meaning echo, however this word is usually taken to mean ‘hearing’ and was recorded as meaning that in Pryce’s ‘Archaeologia Cornu-Britannia’ pub. 1790. In his latest excellent place name book Craig now quotes a form ‘Clewyns’ from 1362 to suggest it means “hear-wind”. Carvolth Gap fort from ‘ker’ + ‘volgh’. “Carvolgh” in c 1400. Crenver Kenver’s fort from ‘ker’ + ‘kenver’. “Kaergenver” in1301 Crowan named after the parish saint Crewenna. The name was written as ‘Eggloscrauuen’ in 1170 and is pronounced Kraou – en. Drym ridge from ‘drumm’ Fraddam streamlet from ‘frodynn’ Gear fort from ‘ker’, ‘caer’ Gernick little nook from ‘kernick’ Gew home field or paddock from ‘keow’ meaning hedges Halgarrack Farm marshy moor rock farm Hangman’s Barrow old stones barrow from ‘hen’ + ‘meyn’ Kus Skewes* elder wood from ‘koes’ + ‘skewes’ Leedstown named after the Duke of Leeds who created this village in the 19th C, whose family had married into the Godolphin family Nancegollan Padel says it is valley of the sharpening stone, from ‘nans’ + ‘ygollan’, and it was ‘Nannsygollen’ in 1356, but despite this others claim it is simply hazel valley, from ‘nans’ + ‘kollan’. Noonvares horses down or market down from ‘goon’ + marghas’ Pendarves end of an oak wood from ‘pen’ + ‘derves’ Pengelly end of the wood from ‘penn’ + ‘kelli’ Polcrebo pool of rocky ridges from ‘pol’ + ‘kribow’ Poleo pool of rock slabs from ‘pol’ + ‘leghow’ Polglaze Farm blue pool farm from ‘pol’ + ‘glaz’ Praze-an-Beeble is the rather prosaic meadow with a water pipe Releath ford of rock slabs from ‘rys’ + ‘legh’ Skewes elder trees from ‘skewes’ Townshend founded by the Townshend family, the Dukes of Leeds, who had inherited land in the area. Tregear fort settlement from ‘tre’ + ‘ker’ Trenoweth new settlement from ‘tre’ + ‘nowydh’ Tremayne farm by stones from ‘tre’ + ‘meyn’ Trevethan meadow farm from ‘re’ + ‘budhynn’ Trevoole* farm of wild ox possibly from ‘tre’ + ‘bual’ Truthwall thicket farm from ‘tre’ + ‘goedhel’ Vellanewson Chaff mill from ‘melin’ + ‘usyon’. Vealannusun in 1740 1 Fogou – Iron-age underground tunnel. 2 Hull - domestic or farm cellars dug into the subsoil. Probably 17th to 19th C.
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