May Williamson: The Non-Celtic Place-Names of the Scottish Border ...

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pronounced [s] under /40/ AN influence: cf Sedgefield Du and other examples quoted (PN
NbDu, 173). An OE personal name **Cessa, a variant of Cissa (cf Chisworth Db, DEPN,
101), must be postulated as the first element. It is possible that an early form of English
dialect cess “peat-bog” may be the first element. There are no instances of the use of the term
in ME, but it must be connected with cess-pool which is of Latin origin. This would account
for the initial sibilant. Cessford stands on moorland soil.
For the change from -worth to -ford, compare the opposite process in Flatworth Du (PN
NbDu, 87; App 268).
JEDBURGH (Jed): (81, 4 H):
Gedwearde, c 1050 (12 th ) SD; -wirth, 1177 (16 th ) Dryb; Geddewrd(e), c 1130 (12 th ) SD; 1139
ESC; -wrth, 1174 (c 1320) Kelso; Jedword, 1147-50 (17 th -18 th ) ESC; -worthe, 1147-52
(Morton) ib; -wortha, c 1150 St And; Jeddeword, c 1147-52 (c 1320) Kelso; 1165-1214 ib;
-werd, 1153, Cold; -wrth, 1180-5 LSMM; Jeddw~, 1165-1214 NMS; Jaddeuurd, c 1150
Holyrood; Chedewurthe, 1153-65 LSMM; Gedew~, 1165 (1175-1200) C de M. The pre-
English river-name Jed is the first element. A similar construction is Tamworth, St (ERN, /41/
390). The first spelling contains the OE variant form weorð with NNb substitution of ea for
eo in cases of fracture of e before r plus consonant.
BONJEDWARD (Jed): (81, 4 G):
Bonjedworth, 1321 RMS; Bondeidde ford, 1339; Boniedworth, 1342 ib; Bonjeddeworth, 1356
RS; Bond Jedworthe, 1397 CDS; Bune J edworth , 1398 RMS. The prefix is Gaelic: cf CPNS,
137.
BERWICKSHIRE
POLWARTH (Plw): (75, 7 L):
Paulewrhe (P), 1182-1214 LSMM; c 1230 ib; -wurth (P) 13 th LSMM; Pollevrch (P) c 1200
(1434) Cdstr; Powwurd (P), c 1230 ib; Powlew~ (P), c 1230 LSMM; Polwort (P), c 1250
(1434) Cdstr; Poulesworth (P) 1296 RS; Paulyswyrth (P), 13 th Reg Dnf; Poylleworth (P),
1329 LSMM; Poulwrd, 14 th St And. A personal name, Paul, is perhaps the first element. The
12 th -13 th century pronunciation was no doubt [po;l] which would account for early spellings in
Poll- and Pow-: cf Polsham So: Paulesham, 1065 (DEPN, 353).
Two other names end in -ward, Oxward (Chrn) which may be OE ox-worð, and Galloward
(Dmf) which may be OE galga-worð. Le Markisworth, 1542 RMS, in Greenlaw, is described
as a “marcatura”, so that -worth here must have the sense of “value” as in “pennyworth” etc.
/42/ VII OE wīc
An early loan-word from Latin, wc means “dwelling, village, hamlet, farm, especially a
dairy-farm”.
In the Scottish names the sense of “farm” is usually implied. Borthwick, the *Berwick
commemorated in Berwick Burn, Sunwick and Birswick have an agricultural or pastoral
significance. In other names, “dwelling” or “hamlet” must be the interpretation of -wīc. All
the examples are situated on or near large streams and on low-lying ground. They are grouped
in Bwk and Rxb, on the plain of the Merse and in the valleys of the Tweed, Teviot and