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Grey heron - OE hragra

We know the name hragra existed and translated Latin Ardea in the Middle Ages, so it’s somewhat surprising that so few place-names existed (or have survived) with reference to this common but very large and striking species, which has led to the argument that the Old English word for crane (cran), especially common as an avian place-name, must have served for heron too. This may be right, but cannot be proved of course, and does not adequately explain with hragra itself would not be used instead.

Rawreth (Esx)

Herons appear in charters relating to the following places: Farcet, Cambs (10th cen.), Kings Delph, Cambs (?), Kineton, Warks (10th cen.), Whittlesey, Cambs (11th cen.). The three charters for places in Cambs all refer to the same place: one Rawerholt, ‘heron wood’.

Sources (see ‘About’ page for the full bibliography): Watts, Cambridge Dictionary; Ekwall, Oxford Dictionary; epns.nottingham.ac.uk; landscape.org.uk.

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