Contact
Research Summary
Current Status
PhD (part-time) - currently registered
Research Topic
The Place-Names of Lifton Hundred, Devonshire
Research Summary Replace
My research project constitutes the first detailed study of Devon place- and field-names, focusing on the twenty-one parishes of Lifton Hundred, a historic division of Devonshire. It explores place-names in the context of linguistic, industrial, topographical, and social history to provide foundational research relevant to multiple disciplines, presented as a survey of place- and field-names alongside etymological case studies.
My overall research aims are:
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to collect new material into a survey of place- and field-names presented with etymological analysis to inform future research
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to present case studies on what field-names reveal about language, landscape and industry in West Devon
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to offer a new collection of Devon field-names with detailed etymological analysis
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to re-examine previously suggested etymologies with reference to wider scholarship and newly unearthed attestations
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to share my research with local groups, promoting local identity and land optimisation
I am in the second year (FT equivalent) of my research and have thus far compiled a database of place- and field-names drawn from current and historic maps, along with new name attestations gathered from primary archive material. I have used this database to compile EPNS volume-style entries for each parish with detailed onomastic analysis, supplemented with geo-referenced, hand-drawn field-name maps. During my second year I will add to these parish entries as I uncover more new name attestations. Additionally I will begin work on gathering material for the case-studies which will be presented alongside my survey.
Research Supervisors
Dr Jayne Carroll
Dr John Baker
Conferences, Papers and Talks
'Exploring Our Landscape Through Place-Names', 21st February 2023, Lewdown Past Association
'19th-Century Field-Names of Bridestowe Parish, Devon', 5th May 2022, Devonshire Association
'Revisiting Devon Place-Names', June 2021, CPRE Devon