Whitsome

From Wikishire
Revision as of 10:26, 20 September 2016 by Owain (talk | contribs)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Row of houses by the farm at Whitsomehill

Whitsome is a small rural village and parish in Berwickshire, on the B6437 road, near Duns, Fogo, Ladykirk, Leitholm and Swinton. In 1735, after the decay of the old church of Hilton, that parish was merged into Whitsome.

Place-name meaning

Whitsome derives from Old English hwit-husum "at the white houses". This may refer to white stone buildings, or houses painted white. The name has been recorded as the following over the centuries:

  • æt hwitum husum, 984 (literally "at the white houses, -um being dative plural).
  • Huuithusum, 1038 (double u was written since "w" could not be pronounced by the author)
  • Witsum, 1124 (contracted form)

Outside links