hirst

1) A 'wooded eminence', an element in many place-names.

This Old English word is an element in a large number of place-names but restricted otherwise to regional dialects where it has had a range of meanings. The primary sense is said to be ‘wooded eminence’, and the woodland connection is strengthened by the large number of tree names which occur as specifics. Typical names in Yorkshire are Ashenhurst, Elmhirst, Hazelhurst, Hollinghirst and Thornhurst. No examples of the word have been noted in documentary sources so the inference must be that these place-names have a very long history, even those where the evidence is late.

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