Domesday
In the Domesday Book, Thornton is listed as Torentun in Prestune (Preston), Agemundrenesse (Amounderness),
Eurvicscire (Yorkshire)
The exact meaning of the name Torentun is unknown. The ‘tun’ is suggested as 'town' or 'hill', but what about ‘Toren’? The most popular theory is that ‘Toren’ means ‘Thorn’ referring to the widespread Hawthorn bushes once found in Thornton. Perhaps an old Norseman called ‘Toren’ once lived here and it was ‘ Toren Town ’, or could it be taken for the Dutch ‘Toren’ meaning Tower.
Here are some of the other places listed as being in Prestune
Frecheltun | Chicheham | Staininghe |
Carlentun | Biscopham | Rushale |
Brune | Poltun | Eglestun |
tcia Rodeclif | Hameltune | Pressouede |
How many can you guess ?
Scroll down for the translation
Freckleton | Kirkham | Staining |
Carleton | Bispham | Rossall |
Burn | Poulton | ..Eccleston.. |
Out Rawcliff | .Hambleton. | Preesall |
Of the 61 places listed within Amounderness, the surveyor notes that;
"16 are inhabited by a few people, but how many may be living there is not known. The rest are waste.
Roger of Poitou had Them."
Roger de Poitou was born in Normandy around 1058 and held large holdings of land in England and France. In 1102 he was involved in a failed noble uprising against the then King Henry I and was stripped of his lands and exiled.