Archaeologia Cantiana -  Vol. 55 -1942  page 1

  The Suttons by Gordon Ward, M.D., F.S.A.

IN the excellent publications of the English Place-Name Society "Sutton" is duly noted as derived from the O.E. "suth-tun," meaning the south farm. With no little courage the authors commonly proceed to consider how these south farms got their names but the result is apt to be disappointing, as witness the expressions "in relation to what place it is south is not clear" and "why 'south' it is difficult to say." The fact of the matter is that we have as yet no rule by which we may answer the questions posed by the E.P.N.S. If it is possible to formulate a rule, we may well expect to deduce it from the Kentish evidence, for our county has at least seven different Suttons and also an unequalled plentitude of those early charters and records upon which place-name study so much depends. This essay is therefore devoted to an investigation of the Kentish evidence in the hope that it may justify some definite statement as to what lines we should follow in determining the full significance of the place-name "suth-tun."

We must first of all clear the field of secondary and corrupted Sutton names. The secondary names are such as Sutton Hill in Little Mongeham and Sutton Downs in West Langdon, both of which are obviously derived from the neighbouring parish of Sutton. In the same group must be placed Chart Sutton for this was anciently Chart, and then Chart by Sutton, i.e. adjacent to Sutton Valence alias Town Sutton. East Sutton may originally have been part of Town Sutton and in any case its name must depend upon that of its neighbour and so does not need separate consideration. All these and several others are derived names of no importance for our present enquiry. The only corrupted name appears to be that of Sutton Street in Bearsted. This was formerly Scrutton Street and so is of no interest to us. We are left with six names which still appear on the 6 in. map, and one more which is mentioned in a Charter of 824. The seven names awaiting investigation are the following:

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