Old Leeds Districts

The origins and history of placenames, nicknames, local slang, etc.
Martyn
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Post by Martyn »

There's an area of Leeds called 'Steander' it's between East Street and Marsh Lane where the timber merchants used to be and where the new apartments are being built. The name is a Norse word that means 'A stoney place'. We can probably figure out how that area got named but there are a few that I can't figure out.'Bank' just to the north of East Street where the railway line is. The nearest street is Railway Street.'Islington' just next to Elland Road football ground.'Potternewton' OK, newton is New Town, where's the potter?'Little London'. What was it about this area that reminded people of London?Any ideas?
http://www.siddles.me.ukYou can take a horse to water but a pencil must be lead.Stan Laurel.

Loinerpete
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Post by Loinerpete »

There was a foundry at steander. Bumantofts got its name from the norse, BURH MAN    TOFT. The burh men were so called because they were slightly high ranking and were awarded a burh...almost like an alotment....these were set aside just outside the city in tofts, the norse for field....these tofts were the tofts of the burh men.....or BURMANTOFTS, and guess were they were???

wsmith
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Post by wsmith »

The Tofts, which were where Burmantofts now is, were awarded to people who rented a Burgage Plot on Briggate, so it was more a money thing than a status thing (though the two no doubt went hand in hand then as they do now). This was according to the terms of the 1207 charter.

raveydavey
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Post by raveydavey »

Bank is actually East Bank. That said, I'm not aware if there is a West Bank in Leeds?It's nothing to do with finance, but it's simply named because it was a big bank (or hill). If you look at the railway you'll notice the enormous cutting that had to be constructed for the line pass through.It was where many of the Irish immigrants to Leeds first settled, which is bourne out by Mount St Marys Church (largest non-cathedral church in the UK) and school and a little further afield, the Irish Centre.
Speaking the Truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act – George Orwell

Cedric
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Post by Cedric »

There was an area actuallu known as Black Bank, this was nearer to York Road than the modern Bank. There is a suggestion that Black Bank got its name from coal mining in the area. If coal was mined it would have being small scale bell pit type activity not to be confused with modern coal mining. Steander is mentioned as one of the landmarks in the survey of the 1620s survey of the Manor of Leeds.

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Troll
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Post by Troll »

Hi, re Potternewton, according to GEN UK at www.genuki.org.uk Potternewton is New-town, near the pottery. Must have been a pottery there then at sometime or other, never heard of one there before though. I thought it was the landowner that gave the name to the area, could have been a potter I suppose.
Go the Rhinos.

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Troll
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Post by Troll »

Hi, just looked up on the Thoresby Society website (www.thoresby.org.uk) that Potternewton with Chapel Allerton and Gledhow was anciently a seat of the Mauleverers. They came over with the Conqueror and were there for at least eight generations.Info from the Thoresby Society.Still don't know when it got its name of Potternewton, before or after the Mauleverers sat their bums on it.
Go the Rhinos.

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Troll
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Post by Troll »

Hi, some more research has shown that the Mauleverer family may not have come over in 1066, but in about 1105. Could have been a forged family tree giving wrong info on them.Info from GENUKI at genuki.org.ukGiving up now.
Go the Rhinos.

Cedric
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Post by Cedric »

Ralph Thoresby states in his Ledis Ducatus that (Gallow Hill) On the North side of York Lane (York Road); West broom hill extending to Colcotes lane, is the Boundary of the Manor of Leeds; thence betwixt the Lands belonging to the Lordship of Potter-Newton on the North and of John Falkingham, Esq on the South; the Survey (Survey of the Leeds Manor underatken in the 1620s) directs us to a little Beck that comes from Gipton Well and thence along the Brook Westward, y Little Wil-dykes, to Sheepscar Lane and the Great Wil=dykes ... Upon the Black Bank was the Campus Sceleratus, which from its Use in former Ages, does, to this Day, reatin the name of Gallow hill, as being the place of execution before the Furca or Power of Hanging was taken away from the Lords. Whether a Pitt has been there also, to drown the Women Thieves. I cannot learn at so graet a distance of time.    

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Troll
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Post by Troll »

U wot?Didn't they talk funny in them days!
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