Micel, Farmstead and Mickleton


Mickleton - A Miscellany: by Chris Knight


Chapter 2.  Micel, farmstead and Mickleton



The derivation of the name Mickleton would appear to go back to Saxon times, although the name has evolved over time. The English Place-Name Society gives a number of names previously ascribed to the village at various times and by various sources, for example:


- Micclantun, Mycclantune
- Muceltv[n]e, Mucleton, Mukelton(e), Mucklinton
- Mic-, Mik(e)letun, -ton, Mykelton(e), Mikelinton
- Mekelton, Mokelton


The Society also suggests that the origin of the name was “the great farmstead”, and noted that at the time of the Doomsday Book Mickleton was the largest Manor in the locality. An alternative derivation that has also been suggested is “the large village”. It may be that “farmstead” and “village” were one and the same thing in Saxon times or a farmstead became a village over time. In any event, the common thread is great or large whether the origin refers to a farmstead or village. The Society also noted that the Old English word for big, large or great is “micel”. Interestingly, Middle English descendants of micel include words such as muchel, mickle, michel, mikel, mochel, mukel, and muche from which the modern English word “much” comes.


It is possible to speculate, therefore, that the name Mickleton had its roots in the old English word micel and the great farmstead, and evolved through various iterations to the name we have today. It is noteworthy that many of the names attributed to the village in the past have a similar route beginning in Mic(k)-, Muc(k), or Myc(k)- and end in -tun(e) or -ton. From these beginnings it is possible, therefore, to see how “Mickleton” became the accepted and fixed name. In addition, many villages and hamlets in England bear names of Saxon origin, for example if they end in “ham” or “ton”. The Saxon link has, therefore, been retained with the ending “ton” in Mickleton.


Why were there apparently different names given to the village in the past? It may be that the colloquial name for the village at different times did change depending on when and by whom stated it. But it could also vary when written depending on the writer’s interpretation and understanding. The name would probably have become fixed as we know it today when modern English became the standard written and spoken language.