Chris - while there is a lot of good material in Eric Hemery's High Dartmoor
(1983) , he is not an expert on placenames, so regrettably we have to treat
his possible derivation of 'Skir' with a fairly hefty pinch of salt.
Yours, Tom.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Kelland" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, November 12, 2006 2:18 PM
Subject: Re: Portland Head and Skirhead Lanes
Dear Trevor.
I had a look at some placenames of Dartmoor with the prefix 'Skir' as in
Skir Gut and Skir Hill. The late Eric Hemery in his work 'High Dartmoor'
page 421 states the following - "The spur peninsulated by O Brook and its
little feeder in the rocky hollow of Hooten Wheals Gully is Skaur Hill. I
retain the old spelling as probably from the same root as Scorhill (N.
Teign), the modern 'Skir' being a mis¬leading corruption. An old Dartmoor
lady of the district remarked to me only recently that "Skir should, of
course, be Skaur or Scor for 'tis pro¬nounced 'Scor'." The origin need be
sought in the scoring and scarring of the north foot of the hill by miners,
for the name is as ancient as any tin-workings here, including the medieval
tin-streamers' burrows on the valley floor."
I hope this may help a little Trevor.
Kindest regards Chris kelland
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