Domesday Book
The Domesday Book is now online and Ludworth (though not Mellor) apparently had an entry.We can, however, reasonably deduce that the Earl who owned Ludworth also owned Mellor. If that is correct, it may be a starting point in understanding Norman-era history in the area. At this point, this seems to be the least-understood period of time.
The name in 1086 was recorded as Lodeuorde and would seem to cover the Mellor area. My guess is that Lodeuorde is a Norman adaptation of an earlier placename and that Mellor is likewise a Saxon adaptation of an earlier Celtic name. (I'll add that it's likely to be corruptions of the same name as the archaeology has suggested continuous habitation, rather than there being a complete break at any time.)
Since we know the Mellor church is older than that, and is not the abbey, I am going to speculate that Mellor church was known to the Normans as the Church of Hope, as that is the only other religious centre listed, although with so little of the archaeology of the area being known, this is purely an inference based on the fact the Normans would have called the building something.
Posted by: Jonathan Day 4th August 2006
The Entry actually reads:
| Place name: | Ludworth in Mellor, Cheshire, Derbyshire |
| Folio: | 273r Great Domesday Book |
| Domesday place name: | Lodeuorde |
| Date | 1086 |
|---|---|
| Catalogue reference | E 31/2/2 |
And the wonderful names mentioned are: Aelfric; Aethelmaer; Brun; Burton, Abbey of St Mary and St Modwenna of; Burton, Leofric, Abbot of St Mary and St Modwenna of; Burton, Geoffrey de Mala Terra, Abbot of St Mary and St Modwenna of; Church of Hope; Countess Gode; Earl Aelfgar; Godgyth; Godric; Henry de Ferrers; Karski; Ketil; King Edward as landholder; King William as donor; King William as landholder; Leofnoth; Leofwine, Bishop of Lichfield; Ligulf; Lyfing; Monks of Abbey of St Mary and St Modwenna of Burton; Ralph fitzHubert; Robert; Robert de Limesy, Bishop of Chester; Stapolwine; Swein; Uhtbrand; William Peverel
Posted by: Pam Bates 6th September 06