Did you know? An interesting and entertaining comment in a newspaper article (possibly the Alton Herald) from 1978 about the name of Swan Hill Pond changing to Swelling Hill pond
A comment by Mr Peake, chairman of the Four Marks Parish council to the Over Sixties whose ‘memory was at fault regarding dates’ regarding the change of name for Swan Hill Pond to Swelling Hill Pond.
We would very much like to have comments and hopefully facts as to why the change of name occurred.
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The name Swan Hill is a purely 1900s occurence of ‘folk etymology’ ie a name given by locals in stead of the older name as the older name might bear no meaning.
Swelling Hill is first recorded in 1403 as ‘sweolyng’ and is an ancient name from the Old English ‘swelgend’ meaning abyss or deep pit. This either referred to the pond, which may have been deeper in previous centuries but refers more likely to the deep sides of Swelling Hill Lane as it runs west downhill.
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