The earliest Scarrow we have in Norfolk, in 1618 (IGI), is in Little Plumstead, which doesn’t help too much. But I’m sure the account in PN Nf 3 can’t be right.
Richard
From: The English Place-Name List <[log in to unmask]>
On Behalf Of Keith Briggs
Sent: 12 October 2020 17:13
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [EPNL] Scarrow Beck (Nf)
Scarrow Beck joins the Bure near Ingworth and Blickling. According to PN Nf 3.69 (no early spellings given), the name is from sker 'rock, scar' and rāw 'row'.
But according to Smith's Elements, sker is only found in the north, and rǣw is only used of rows of houses and trees. I cannot see any rows of rocks along this stream on the map. Does anyone know the topography personally?
I wonder whether the name is not just from the surname Scarrow, found in Norfolk from the 17th century, and said in ODFNBI to be from Yorkshire.
Keith