Biddulph – Theories behind the name

There are many theories regarding the name Biddulph, some of which are listed below.


Theory 1
By the Diggings or By the Mine

Bydelf - Meaning: This is an Anglo Saxon word. BY means “near” and DELF means “the digging place” hence what most people class as “by the diggings” or “by the mine”.

This is the most common belief and comes from the fact that a lot of mining has been done in the area for Coal, Iron and Stone.

Theory 2
A Burial Place

Meaning: This possibility comes from the word Bedelfron which is an Old English word that means “burial place”.

The reasoning behind this name comes from the Bridestones Burial Chamber which is situated on the border of Cheshire and Staffordshire.

Theory 3
To Make a Stand in Battle

Meaning: This theory is suggested due to the word Bidstael and is an old word that means to “make a stand in battle”.

It is suggested that the area was named after the fact that it is surrounded on three sides by various hills and would have been an excellent place for tribal people to live and defend.

Theory 4
The Home of the Wolf

Meaning: This comes from the old word Bidulf which is a word that is believed to mean “the home of the wolf”

During the reign of Edward the first it is known that the area now called Biddulph was an area that frequently had wolves.

Opinion’s of Robert Worrall, Biddulph Museum Curator.

I would suggest in my own opinion that most of the above theories do have some good ideas for the name of Biddulph and may have a ring of truth about them.

Theory 1 “By the Diggings or By the Mine”

This is the most commonly held belief of those who study Biddulph’s history and is mentioned in most books as the origin of the word. However this really is a corruption of Theory 2 and yes it sounds good, due to the Coal, Iron and Rock that have been mined here, but in all probability these mines are of too late a date to have affected the place name.

Theory 2 “ A Burial Place ”

This is a theory that is a major contender for the reason Biddulph is named as it is. Now the Old English word Bedulfron meaning burial place does sound like a word that could have been corrupted over time to its present incarnation and there is a burial place nearby called The Bridestones. Written slightly different such as Bedealf it can also mean to dig around or bury. However I do feel that this word is very unlikely to have been the source.

Theory 3 “To make a stand in battle”

Yes Biddulph is a valley land, but it would have been highly unlikely that the Ancient Britons of the area would have used it for defensive purposes. There is also the problem that most people believe that the first inhabitants of the area were on Biddulph Moor, rather than the valley area. This would also make much more sense archaeologically as ancient peoples did prefer the higher ground.

Theory 4 “ Home of the Wolf”

From the word Bidulf - Of all the theories suggested I believe this to be the only credible one. This would have probably been the kind of animal that people would have been scared of but may have used as a totem for the area due to its ferociousness. It is also known that in Edward I’s (1272 – 1307) reign a man was given permission to hunt and destroy all the wolves he could find. Now this is quite a significant act as it is almost as though the King was trying to take away what was probably a tribal emblem so that his rule could be better implemented in the area. It is also worth noting that the area was originally a wooded valley which would have been perfect for the wolf to live.

I would though also like to suggest rather than breaking the word down as bi-d-ulf that it would be more apt to break it down into bid (lingering) and ulf (wolf) which would give it the meaning of “The Lingering Wolf”.

I can also say that there are other instances around the area of things named after animals and one in particular in Rushton Spencer called Wolf Lowe.