Wrythe

See also: wrythe and wryþe

English

Etymology 1

The place-name was coined (or at least standardised) in the Ordnance Survey's 1:1056 scale map series, published 1867, but first attested 10 August 1866 in a document presented to the House of Commons (see quotations) using the Survey's then-unpublished map data.

Proper noun

the Wrythe

1. A suburban area (district) of Carshalton in the Borough of Sutton, Greater London.
   • 1866 August 10, William Cowper, “Copy of Ordnance Survey of Commons and Open Spaces within the Metropolitan Police District”, in Accounts and Papers of the House of Commons‎^[1], volume 59, British House of Commons, page 14:

     The downs and the Wrythe belong, to the best of the overseers' belief, to the lord of the manor. The downs let partly as a preserve for game, and partly as farm land, having public highways through the same, otherwise no particular right.

   • 1909 January 5, “A Lost Village in Surrey”, in The Morning Leader, page 7:

     In the transformation of Surrey, to make it a bright and modern suburbia, many of the quaint features of its quiet spote are disappearing. The pretty little village of Carshalton has grown so hugely of late years that now it is a quite different placed altogether. The Wrythe, Carshalton, is, as its name indicates, an ancient spot, and some of the quaintest buildings are in its neighbourhood.

   • 1931, The Gardeners' Chronicle (Third Series)‎^[2], volume 90, page 134:

     I have seen no Rosemary or Pennyroyal, and only very little Chamomile. On Mr. Carter's farm, at The Wrythe, Carshalton, I noted with interest a small experimental bed of this last plant, and was given to understand that the cultivation of the plant would be seriously taken up if there proved to be sufficient demand for it.

   • 1991, M. J. Trow, Lestrade and the Magpie (Inspector Lestrade), Constable & Robinson, →ISBN, page 182:

     From Imber Court you drive south-east, through the newly budded, still-rural lanes of Surrey, past Esher and the Wrythe until you come to Carshalton. Lestrade's number was taken down by many an astonished copper, wobbling on his bike in the wind created by the Lanchester.

   • 2017 July 17, Tom Brake, quotee, “Men of the Wrythe memorial remembering local soldiers who died in the First World War is unveiled in Wrythe Green”, in Your Local Guardian‎^[3]:

     MP for Carshalton and Wallington, Tom Brake, tweeted: "Very memorable & moving service yesterday to unveil the Wrythe War Memorial. We'll remember the men of the Wrythe who sacrificed their lives."

2. (rare) A portion of the River Wandle as it flows through Carshalton and past the Wrythe.
   • 1890 April 28, “Long and Thames Ditton”, in The Surrey Advertiser and County Times, page 3:

     It appeared to the Rev. G. W. Banks that the best course to adopt would be to alter the course of the Wrythe so that it might enter the culvert at a curve instead of right angles.

   • 1972 November 14, “Hinchley Wood 'dirty and untidy'”, in Esher News and Mail, number 2009, page 1:

     The meeting concluded with Mr. Bill Gibson declaring that the River Wrythe flood prevention scheme had fallen between three stools – the county, Thames Authority and Elmbridge Council.

   • 2024 February 15, Olivia Herlihy, “Carshalton Ponds: A Starting or Finishing Point for the Wandle Trail”, in Wandle News‎^[4]:

     The source of the River Wandle has changed over time, but today its two sources are in Carshalton and Croydon. The Carshalton branch of the river, however, is much smaller today compared to how it was when the Saxons first settled here. For this reason, the Carshalton branch has now become a tributary of the River Wandle, known as the River Wrythe.

Derived terms

• Green Wrythe

Etymology 2

An alternative spelling of the surname Writhe. Related to Wriothesley.

Proper noun

Wrythe

1. (obsolete, historical) A surname.

Etymology 3

From Green Wrythe Lane, the road upon which the capital of Austenasia is located; itself named after the Wrythe area. Coined 20 September 2008 (see quotations).

Proper noun

Wrythe

1. (micronationalism) The claimed capital city of Austenasia, a terraced house in the Wrythe, Carshalton, London Borough of Sutton.
   • 2008 September 20, Jonathan Austen, Act 1 (The Constitution) [Austenasian Constitution of 2008]‎^[5], Empire of Austenasia, archived from the original on 19 April 2018:

     The official capital city of Austenasia is Wrythe.

   • 2013 February 26, Mike Murphy-Pyle, “Emperor Jonathan I crowned leader of micronation Austenasia”, in Yourlocalguardian‎^[6]:

     It started as a single house, occupied by the Austen family, but Austenasia now has an empire. There is Wrythe, Glencarrog - a square foot of land in Scotland and Zephyria, which is not far from Wrythe and became part of the empire when Sir William allowed his house to become annexed by Austenasia.

   • 2015 March 25, Jonny Blair, “World Borders: How to Get to Wrythe, Austenasia (Within Carshalton, England)”, in dontstopliving.net‎^[7]:

     Despite the fact that Wrythe is bordered on three other sides to other houses and back gardens, none of those borders are currently open to tourists, so you have to walk in through the driveway. Once you are in the driveway of Wrythe, you are officially in Austenasia.

   • 2019 March, Mark Beckett, “Carshalton Village: A Ross Amongst Thorns”, in Deserter‎^[8]:

     It's also worth mentioning that up the road from The Sun is Wrythe, the capital city of the Empire of Austenasia, a self-declared sovereign state and suburban terraced house, home to time-rich student Jonathan Austen (Prime Minister) and his dad Terry Austen (Emperor).

   • 2024 March 13, Sandra Schröpfer, “Secrets of the world's tiniest nations”, in loveEXPLORING‎^[9]:

     Austenasia proudly states it's a nation of 85 citizens and Emperor Jonathan I (pictured in the centre with two tourists in his house) is usually happy to welcome curious visitors to his capital, Wrythe – subject to prior arrangement.