Story Behind the Street: Delawyk Crescent

Dulwich is a funny word, isn’t it? No doubt we’ve all had those moments trying to spell it over the phone.

“No, it’s pronounced DULL and then ITCH.”
(Of course, if you’re from north America you’ll pronounce it DULL and WITCH.)

I was pondering the origins of the word recently when I wandered past the intriguingly named Delawyk Crescent (SE24). I wondered if there was a link.

Here’s a potted history of the word Dulwich.

DILWIHS
In AD 967 Edgar the Peaceful granted the area of Dilwihs to a thane. In old English Dilwihs is a combination of DIL (a white flower) and WIHS (a damp meadow). So Dilwihs was clearly a damp meadow where dill grew.

DELAWYK
Thought to date from 1200s, this old spelling of Dulwich apparently applied to a family from the area, rather than the area itself. But perhaps there’s a link.

DYLEWISSH
In 1311, there is record of the sale of freehold in the land of ‘Dylewissh’ (in the area of Ryecotes Mead in SE21).

By 1792 we know that DULWICH was in use as a spelling for the village. Daniel Lysons wrote in Environs of London in that year:
‘The hamlet of Dulwich, formerly spelt Dilwysshe is near two miles from Camberwell – The situation is pleasant and very retired, no public road passing through it except to the neighbouring hamlet of Sydenham.’

And now, of course, it’s everywhere – Dulwich Common, Dulwich Oaks, Dulwich Village, Dulwich Wood Avenue, East Dulwich Grove.

So there we go. I wonder if it will change name again?