What's in a name

"crab apples by the water hole"

Whilst we were restoring the Mill, Doug Welby was also researching and writing his book (currently available at the Mill Shop). Doug descibes Crabble as "the place where crab apples were grown." He goes on to explain ....

"In Old English this appears as 'Crabble hol' ('hol' meaning lying in a hollow). By the 13th centrury this had changed to 'Crabbe hole'. Over the centuries Crabwell and Crabblewell have emerged suggesting a source of obtaining water.

"'Crappol Myll' would also indicate the existance of a mill in earlier times, whether to grind corn or to crush crab apples is speculative. However, it is most likely that crab apples had been grown at 'Crabble' for more than a thousand years. Even in Roman times, crab apples were stored as ripened and dried fruit, and also crushed to produce cider or the liquid sold as a culinary item called 'verjuice'."

Reflections Of River, The Kentish Village
by Doug Welby
ISBN 0-906124-17-4