Sections From ‘Keele – An introduction to the Parish & University’ – By Michael Paffard
Agger Hill Farm
‘Agger’ was borrowed from Latin C14 for a mound, embankment or earthwork and seems the most likely origin of this name, though there is a recorded old English personal name Acca.
Finney Green
Perhaps from old English fyniht/fynig, fennymarshy, but the surname Finney from Ulster, Feeny meaning a soldier or a corruption of Fiennes is found locally; an Anne Finney lived in Stafford Street, Newcastle, in 1836; so the place name may derive from a family who lived there.
Highway Lane/Farm
At one time known as ‘Workhouse Lane’ it was the original highway from Keele to Madeley before the turnpiking of the road via Madeley Heath, and is still the shortest route by foot.
Leycett
The earliest form appears to be Levershede, 1474, but a year later the spelling is Lysot and all subsequent spellings suggest old English laes-(ge)set, meadow building, as in Lissett on Humberside. If, however, the earliest spelling is correct and subsequent ones are all aberrations, the meaning might be ‘headland of a man called Leofwince’ or ‘stream head where irises or rushes grow’ (old English laefer). As a surname, Leycett is found in C19 directory of Newcastle.