Is it? As far as I've been able to check,
the earliest recorded version (12th c.) is Wristleham, with byforms like
Wrettesham or Wrechcessam; at any rate the <wr-> appears to be
historically justified. Doesn't it come from OE wrecca 'exile, adventurer,
outlaw' (with palatal <cc>), as in Ratchwood < wreccan wudu? It was a
weak noun, to be sure, so one would expect OE *wreccan ha:m > *Wretchenham
with possible further telescoping (cf. Wretham in Norfolk), but the the
replacement of *wrecchen by <wrecches> in early Middle English is
thinkable.
Piotr
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, August 22, 2002 7:16 PM
Subject: Re: [tied] S(h)ibboleth
If I remember correctly Wrexham is derived from 'Recce's (a
personal name) ham'.