The Anglo-Saxon Chronicals (See Other Works) has Archenfield as Iercingafelda (914: Yrcingafelda in the Abingdon version), leading Napier to suggest a derivation from the Anglo-Saxon Inga-*. However, the book of Llan Dâv (See Other Works) has the following variants of "Archenfield" which show the range and evolution nicely: Ergin; Ergic; Ercinecg; Ercycg; Erchin; Eirgin; Ercic; Ercicg; Ercychi; Ercig; Erging; Erchyng; Urcenevelde; Erchynfeld*. The ultimate source of the name may (or may not) be linked to the local Roman location Ariconium mentioned in the Antonine Itinerary (See Other Works). For example Camden* [Herefordshire] gives us...

The Country which wee call Herefordshire, and the Britains named Eirenuc

How farre that little region Arcenfeld reached I know not, but the affinity betweene these names Ereinuc, Arcenfeld, the town Ariconium, of which Antonine in the description of this tract maketh mention, and Hareford or Hereford, which is now the chiefe City of the Shire, have by little and little induced me to this opinion, that I thinke every one of these was derived from Ariconium. Yet doe I not thinke that Ariconium and Hereford were both one and the same...

In which he was entirely correct on the last point at least: Bury Hill near Weston-under-Penyard is now the prefered site of the Ariconium* (Info - Camden suggested Kenchester [Info; Info] instead).

Archenfield ("Arcenefeld(e)") is denoted in the Domesday Book as including the following areas (modern names, except where unknown "?"): Garway; [Ballingham]; [Harewood near Llanwarne]; Kilpeck; Baysham; Kings Caple; Pontrilas; Ashe Ingen; Little and Much Birch; Penebecdoc(?); Godrich; the Wormelow Hundred (including Westwood; St.Peter; Dewsall); the Hezetre(?) Hundred (including Burlingjobb; Old Radnor;); the Elson Hundred (including Whitney; Mateurdin(?); Eardisley; Chickward) Elsdon hundred (including Woonton); the Plegelgete(?) Hundred (including Rowden); and the Bromsash Hundred (including Newarne(?); Redbrook(?) Staunton; Yatton)*.

Because of its special location between the Saxon and British areas Archenfield seems to have gained and/or maintained some unusual laws and customs* (Info). Some of these related to its role as official corridor between the two countries, and some related to its keeping Saxon and apparently Welsh-only laws.