The Name Cherwell

At Cherwell Software, we’re often asked about our name-how do you spell it, where did it come from, and what does it mean? The name Cherwell comes from the River Cherwell, which flows through the central part of England and joins the River Thames in Oxford, England. Even though we are a US-based company, we are fond of the history surrounding this river. The graphic in our logo is symbolic of these two rivers merging together.

As the story goes, J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis (who, together with Henry Victor “Hugo” Dyson were part of a group known as “The Inklings”) used to stroll along Addison’s Walk, a beautiful walkway alongside the River Cherwell. And, it was during times like these that Tolkien developed the stories for The Lord of the Rings and Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia. In They Stand Together: The Letters of C.S. Lewis to Arthur Greeves, Lewis writes:

September 1931-He (Hugo Dyson) stayed the night with me in College. Tolkien came too and did not leave until 3:00 a.m. in the morning. We began (in Addison’s Walk on the Cherwell River just after dinner) on metaphor and myth – interrupted by a rush of wind that came so suddenly on the still warm evening and sent so many leaves pattering down that we thought it was raining. (See also, “The Real Fellowship of the Ring – How J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis’ all-night argument about God paved the way for both “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Chronicles of Narnia,” by Steven Hart)

Classic stories that have survived the test of time

We’re big fans of Tolkien and Lewis, and The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia, classic stories that have survived the test of time – stories about men and women engaged in noble causes.

At Cherwell Software, we’re passionate about our own noble cause-listening to our customers and caring for their needs. Our private company has no outside debt and no venture funding-we are efficient and profitable! Our desire is to serve our customers for the long-haul - we enjoy our jobs, are passionate about this industry, and have no “exit strategy.” We are building a company that we believe will “survive the test of time” by providing quality products with extraordinary customer care. We take seriously our tag-line: Innovative Technology built on Yesterday’s Values. That sounds simple, but few companies do it. And, it’s more than coincidence that the word “cher” in French is a term of endearment. For us, it reflects the attitude of care we want to demonstrate for our customers. Please give us the opportunity to show you.

By the way, we are delighted to announce that Cherwell District Council, in Britain, has joined the Cherwell Software family. Cherwell District Council is in the beautiful town of Bodicote, just south of Banbury and about 24 miles north of Oxford. The river Cherwell, for which it and we are named, flows serenely by the town.