Fairburn Ings

Hi. I think it is to do with the habitat. According to good old Wikipedia Ings is an old Yorkshire word of Norse origin referring to water meadows & marshes including those that were part of the Humber flood plain. It seems to be a common term for this type of land in Yorkshire, Cumbria & Lincolnshire & possibly elsewhere. I also found it listed in a book of Yorkshire dialect with the original Norse term being "eng". Both definitions used Fairburn Ings as an example along with Wheldrake Ings & Wetherby Ings. All Yorkshire places.

I live near Ings land for the River Ouse in York & it pretty much fits the above definition - water meadows, marsh land & the area that  the river floods into. When the river is high the fields are sometimes completely covered in water.  

Hope that helps.

Cupcake is right,up here in Yorkshire (also known as the centre of the universe ) the term Ings is used for a low lying,usually rough and wet,area of land.They often flood and while maybe not a lot of use for farming they can be great areas for birds.Many ings have been lost doe to drainage to improve land for farming.