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Burbage Place Names

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As you will see below, finding the meaning of some of our local names has not been easy and in some cases, far from certain. If you know of other sources which either confirm or propose alternative meanings, please let me know. [Even if not quoted as a source for a particular name, all sources mentioned have been referred to for each name.]

Villages & Hamlets

Burbage

SOURCES
1 - The Place Names of Wiltshire by English Place Names Society Vol. XVI. 1939
2 - Wiltshire Place Names by Richard Tomkins. 1983
3 - Marlborough and Eastern Wiltshire by John Chandler. 2001
4 - Burbage W.I. Scrap Book. 1956, 1965, 1977 etc.
5 - Place-names in the Landscape by Margaret Gelling. 1984

EARLY SPELLINGS
961 - Burhbece, Burgbeces; 968 - byr bæces, burhbeces; c1000 - Burhbec; 1086 - Burbetce, Buberge; 1139 - Burbecha; 1158 - Burbeche; 1177 - Burbache; 1194 - Burggebge; 1229 Borebache; 1246 - Burebeche; 1249 - Burbeche; 1321 Burbachesauvage; 1353 - Burbage; 1503 - Berbage; 1585 - Burbadge; 1646 - Burbatch

MEANING (with reference to the source)

1. "The first element is clearly burh" but the only known burh would be Godsbury which now lies just south of the parish boundary. "The second element is probably bæce, bece, [which means] 'stream'" and a short part of the western boundary follows a stream. "In EPN [English Place Names] the second element was taken as bæc, [meaning] 'ridge'". This is somewhat dismissed as although Burbage lies on a ridge, its boundary does not.
2. The first element seems to be Old English "burh" meaning earthworks or town. The second is less obvious and could be either "bece" (beech-tree or beech-wood) or bæc (ridge)
3. "The name Burbage .... seems to refer not to a settlement but to the slight ridge or plateau on which Bowden Farm, Manor Farm and the northern end of the village sit. It probably means 'fortified ridge', or 'ridge associated with a fortification, and although no bugh or fortification exists today, Orthbury is referred to in a perambulation of Savernake Forest made in 1300, and its position is marked on a copy of a medieval map of the forest, where it is shown as a square enclosure called Erthbyri. It has been identified with a slight rampart still visible in 1941 behind cottages in the hamlet of Ram Alley, which may be the remains of a Roman marching camp."
4. "One explanation is that the 'Bur' comes from 'Burh' (a fortress) and 'bece' means a stream. There is no sign of a fortress or stream today. The second idea is that Burbage is derived from the Latin 'herbagium' which means 'an open glade, useful for pasturage'. This seems a far more likely suggestion.". At some time the book was loan to one E.G.H. Kempson who commented "the suggested derivation of the name ... [from herbagium] ... is quite impossible." but he fails to say why. [Note: the W.I. are probably quoting this latter meaning from "Sylvan Savernake" by Maurice Adams]
5. Mrs. Gidding goes to some length to explain the possible confusion which can arise when trying to determine whether the second element of a name is derived from bæc (hill), bæce or bece (stream or valley). For our Burbage she suggests 'fort ridge' as it "lies on a broad, flat shelf, and an Old English charter boundary mentions and eorthburh in the vicinity.". However she cautions "if there is a ridge there are usually streams running out of it or flowing on either side, so it is seldom possible to exclude bæce, bece as an alternative second element."

MY NOTES
Re Burbachesauvage; Part of the parish belonged to the Savage family before passing to the Longspées during the reign of Henry III. The parish was once divided into three manors Esturmy, Durrells [Darrells] and Savage.

Regarding the meaning of the name; everyone seems convinced that the first element is "Burh", meaning town or fortification. There is no evidence that Burbage was ever anything other than a village so where are the fortifications? The parish is surprisingly lacking in ancient earthworks but it is possible that Godsbury may have once been in the parish (today it lies about 100 metres outside) or was at least the place of refuge for the villagers in times of trouble (cf. Chisbury and Bedwyn). My only concern over Dr. Chandler's speculation about a possible Roman camp near Ram Alley is that all previous works have put the alignment of the Roman road from Minal to Sarum through either Easton or Milton and never through Burbage. Also, although it is possible that someone may want to guard a watershed (see below), placing a fort in a valley beneath two significant ridges does not seem sensible to me - placing it either on Leigh Hill or at Stibb or Bowden would have made a far more formidable and defensible structure. Finally, if such a fortification had existed at Ram you could expect it to be reflected in its name - which it is not.

For the second part we have either beech, beech tree, beech wood, stream or ridge. I'm not convinced by the beech ones and feel more comfortable with the last two. The fact that a short part of the boundary follows a stream seems of little consequence as many places are named after features which have nothing to do with their boundaries (e.g. locally - Pewsey, Milton, Easton, Grafton, Bedwyn, Collingbourne). However Burbage is the source of 3 main river systems; the Bedwyn stream (a tributary of the Kennet) rises at East Sands; the Bourne rises near Seymour Pond; head waters of the Pewsey Avon rise at both Westcourt and Ram Alley. So maybe the name celebrates the number of streams in the parish. Alternatively, it should be remembered that the parish is such an important watershed because its geological form is that of a ridge. To the early Britons ridges were important as most communications were along ridge-routes and Burbage High Street is such a route, It would have been of significant importance to all traffic as it provided the only dry route (along the crown of the watershed) to connect the ridgeways which run along Salisbury Plain and the Marlborough Downs.

So what is it to be; "The fortification by the streams" or "The fortification of a ridge"? On balance I agree with Dr. Chandler and choose the latter but others have every right to disagree.

Cherry Orchard

This is a bit of a mystery. The census returns from 1851 to 1881 inclusive refer to the 4 scattered dwellings that made up Cherry Orchard as being "East Sands". It is only in the 1891 census that the name first appears. Was it created to differentiate the original properties in East Sands from the 'modern' estate? Was there a cherry orchard associated with nearby Wolfhall?

Durley

SOURCES
1 - The Place Names of Wiltshire by English Place Names Society Vol. XVI. 1939
2 - Wiltshire Place Names by Richard Tomkins. 1983
3 - Place-names in the Landscape by Margaret Gelling. 1984

MEANING (with reference to the source)

1. "A compound of OE [Old English] dierne, 'secret, hidden', etc. and leah [clearing]."
2. Old English "dierna-leah" meaning secret or hidden clearing.
3. In this general work on place names, Mrs. Gelling agrees with the 'leah' element. If the first element is derived from 'durn' then it means 'secret' however if it is from 'dur' then it would mean 'deer' [as in Durleigh in Somerset and Durley in Hampshire].

MY NOTES
Either of the suggested meanings (Hidden or Secret Clearing and Deers' Clearing) could apply. Take your pick.

Eastcourt

SOURCES
The Place Names of Wiltshire by English Place Names Society Vol. XVI. 1939

EARLY SPELLING
1257 - Estcote

MEANING
East cottages

MY NOTES
Even as late at the end of the 19th century maps and census returns could refer to the area as Eastcott

East Sands

SOURCES
The Place Names of Wiltshire by English Place Names Society Vol XVI. 1939

EARLY SPELLING
1540 - Easte Sands; 1662 - le East Send; 1773 - East Horns

MY NOTES
The area takes its name from the ancient open field of that name. It is merely descriptive being a field of sandy soil lying to the east. The hamlet is largely a Victorian development and takes its name from either the area (as the field had long been enclosed and divided) or the road along which it was developed - East Sands Drove or Lane. It is believed that the 1773 spelling on the Andrews & Dury map was either a mistake (it was never used before or since) or referred to the angular layout of the road.

Fir Green

SOURCES

1. Deeds and Mortgages in the W&SRO
2. Parish Magazines

EARLY SPELLINGS

1726-89 - Virgin Lane (In source 1), 1843 - Fir Green, undated (source 2) - Fair Green, Furze Green

Leigh Hill

Margreen

SOURCES
1 - The Place Names of Wiltshire by English Place Names Society Vol XVI. 1939
2 - Marlborough and Eastern Wiltshire by John Chandler. 2001

EARLY SPELLINGS

1662 - Margreene, 1773 - Marr Green

MEANING

1. "Probably the home of Robert atte Mere"
2. Dr. Chandler says that it is really Mere Green and refers to its proximity to Suthmere (see below).

MY NOTES

Regarding "Robert atte Mere" see Stibb Green. Dr. Chandler is correct that it means Green by the Mere (or pond) but it is possible that it is referring to the large pond once situated about 150 yards south of the current Margreen farmhouse rather than Suthmere.

Pall Mall

I have never come across this name in the parish until the end of the nineteenth century by which time Henry Bailey had built the row of 3 terraced houses which now bare the name (although they have now been knocked through into 1 house). Why Pall Mall? I do not know.

Ram Alley

SOURCES
The Place Names of Wiltshire by English Place Names Society Vol XVI. 1939

EARLY SPELLING

961 - Igfled; 968 - Igfeld; 1275 - Eilly; 1621 & 1773 - Ram Alley

MEANING

The second part is believed to be from ieg meaning island and refers to the hogs back hill to the west of the hamlet. Igleah means either 'clearing on an island' or ''woodland on an isolated hill'. The Ram part is meant to come from the communal sheep dip which was situated along the stream which empties the Ram Alley ponds.

Seymour

SOURCES
The Place Names of Wiltshire by English Place Names Society Vol XVI. 1939

EARLY SPELLING

1259 - Suthmere; 1773 - Sirmore

MEANING

Although the area now takes the name of the famous family from Wolfhall, the original name - Suthmere - means South Pond, i.e. the pond at the south of the village. Although the area now seems to be an natural extension of the High Street, this only became so in the 20th century. Prior to that there were only about a dozen scattered cottages.

Stibb Green

SOURCES
1 - The Place Names of Wiltshire by English Place Names Society Vol XVI. 1939
2 - Parish Magazines, 1916
3 - Marlborough and Eastern Wiltshire by John Chandler. 2001

EARLY SPELLING

1275 & 14th century - Stubbe; 1513 - Stibbe; 1613 - Stibmarshe; 1626 - Stibbe Marsh; 1638 - Stibb; 1699 - Stibbs Green; 1773 - Steep Green; 1840 - Stibb Green

MEANING (with reference to the source)

1. "Probably the home of Alan atte Stubbe" [However note the following extract from the web: '"Atte Cruce" may come from the Latin "attendere", the root of the word "attend", and from the Old English "cruc" derived from the Latin "crucis". However in the 1300s "atte" was very common, and used for everyone who legally occupied land. Hence William atte Cruce could mean William of the land called Cruce.' If this is the true meaning and use of atte then the true meaning of the gentleman's name would be Alan of the land of Stubbe so does not help us with the meaning but simply confirms Stibb's presence in 1275.]
2. "Stibb - obviously a corruption of Steep but a very old one as it occurs over 300 years ago. I imagine the ancient road came up the 'Hollow' and so the green was rightly called Steep Green." [NOTE: the Hollow was a smallholding whose foundations lie beneath the bypass. If, prior to the turnpike, the track into Burbage followed this route it would indeed have been steep. The track in question became a bridleway which was closed when the bypass was built - it lay immediately after the last house on the western side of Marlborough Road]
3. "the name refers to a tree stump" [stybb means stump].

MY NOTES

NOTE - Stibb Marsh is that land which lies alongside the road from the Ram Alley cross-roads to the old hotel.

So, yet again, we are faced with a choice. I would dismiss option 1 as Alan seems to have been named after the hamlet and not the other way around. Option 2 assumes steep to be the origin and is very tempting as it does accurately describe a possible alignment of the road in the early days (The current alignment is steep enough). Option 3 assumes the Anglo-Saxon stybb is the origin and we can only assume that this stump was either impressive (e.g. a landmark) or held some mystical significance to warrant naming a hamlet after it. The earliest reference I have personally found is in old 14th century leases which call the hamlet Stubbe and this is still a common surname in Germany where, I believe, it is old German for "stump"

The Green obviously refers to is the triangular green which forms the focal point of the hamlet (and was possibly the site of the stump).

My original vote was for Steep Green however as the oldest references all call it "Stump" then this is probably nearer its original name.

Westcourt

SOURCES
The Place Names of Wiltshire by English Place Names Society Vol XVI. 1939

EARLY SPELLING
1246 - Westcote; 1446 - Wescote; 1529 - Westcourtes; 1668 - Wescott

MEANING
West cottages

MY NOTES
Even as late at the end of the 19th century maps and census returns could refer to the area as Westcott

Wolfhall

SOURCES
1 - The Place Names of Wiltshire by English Place Names Society Vol XVI. 1939
2 - Wiltshire Place Names by Richard Tomkins. 1983
3 - Wolfhall and Tottenham by W Maurice Adams, ~1920

EARLY SPELLING
1086 - Ulfela; 1180 - Wulfhala; 1242 - Wulfhale; 1249 - Wolfehale; 1324 - Wolphal; 1490 - Wulfhall; 1522 - Wulfall; 1616 - Woulfehall

MEANING (with reference to the source)

1. "Corner or piece of land frequented by wolves"
2. The name could be either from "Wulfan -heall" (Wulfa's hall or palace) or "wulfan-healh" (a corner of land frequented by wolves).
3. "Leland in his 'Commentaries' (Itin ix. 36) mentions this place as 'Semarii Lupinum, villa splendida' but the name has nothing to do with a 'wolf'. It is more likely connected with the name of its owner is Danish or Saxon times, which was probably 'Ulph'..... Indeed, as late, at least, as the latter part of the sixteenth century, the name was still written -e.g. by the earl of Hertford - as Ulfhall, not Wolfhall as at present.".

MY NOTES
Note that wolves were common in Savernake Forest until the 14^th century.

Village Street Names

Until the massive expansion of the village which started in about 1970, there had been little concern and some inconsistency over the naming of the streets; Tasker's Lane has at times been either to the east or to the west of the High Street (but never at the same time) and the current Smithy's Lane / Tasker's Lane was once called Eastcourt Road while the current Eastcourt Road was at that time called Common Lane. It probably did not matter then as the village was a much closer knit community than it is today. A stranger would be met with more confusion if looking for a specific house as numbering only arrived in the 1880s - and only then on those houses owned by the Savernake Estate (which was the vast majority). Number 1 was in Durley but 201 was in Leigh Hill, 99 was at Seymour, 120 at East Sands and 163 at Westcourt. The most confusing was amongst the dozen or so houses at Ram Alley where numbers 1,2,77,78 then 170 etc. could be found. The reason for this piece of apparent insanity was that until 1988 the houses at Ram actually lay in 3 separate parishes. When the Savernake Estate numbered their houses they did so on a parish basis so for Savernake they started at Ram, for Easton (78) they finished at Ram while for Burbage they were just passing through on the way to Leigh Hill.

Both the parish council and Pewsey Rural District Council realised that if they were going to double the housing stock in the village then some degree of order was required and so the parish council came up with the naming scheme we see today and the old names and numbers were swept away - or nearly so. For some reason the outlying areas were overlooked so 105 Cherry Orchard, 163 Westcourt, 178 Goldenlands still survive, even if not always used; a reminder of the houses' past ownership and of a numbering scheme which still exists in the smaller neighbouring parishes.

When naming the roads on the new estates the developer has the final say (subject to District Council and Post Office approval) as it is his land. Luckily in the earlier years they were happy to accept the suggestions of the parish council so many local names have appeared. Sadly in later years this has not been the case. In the last twelve years or so only Croft Corner and Coomb Meadow have any local significance leaving us with a collection of meaningless, marketing inspired legacies.

One example is Martingale Road; while a Martingale can be part of the leathers of a horse - and my wife was the last to keep her horse in that field - I suspect that the developers had in mind an alternative meaning; "a gambling system of continually doubling the stakes in the hope of an eventual win that must yield a net profit". Two companies went bankrupt developing this estate and it is still known locally as Parish Homes (after the name of the first two developers and not because the residents are receiving parish relief). Maybe the third company made the profit.

Streets with obvious names have been omitted. However these fall into two categories; ancient names (e.g. Fir Green Lane, Eastcourt Road, Grafton Road) and modern names created in the 1970s (e.g. Marlborough Road, Savernake Road).

Farmsteads

Parish Field Names (not mentioned elsewhere)

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