The Meaning Of Place Names In The New Forest

Name                               Meaning

Ashley                            The clearing in the Ash tree wood.

Bartley                           The clearing in the Birch tree wood.

Barton on Sea              Beorma’s Farm.

Bashley                           The clearing in the wood, the home of Baegloc.

Beaulieu                         The beautiful place.

Bournemouth              Mouth of the Bourne River.

Bramshaw                     Bramble Copse.

Brockenhurst              Broka’s Wood.

Burley                            The clearing by the Hill Fort.

Brook                             The rushing water.

Cadnam                        The home of Cada.

Christchurch              Originally known as Tweoxneam (Twynham) from Old English betweoxn (between) and éam (rivers), was later renamed Christchurch following after the construction of the Christchurch Norman priory in 1094.

Eling                              Edla’s followers.

Keyhaven                    The harbour from where the cows were shipped.

Hampshire                 Means the Shire (district) around Hamtum, which is the old name for Southampton.

Hythe                            The name Hythe means landing place.

Lepe                              The name perhaps means “leaping place,” for a jumpable stream.

Lymington                  The farm among the Elm trees.

Lyndhurst                   Linden tree wood (deciduous lime tree not the citrus lime tree).

Netley Marsh             The name is probably derived from the Old English words of naet and leah, meaning Wet and Clearing in the Wood.

New Milton                Middle farm.

Oakley                         The clearing in the Oak tree wood.

Pennington                The original manor was first recorded as Penyton in the12th century, and Penington in 1272. It is thought that perhaps the name meant Penny Farm.

Ringwood                    The wood on the edge of the Forest.

Solent                           First recorded in 731 as Soluente the meaning of the pre english name is uncertain.

Sway                              From the old English name of “Svieia”, which means “noisy stream”.

The Avon River         The River.

The Avon Water       The Water ( this name is a combination of the Celtic word Avon meaning Water and the Saxon word Water).

Wootton                       Farm in the wood.

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