Bedgrove (Fm)
Early-attested site in the Parish of Weston Turville
Historical Forms
- Begrave 1086 DB
- Be(l)begraue c.1220 Miss 14th
- Babbegraue 1227,1262 Ass
- Bebbegraue 1247 Ass 1262 Ass 1297 Ipm
- Pebbegrave 1276 Pat
- Belegrave 1284 FA 1339 Pat
- Bedgrave 1461 Pat
- Bedgrave al. Bedgrove 1541 LP
- Belgrove 1627 BM
Etymology
The d in the modern forms of this name is clearly not original and it is hard to say whether it is due to some form of dissimilation, Beb - becoming Bed -, or whether it is a sheer corruption.Apart from that the forms are not easy. OE names Bebba (f) and Babba are on record and a form Bæbba may also have existed, which would explain the first, third, fourth and fifth forms given above, but they leave untouched the l which appears sporadically. No OE name Bælba or Belba is known though it is just conceivable that such may have existed as a pet-form for such a name as Bealdbeorht , which itself is not actually found in OE but is a quite likely name. The question therefore of the name of the owner of this 'grove' must be left open.