Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Middlebere 1291 Hutch3 1826 Gre

• Middelber(e), Myddelber(e) 1376 Pat 1393 Ct 1498

• Purbyke 1459,1470 Lane

• Myddelbeare 1468 IpmR

• Midlebere 1550 Midd

• Midlebury c.1586 Tres

• East Middleburgh, West Middleburgh 1774 Hutch1

• Middleborough 1795 Boswell

Etymology

Middlebere Fm (SY 968864), E Middlebere Barn, S Middlebere, Middlebere 1291 Hutch3, 1826 Gre, Middelber (e ), Myddelber (e )1376 (1393) Patet freq to 1498Ct with variant forms in Purbike , Purbyke 1459, 1470Lane , Myddelbeare 1468 IpmR, Midlebere 1550Midd , Midlebury c. 1586 Tres, East Middleburgh , West Middleburgh 1774 Hutch1, Middleborough 1795 Boswell, 'middle (woodland) pasture or wood', v. middel , bǣr 2 or bearu , cf. Isle of Purbeck supra ; perhaps 'middle' in relation to Arne and Corfe C. par. supra ; West probably refers to Middlebere Fm. For the confusion of the second el. in later forms with burh (dat.sg. byrig ) 'fortification', cf. Haselbury B. par. infra . Middlebere was formerly part of the manor of Langton Wallis, cf. Langton Mat. par. supra and Langton Wallis infra . There were salt-pits here at least as early as the 12th cent., v. Salterns Copse infra .