English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Blandford St Mary

Major Settlement in the Parish of Blandford St Mary

Historical Forms

  • Bleneford(e) 1086 DB
  • Blaneford(e) 1086 1244 Ass 1327 SR 1332 SR
  • Parva Blaneford 1205,1225 ClR 1236 Fees 1288 Ass
  • Parva Blaneforde Martel 1210–12 RBE
  • Blaneford Martel 1302,1339 FF 1391 Pat
  • Blandford Martell 1506 ib
  • Blaneford(e) St Mary, Blaneford(e) Sancte Marie 1254 FF 1426 Cl
  • Blaneford Mar(ie), Blaneford Mary 1291 Tax 1340 NI 1397 Cl
  • Blan(e)ford Beate Marie 1421 IpmR 1466 Weld1
  • Seyntmaryblan(d)ford 1450 MinAcct 1488 Ipm
  • Blandford maries 1575 Saxton
  • St Mary Blandford 1703 Fort
  • Blaneford Mon(i)alium 1316 FA
  • Blaneford Philippi de Tylly 1242–3 Fees

Etymology

Parva (Lat  parva 'small') and St Mary to distinguish this par. from Blandford Forum and Langton Long Blandford pars. q. v. infra . St Mary is 'either from the dedication of its church, or because it belonged to the nunnery of St Mary in Clerkenwell' (Hutch3 1163); the latter association also explains the affix -Mon (i )alium (Lat  monialis 'a nun'). The family of Martel possessed the manor, or part of it, from the time of Hy 2 (Hutch3 1163), cf. William Martel 1210–12 RBE. The form Blaneford Philippi de Tylly 1242–3 Fees may also belong here, v. discussion under Langton Long Blandford par. infra . For the identification of the DB forms, v. Eyton 121–2, VCHDo 386, 91, 100, 110, DBGazetteer 117.