Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Buudihc 13 ADVI

• Bouedich(') 1315,1316 FF 1349 Harl 1371 DCMDeed 1423 AddRoll

• Bouedych(') 1317 Harl 1332 SR

• Boudyche 1479 Cl

• Bouditch 1664 HTax

• Bowdich(e) 1537 Digby 1596 HarlRoll

• Bowditch 1664 HTax 1774 Hutch1

• Burridge ib

• Burditch 1811 OS

Etymology

Bowditch or Burridge (ST 315063), Bowditch Fm, Burridge Ho, Buudihc 13 AD VI(p), Bouedich (')1315, 1316 FF (p), 1349Harl , 1371DCMDeed , 1423AddRoll (p), Bouedych (')1317Harl , 1332 SR (p), Boudyche 1479 Cl (p), Bouditch 1664 HTax (p), Bowdich (e )1537Digby , 1596HarlRoll (p), Bowditch 1664 HTax (p), 1774 Hutch1, Burridge ib, Burditch 1811 OS, probably '(place) above the ditch', from bufan and dīc . The hamlet lies above a narrow valley in which a small stream rises.The alternative spelling Burridge has not been noted before 1774, and Hutch3 comments thus: 'Bowditch. This is a hamlet, and the farm called Burridge, is a mere corruption of Bowditch' (282). The two forms are similarly differentiated, as names for the manor and the farm respectively, in 1795 Boswell.