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.

Godmanstone Godmanston

Major Settlement in the Parish of Godmanstone

Historical Forms

  • ?Cernel 1086 DB(f.79a)
  • Godemanestone 1166 RBE
  • Godeman(n)eston(') 1276 1288 Ass 1302 Ipm
  • Godemanston 1280 Ass
  • Godmanneston(') 1184–5 P 1250 Cl 1251 ib
  • Godmaneston(') 1201 1242–3 Fees 1244 Ass 1428 FA
  • Godmarineston' 1235–6 Fees
  • Godmauneston (sic for Godmanneston) 1250 FF
  • Godmannston' 1249 Cerne 14
  • Godmanston(') 1268,1288 Ass 1297 Pat 1303 FA
  • Godmaston(e) 1340 NI 1460 Fine
  • Godmerston (sic) 1347 Ipm
  • Godmiston, Godmystone 1621 Strode 17
  • Godmonston' 1453 Weld1
  • Godmynstone al's Godmanston 1621 Strode 17

Etymology

'Godmann's manor or estate', from the OE  pers.n. Godmann and tūn.Godmanstone is on the R. Cerne and may well be one of the places assessed under the name Cernel in 1086 DB (entry in f. 79a, v. Hutch3 441, Eyton 133–4, ThornDB note to 24, 5; for the form Cernel , v. under Cerne Abbas par. supra ). Thus Godmanstone may be a name of post- Conquest origin like Forston, Herrison and Pulston (all also probably Cerne (l ) in DB) which lie further downstream on the same river, v. 1 340–1.