Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Cnaveswell 1285 Hutch3

• Cnaueswell 1285 ChrP 1372

• Knausewell in Purbyk 1384 DCMDeed

• Knaveswell, Knaueswell 1535 VE 1811 OS

• farm of Knaveswell 1734 DCMDeed

Etymology

Knaveswell Copse, Knaveswell Fm (SZ 002808), Cnaveswell 1285 Hutch3, Cnaueswell 1285 (1372) ChrP , Knausewell in Purbyk 1384DCMDeed , Knaveswell , Knaueswell 1535 VEet freq to 1811 OS, farm of Knaveswell 1734DCMDeed , 'boy's or servant's spring or stream', v. cnafa , wella , named from the stream (known as The Spring) which rises just N of the farm (spring marked 6″), cf. Isle of Purbeck supra . The forms in -es - throughout show that this name was probably formed after the wk. noun cnafa had received analogical strong endings, v. -es 2 ; in fact, as Professor Löfvenberg points out, the first el. may be an occupational surname, cf. Thuresson 128.