Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• at Meleburge imare, on meleberig dune 956 ShaftR(S630) 14

• Meleberie 1086 DB

• Meleberia 15 ShaftR

• Melebur' 1251 Cl 1268,1280 Ass

• Meleburne (sic) 1268 ib

• Melebury 1290 ShaftR 15 Pat 1297 FA 1303

• Melebury Abb'isse 1304 Shaft c.1407 SR 1327 SR 1332

• Melebury Abbatisse 1346 Pat

• Melebure 15 ShaftR

• Melebyr' 1280 QW

• Melebir' 1288 Ass

• Melleber' 1280 Ass, QW

• Mellebury 1280 15 ShaftR 1428 FA

• Mellebir', Mellebyr' 1280 Ass

• Melbury Abb'isse 1291 Tax 15 ShaftR 1564 Glyn

• Melbury 1315 Pat

• Melbury Abbesse 1326 Banco

• Melberia 15 ShaftR

• Melbery 1618 Map

• Molebury (sic) Abbisse 1332 Shaft c.1407

Etymology

Probably 'multicoloured fortified place', from mǣle (wk.obl. -an ) and burh (dat.sg. byrig ); the form on mealeburg norþewarde in the bounds of Six. Handley (discussed under Mistleberry Wd in that par. supra ) is etymologically identical, as is the Melbury group of names in the W of the county (Melbury Bubb, -Osmond and -Sampford), and there are three other probable examples of the name in Devon (PN D 105, 130, 496). Ekwall DEPN, comparing Millbarrow Down Ha which contains beorg 'hill', thinks it possible that the second el. of the Melbury names is also beorg with change of eo to u , but this seems an unnecessary assumption in spite of the existence, in the case of Melbury Abbas, of Melbury Hill (the meleberig dune of the charter cited, v. infra ). The earthwork on Melbury Hill is an undated enclosure (RCHM 448).

This manor, like Compton Abbas par. supra , belonged to Shaftesbury Abbey from 956, hence the affix Abbas , a reduced form of Lat  abbatissa (gen.sg. -(a )e ) 'abbess'. The manor was divided into the two tithings of East and West Melbury infra , the latter occurring as an alternative to the par. name in 1795 Boswell.