Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Bockedic 1280 Ass

• fossat' voc' Bucke Ditche 1618 CH

• Bockl(e)y Dyke 1869 Hutch3

• (ende lang) dich 944–6 BCS817(S513) 14

• magnum fossatum de Blakedounesdich 1236 Hutch3

Etymology

Bokerly Ditch (SU 023200–063168), Bockedic 1280Ass , fossat ' voc ' Bucke Ditche 1618CH , Bockl (e )y Dyke 1869 Hutch3, cf. Inner Bockerley & Outer Bockerley , Lt Bockerley , Bockerley Cowleaze , Bockerley Grds & Bockerley Lane 1838TA , Grim's Ditch infra , v. bucc 'a buck, a male deer', dīc , -l (e )y perhaps representing lēah 'wood, clearing', cf. Buckley So (EPN 156); on the killing of bucks in Cranborne Chase, v. Hutch3 3414. This late RB ditch, crossing four miles of downland, is earlier referred to in (ende lang ) dich 944–6 (14) BCS 817(S 513) (in the bounds of Martin Ha), and as magnum fossatum de Blakedounesdich 1236 Hutch3, i.e. 'the ditch at Blakedoun ('the dark-coloured hill')', v. Blagdon in Cranborne par. supra .