Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Mordaat (sic) 1086 DB

• Morba 1200,1201 Cur c.1220 Poul 1244 Ass 1270 Misc

• Morpad'e 1201 Cur

• Morpathe 1288 Ass

• Morban (sic) 1235–6 Fees

• Morbath(e) 1244 1268 Ass 1270 Misc 1280,1294 Brid 1795 Boswell

• (Hameleto de) Mourbathe (iuxta Simondesburgh') Ed2 HarlCh

• Mourebath(e) 1409 Cl 1412 FA

• Morebath(e) 1409 HarlCh 1656 Pole 1676

• Moorbath c.1780 ib

• Higher Morbath & Lower Morbath 1811 OS

• Moor Bath farmhouse 1839 TA

Etymology

'Bathing place, or pool, in marshy ground', from mōr and bæð , cf. Morebath PN D 536 (also on record from 1086 DB) which has the same origin. At Morebath D the reference is to chalybeate springs. Here at Moorbath no less than five streams (feeders of R. Simene) rise in the vicinity (springs marked 6″). Two of the early forms show confusion of the second el. with pæð 'path'.