Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Cupu' 1154×66 Reg 1199×1216 FPD 1300 Reg c.1200 Spec 1203×4 Reg

• cupum 1189×1212 Spec 1189×99 Reg 1336 Spec c.1200(p),1234×44 Halm 1296,c.1300

• Cupon 1337×8,1343×4 ManAccts 1347,1368 Halm

• Cupun 1341 DRA

• Copoun 1332×3 ManAccts

• Copon' 1358 Spec

• Copun 1341 DRA

• Copon 1365,1370 Halm

• Coupon' 1339×40,1369×70,1405 ManAccts 1424

• Coupon 1364–80,1382 Halm 1371×2 ManAccts 1580 Surv 1614,1670,1692 Man

• Coupen 1768 Map

• Cowpon 1575–6etfreqto1809 Man 1576 Map 1580 Surv 1588 Wills 1622 IPM c.1710 Map

• cowpon 1595 Ct

• couppon 1608 Man

• Cowppone 1611 ib

• Cowpen 1611 Man

• Caupon 1613 Man

• Cowpan 1665,1670 Man

• Coopon 1668etfreqto1809 Man 1774 CCPlan

• Coopen 1775 ib

• Coopan 1710 Man 1796 Wood

• Cowton (sic) 1753 Map

• Cowpan Bewley 1678,1682–3 Man

• Cowpon Buly 1710 ib

• Coopan bewly 1686 Man

• Coopan Bewley 1688,1691 ib

• Coopen Bewley 1749 CC 1839 TA 1872 Gaz

• Coopon Bewley 1752 CC

• Coopon Bewlay 1804 ib

Etymology

'(Place) at the baskets' in Bewley, OE  *cūpe, dative pl. cūpum .Coops or baskets were used as fish-traps and set in tidal creeks of the Tees estuary, fish being an important component of the monastic diet, cf. Watts, SNFN I 89–92. Bewley was the prior of Durham's manor and in the Middle Ages revenue was also paid to the prior from the saltworks of Cowpen, VCH III199 (see salt ns. infra ). For the addition Bewley see High Grange, Low Grange in Newton Bewley infra .