English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Bigs Weir

Early-attested site in the Parish of St Briavels

Historical Forms

  • Bykeleswerr', Bykeleswere 1305,15,1436,1437 MinAcct
  • Bikeswere 1315 Pat 1322 Cl
  • Bykiswere 1485–1500 ECP
  • Bygge Were 1611 FF
  • Bigsweir 1777 Will

Etymology

'Biccel's weir', v. wer (here one in the R. Wye). The pers.n. is an unrecorded OE  Biccel found also in Biggleswade (Bd 101) and Bigstrup (Bk 161).