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.

Parkbury, Park Street

Early-attested site in the Parish of St Stephens

Historical Forms

  • (in) campis de Parco 1239 Gesta
  • villa de Parco 1294 SR
  • La Parcsokne 1255 Ass
  • Park Sokene 1275 FF
  • Parksokene 1402 FA
  • Parcbiri 1260 Gesta
  • Parkesbur' 1291 Tax
  • Park(e)bury 1430 Annales 1544 Dugdii
  • le Parkstret t.Ed2 StAlbansO
  • Parkstrate 1381 Gesta

Etymology

As this manor belonged from the earliest times to the Abbot of St Albans, it is not very likely that park had the usual manorial sense of 'enclosure for hunting,' etc. Probably we have an example of park in the original sense of 'enclosure,' v. pearroc .soken is probably here the equivalent of the manorial bury . It is from OE  socn, 'jurisdiction.'