Shulbrede Priory
Early-attested site in the Parish of Linchmere
Historical Forms
- Shelebrede 1213 Abbr
- Shelbrede 1295 Ass 1317 Cl 1610 Norden
- Silebred 1239 Perc
- Sylebrede 1240 FF 1316 SAC49,43,131
- Shilbrid(e) 1291 Tax 1329 Misc 1330 Cl
- Schilebrede 1340 NI
- S(c)hulbrede 1261 SAC49,42 1349 Lewes 1449 SAC47,18
- S(c)hulebrede 1291 Tax 1314 Ipm 1340 NI
- Scheluebred 1316 SAC49,43
- Sheldebrede 1316 FF
Etymology
Shulbrede is situated where the valley broadens out between two hills and the second element is clearly OE brǣdu , 'breadth,' found in Brede infra 514.
The first element is probably OE scylf used here of the steeply shelving land to the east of the priory, so that the whole name means 'broad-lands by the hill.' The f or v of ME schelf , schelve would almost inevitably be lost between the l and the b .