Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Bragenfeld 967 BCS1209 12th

• Braufeld c.1175 DraytonCharters

• Brahefeld c.1175 DraytonCharters

• Bragefeld 1184 P

• Brainfeud c.1218 WellsL

• Bramfeld 1237–40 Fees 1276 RH

• Brafeud 1242 Fees873

• Braunfeld 1247 Ass 1280,1325 Pat 1340 NI

• Branfeld 1247 Ass

• Braumfeld by Turveye 1279 Ipm

• Branfelde juxta Lavendene 1284 FA

• Braunfeld by Turveye 1376 Cl

Etymology

Professor Ekwall points out that this name must be identical with that of Brafield-on-the-Green (Nth), ten miles away on the other side of Yardley Forest, and that the first form here given might equally well refer to that place. Early forms of the Northants p.n. are DB Brache (s )feld , Bragefelde , Hy ii (1339) Ch Bragefelde , 1332 ib. Braunfeld , 1284 FA Braunfeld , 1316 ib. Braifeld and these fully confirm the suggestion. This would point to the use of the name Bragenfeld to denote a wide area of country, probably a forest area of which Yardley Chase is the chief survivor. No personal name is known which would explain the first element and Professor Ekwall suggests that it may possibly contain the old British name for this forest area, for it is just in such areas that the old Celtic names survive, and he points out that we may have a second example of this element in the Bragenmonna broc (BCS 1107) in the boundaries of Cotheridge (Wo), which has survived in Bransford (Wo).For the later phonetic development whereby the n or m is lost and aum becomes [aˑm] > [eim], Ekwall notes the parallels of Stoford (So) from Stanford , Havant (Ha) from Hamanfunta , and Cambridge (C) from Cauntbrigge . See p. 127 note .

Lipscomb (iv. 47) says it might not improbably have obtained its name of Cold from its bleak and exposed situation. The epithet seems first to have been applied in the 16th cent. (VCH ), presumably to distinguish it from the Brayfield over the border in Nth. v. feld .