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.

Cuckoo Pen

Other OS name in the Parish of Corfe Castle

Etymology

, usually a jocular ( field ) name alluding to the folk - tale ( told of the men of Gotham ) of ' penning the cuckoo ' to prevent the passing of summer , common in O 438 , Gl 1 43 , etc . , cf. Udal 295 , Cuckoo Pound in Langton Mat . par . infra , and Go Croft in Arne par . infra ; but possibly the allusion is to cuckolding , cf. CuckoldsParlor infra .

Places in the same Parish

Early-attested site

Other OS name

Major Settlement