Bushmead
Early-attested site in the Parish of Eaton Socon
Historical Forms
- Bissop(es)med 1227 Ass 1231 FF
- Bissemedwe, Byssemedwe 1227 Ass 1276,1287 Ass
- Bissemede 1227 Ass 1236 BM 1240 1243 Ipm
- Bissemade 1227 Ass Hy3 BM 1242 Fees886
- Bissopemedwe 1234 FF
- Bismede, Bysmede 1236 FF 1276 Ass 1286 Dunst
- Bissepmede 1239 FF
- Biscopemed 1247 Ass
- Bysmade, Bismade 1276 Ass c.1750 Bowen
- Bishmedue 1310 Cl
- Bysshemede, Bisshemede 1315 Ipm 1387 Cl 1523 BM
- Bysshemade, Bissh(e)made 1382 Cl 1389 IpmR 1390–2 CS 14th GestStAlb
- Bush(e)mede 1399 IpmR 1427 BHRSii.41 1526 LS
Etymology
This is clearly 'Bishop's mead' (v. mæd ), but no bishop is known to have had anything to do with it. On the other hand, in 1309 (Pat) we have mention of one Hugh Bisshope of Eaton Socon who was accused of trespassing in Eaton and Cadbury.Cadbury (v. infra ) was at the Bushmead end of Eaton parish and it is just possible that the Bishop family were already here at the beginning of the 13th cent. and gave their name to Bushmead.