Felmersham
Major Settlement in the Parish of Felmersham
Historical Forms
- Flammeresham 1086 DB
- Falmeresham 1086 DB Hy2 Ch 1255 FF 1224 Ass 1227 Cl 1235 FF 1236 Ass 1240
- Felmeræsham 1163 P
- Faumerisham R1 Cur
- Felmersham 1198 Fees10 1205 FF 1227 Ass 1247 Ass 1283 Ch
- F(r)amer(e)sham 1201 Cur
- Felmeresham 1205,1207 FF 1227 Ass 1240 FF 1241 Cl 1242 Fees866 1276 Ass 1316 FA
- Falmaresham 1240 Ass
- Falmersam 1283 Cl
- Feelmeresham 1320 Ipm
- Felmesham 1503 Ipm 1549 Pat
- Femsham al. Femsam 1549 Pat
- Fensham 1568 Cai
- Fenerson Eliz ChancP
Etymology
Skeat derives the first part of this name from a pers. name Feolu -mǣr , for which he quotes the parallel of Fiolomeresford (BCS 111) from a Warwickshire charter. He also gives the curiously apt alternative form found in Feala -mǣres broc (BCS 124) from a Worcestershire charter, referring to the brook crossed by the above-mentioned ford, and it would seem that variant forms such as these explain the otherwise difficult variation between Flam -, Falm - and Felm - forms. It is certainly the case that OE fe (o )la , feala , which is the same word as this prefix, has a double development in ME , normally to fele but occasionally to fale , forms already found in the Poema Morale (Egerton MS) and the Owle and the Nightingale (l. 628).Feolu - is rare in pers. names (cf. OE Feolugeld and Gothic Filumar ). Hence 'the ham of Feolumær.'