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.

Biscot

Early-attested site in the Parish of Limbury

Historical Forms

  • Bissopescote 1086 DB 1199 Ch 1301
  • Bishopscot 1227 Ass
  • Bis(e)cot 1227 Ass 1247 Ass 1249 FF 1276 Ass
  • Bischecote 1247 Ass
  • Bishopescote 1287 Ass
  • Byssekote 1287 Ass
  • Bisshcote 1401 IpmR

Etymology

'Bishop's cottages' v. cot . Who the bishop was is quite unknown, nor indeed need the word contain bishop in the official meaning of the word. There are two clear examples of Biscop as an OE  pers. name, one of them in the genealogy of the kings of Lindsey, the other in the name of Biscop Baducing , commonly called Benedict Biscop . The latter was born at the very time of the conversion of Northumbria, and the early kings of Lindsey seem to belong to the same generation. Such a name, once established, might well survive for a long time without definite consciousness of its significance.

Places in the same Parish

Major Settlement