Fernham
Major Settlement in the Parish of Fernham
Historical Forms
- Fernham 821 BCS366 c.1200
- Færhom 821 c.1240 ib
- Fernham 1234–5 FF 1294,1327 SR 1338 Pat 1517 DInc
- Farnham 1241 Ass 1261 Cl 1517 DInc
- Farnham' 1261 Cl
- Farenham 1284 Ass
- Farnam 1437 Fine
Etymology
'River-meadow where ferns grow', v. fearn , hamm . The village lies at the southern edge of the block of higher ground on which Faringdon (365) is situated. South of this there is a level area traversed by some of the headstreams of the R. Ock, and this is the hamm of the p.n. Farnham Sr 169 is the same p.n. Other instances of Farnham in Do, Ess, Sf, YW may have hām as second el.