Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Vplamburn' 1182 P

• Upper Lamborn 1761 Rocque

• on Lamburninga mearce 984 (c. 1240) KCD 1282

Etymology

OE  lamb-burna , probably meaning 'stream where lambs are washed', is suggested by the form from King Alfred's will, and seems the likeliest etymology. The first el. could, however, be lām 'loam', and this was preferred for Lumburn D 9 and Lambourne Ess 60.Another early spelling occurs in the phrase on Lamburninga mearce 984 (c. 1240) KCD 1282, 'boundary of the people of Lambourn'.The place is near the source of the R. Lambourn; Pt 112 for spellings which refer specifically to the river.

Upper Lambourn (v. upp ) is higher up the valley than the main settlement; the latter was distinguished from the 13th cent, by the prefix cīeping , cēping 'market'. In the record of the dues rendered to the church at Lambourn (ASCharters 240), which dates from c. 1090, reference is made to land 'on vp hæme toune and on byrihæme tune'. This suggests that the two settlements were recognised as different land-units, one being described as the estate of the upper people and the other as the estate of the people of the manor, v. hǣme , byrig , tūn .