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.

Shottesbrooke

Major Settlement in the Parish of Shottesbrooke

Historical Forms

  • Sotesbroc 1086 DB
  • Sotesbroch aurifabrorum 1167 P
  • Schottesbroc 1187 ib
  • Schottesbroch 1189 ib
  • Sotisbroc 1261 Cl
  • Sotesbrok 1275–6 RH
  • Shotesbrok 1278 Cl 1338 Pat
  • S(h)otesbrok', Sothesbrok' 1284 Ass
  • Sot(t)esbrok, Stotesbrok 1297 Ipm
  • Sotesbroke 1316 FA
  • Shottesbrok 1400 Fine
  • Shotysbroke 1401–2 FA
  • Schotebroch 1187 P
  • Scotebroc 1189 ib
  • Scottebr' 1195 ib
  • Schottebroch 1196 ib
  • Sottebroch 1196 ib
  • Shcotebroc 1202 P
  • Shotebroc 1214 Cur
  • Sutebroch' 1220 Fees
  • Shotebrok' 1241 Ass
  • Schotebrok' 1284 ib
  • Shotbrok 1338,1341 Pat

Etymology

Forms with and without -s - are about equally numerous. The former suggest the etymology 'Scot(t)'s stream', v. brōc , while the latter are consistent with Ekwall's derivation (DEPN) 'trout stream', from OE  sc(e)ota. This may be the original name of the stream which flows through Warfield, Binfield, Shottesbrooke, Waltham St Lawrence, Ruscombe and Twyford to the R. Ock.

The manor was held in 1086 by Alward the goldsmith, whose father had held it TRE, and in the 12th cent. it was held by the serjeanty of furnishing charcoal to the king's goldsmith (VCH iii, 164), hence aurifabrorum in 1167. The Berkshire goldsmiths are also discussed in VCH i, 291–2.