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.

Beachampton

Major Settlement in the Parish of Beachampton

Historical Forms

  • Becentone 1086 DB
  • Bechentone 1086 DB 1160–5 NLC
  • Bechamton 1152–8,1155 NLC 1223 Pat 1235 Fees462 1247 Fees 1284 FA
  • Becchamton 1175 P
  • Becchamtuna 1175–84 Oseney
  • Bechantone 1181 NLC
  • Bechamptone c.1215 WellsR 1227 Ass 1228 FF c.1238 Fees
  • Bechehampton 1230 FF 1240 Gross 1241,1247,1262 Ass 1252 Ipm 1298 Cl 1307 Ch 1369 ADi 1382 Pat 1499 Pat
  • Bechehamton 1235 Fees468
  • Becchampton 1242 Fees871
  • Beauchampton 1399 IpmR 1512 LP
  • Beachampton Eliz ChancP
  • Betchampton 1654 Hillesdon

Etymology

OE  bece -hāmtun , 'the hamtun on or by the stream,' or bece - hæatun , 'farm of the stream-dwellers,' v. hæme , an interpretation which agrees very well with its situation, the houses being divided by a brook running between them. The vowel should have remained short (cf. the 1654 form) but association with the common beech was inevitable and has led to the modern long vowel. Beech trees are numerous here (Harman).

Places in the same Parish

None