Swanbourne
Major Settlement in the Parish of Swanbourne
Historical Forms
- Suanaburna 792 BCS264 c.1250
- Soeneberno, Sueneberne, Sueneborne 1086 DB
- Suaneburne 1152–8 NLC
- Swaneburne 1160–5 NLC 1227 Ass 1242 Fees878
- Swaneburg 1227 Ass
- Suaynburn 1469 Pat
- Swanbrough 1606 D
Etymology
OE swāna -burna , 'peasants' stream,' v. swan . Alternatively it might be 'swans' stream' but 'the stream is merely a water- course passing by hedges with barely enough water for swans to frequent it, though at times it is larger' (Harman). The DB form swen - also makes swān more probable than swan for it would seem that the scribe has given us a form influenced by the Scandinavian cognate 'swain'. (ON sveinn ). For the suffix confusion v. burh .
Places in the same Parish
None