Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Belgreue c.1290 Chol

• Belgreve 1309 Orm2 1581 ChRR

• Belgreve in Ecleston 1309 Orm2

• Belgreave 1580 1618,1636 Sheaf 1641 ChRR

• Bellgreave 1596 1611 Sheaf

• Beligreve 1311 Plea

• Belegreue 1353,1355 1357,1362 BPR

• Belgrave 1350 Tab 1362 BPR

• Belgrave in the township of Eaton-boat 1666 Orm2

• Eaton Belgrave, Eccleston cum Belgrave 1724 NotCestr

• Belgrave Farm 1771 Sheaf

• Belgrave Lodge 1842 OS

• Belgrave Moat 1831 Bry

• Bulgreve 1351 Chamb

• Bealgrave 1364 BPR

• The Avenue 1842 OS

• 'a gothic lodge in the hamlet of Belgrave' 1818 Orm2ii838

Etymology

The final el. is grǣfe 'a grove, a copse, a thicket'. The first el. is bēl 1 'a fire', probably here 'a beacon' as in Baycliff La 208, notwith- standing Ekwall's rejection of the element in NoB (1957) 139 and DEPN. The p.n. might mean 'copse where a beacon stood', but there would be a fire risk, so the more likely meaning is 'copse for a beacon, belonging to a beacon' the wood being reserved as fuel.Belgrave Avenue was The Avenue 1842 OS (v. avenue), the lodge was 'a gothic lodge in the hamlet of Belgrave '1818 Orm2 ii838 (v. loge ).The moat (109–390605) appears to be the site of the original manor of Belgrave, cf. Moat Fm infra . The hamlet and manor have been obliterated by Eaton Park.