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.

Bowderdale

Early-attested site in the Parish of Nether Wasdale

Historical Forms

  • Beutherdalbek, Boutherdalbeck 1322 Cl
  • Bouthdale 1338 Cl
  • Bouderdaleclose, Bowderdale Close 1540,1541 MinAcct
  • Bowlderdale 1578 Cocker

Etymology

For further forms, v. Over Beck supra 23.As stated by Lindkvist (7), this name represents an ON  búðar dalr , 'valley of the booth.' The form búðar , which is represented in both the earliest and the modern forms, is the genitive singular of ON  búð.The name occurs again in Bowderdale in Ravenstonedale (We), Bowdardall 1595 PR, Boutherdaile 1636 ib.