St Bees
Major Settlement in the Parish of St Bees
Historical Forms
- Cherchebi c.1125 StB
- Kirkeby 1404 ib
- Kirchebi c.1170 ib
- Kerkebi 1195 P
- Kyrkeby c.1260 StB 1395 Pat
- Kirkeby infra Coupelaund 1292 QW
- eccl. Sce Bege de Kirkeby 1292 Ass
- Kirkeby al. St Bees 1578 Cocker
- eccl. Sce bege que est in Caupuland c.1135 Lowther
- eccl. Sce' Bege 1154–81 1279 Ass
- Sancta Bega 1259 Cl 1279 Ass
- Sce Beghe ib.
- (apud) Sanctam Begam 1281 Wickwane
- Seynt Beys 1434 Pat
- St. Bege al. St. Be 1536 LP
- Saynt Bees 1556 FF
- St Beghes 1568 CWxv
- Kirkebibeccoch t.Rici Ch 1308
- Kirekebybechoc 1288 Ass
- Kirkebybeghog 1331 StB
- Kyrkebybeghok 1334 ib
- Kirkebybecok 1335 1393 IpmR
- Kirkebybeghok 1359 Pat
- Kirkeboghok' 1377 GDR 1388 StB
- Kirkeby Beycok t.Hy8 AOMB
- Kirckeby Beacocke al. St. Beghes 1585 Jackson
- Kirbye Beacock al. St. Beeghes 1593 ib
- Bechockirke c.1210 StB
- Beyhogkirke 1278 Ass
- Behokirk 1291 Tax 1403 Pat
- Beghokirk(e) 1319 Carliol 1336 Ass
- Beghokkirk' in Allerdal 1330 Carliol
- Bughokirke 1540 AOMB
- Bughookyrke 1541 MinAcct
Etymology
The earliest recorded name of this place appears to have been Kirkiubýr , 'bȳ with, or near, a church' (of St Begu, mentioned by Bede, Historia Ecclesiastica iv, 21). To this was added Beghóc , the Irish diminutive of the name of the saint, which gave an inversion compound (cf. Killebeccocestun in Eddleston, Peebleshire (Watson, Celtic PN Scot 151)). The diminutive was also prefixed to kirke , which gave a Germanic compound of the normal type.
For the Romano-British name of St Bees Head v. Appendix.