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.

Ashbourne

Major Settlement in the Parish of Ashbourne

Historical Forms

  • Esseburn(e), Eseburn(e), Eseburna, Eseborne, Eseborna 1086 DB 1093,1146,1162–5,1163 RegAnt 1188 P 1330 Ass
  • Esborna, Esburn(e) 1093 CartDec 1101–8 RegLich 1249 DunstAn
  • Eisseburn' 1198–1203,1208–15 RegAnt
  • Ess(c)heburn(e), Ess(c)hebourn 1241 RegLich 1258 Ass 1270 Ch 1300 ShefMD
  • Asseburn(e), Assebourn John WollCh 1219 FF 1222 Cur 1251 Pat 1322 ib
  • As(s)h(e)burn(e), As(s)cheburn(e), As(s)cheborn(e), As(s)chebourn(e) 1229 DbAxxxii 1241 RegLich 1258,1280 Pat 1283,1284 Cl
  • As(s)chebourn(e) in the Pek 1318 Pat
  • As(s)chebourn(e) in Le Pek 1327 Banco
  • As(s)chebourn(e) en le Peek, As(s)chebourn(e) deinz le Peek 1382 Gaunt
  • As(s)chebourn(e) in le Peake 1556 Pat
  • Ayssh(e)burne, Ayssh(e)born 1340 DbAxxxii 1475 IpmR

Etymology

The place takes its name from the stream on which it stands which is 'ash-tree stream', v. æsc , burna . The latter is now called Henmore Brook supra 8.