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.

Badgworthy Cottage and Hill

Early-attested site in the Parish of Brendon

Historical Forms

  • Bicheordin 1086 DB
  • Bikeweithe (sic) 1198 FF
  • Bikewrthi 1199 ChR 1301 Ipm
  • Bykewurth, Bykeworth(y), Bygworthy 1379 Cl
  • Bigworthy 1379 IpmR
  • Baggeworth, Baga Wordia 12th Buckland
  • Baggeworth(i) 1244,1289 Ass
  • Baggeworthy 1425 MinAcct
  • Bagewurth 1249 Ass
  • Batchery 1651 DA

Etymology

The second element in this name is worþign, worþ or worþig .There seems from the earliest times to have been fluctuation between forms going back to a pers. name Bic (c )a (cf. Bickington infra 124) and a pers. name Bacga (cf. Bagga Tor infra 232). Both names are very common in Devon. How the confusion first arose we cannot say. Sometimes the k of Bikke was voiced to g and this may have helped the confusion. Later, [g] > [dʒ] in quite irregular fashion.