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.

Grimsbury

Early-attested site in the Parish of Chudleigh

Historical Forms

  • Grendelbury 1330 SR
  • Grendelesbiry 1333 SR
  • Greenbury al. Grinsbury al. Grimsbury 1779 Recov

Etymology

This name, together with Greenscombe in Stoke Climsland (Co), Gryndeliscombe 1339MinAcct , Grendelliscomb 1399Ct , Grendescombe 1427 Pat and Gransmore al. Grimmesmore (Ess), grendelesmere 12th Caen , must be taken with grendeles pytt (BCS 1331) in Devon, grendles mere (BCS 677) in Wilts and Grendelsmere (BCS 1023) in Staffs. All alike seem to preserve the name of the monster Grendel of the Beowulf story. They are quite distinct from the grendel -names dealt with by Zachrisson in the Jespersen Miscellany 39.