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.

Bolberry

Early-attested site in the Parish of Malborough

Historical Forms

  • Boltesberia, Boteberia, Botestesberia 1086 DB
  • Boltebyry 1224 FF 1333 Ipm
  • Parva Boltebure 1238 Ass
  • Mochele Boltebury 1346 FA
  • Bultebyr' 1249 Ass
  • Magna Bultebur' 1288 Ass
  • Little Baltesbiry 1310 Ipm
  • Bult poynt 1577 Saxton
  • Bolt Tail 1765 D
  • Boltbay 1451 Pat

Etymology

It is probable that Bolt was the name of the stretch of land terminating at one end in Bolt Head (Bult poynt 1577 Saxton) and at the other in Bolt Tail (Bolt Tail 1765 D). Boltbay (1451 Pat) may have reference to Salcombe estuary. Bolt is probably the ordinary word bolt used in a topographical sense to describe the straight stretch of high coast land here as viewed from the sea. There are no remains of a burh here now.