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.

Woolacombe

Early-attested site in the Parish of Morthoe

Historical Forms

  • Wellecoma, Wolnecoma 1086 DB
  • Wellecomb 1301 Ipm
  • Wollecumb' 1242 Fees792 1379 IpmR
  • Wullecumbe 1244 Ass
  • Wllecombe 1275 RH

Etymology

Probably 'wolves' valley,' from OE  wulfa cumb , v. cumb . The n in the DB form is probably an error for u (v ).