Musbury
Major Settlement in the Parish of Musbury
Historical Forms
- Musberia 1086 DB
- Musbiria 1166 RBE
- Musbiri 1219 Fees264 1260–6 Exon
- Musbyre 1250 FF
- Musbery 1260–6 Exon
- Museburi 1204 Exon
- Musebiri(a) 1222 Bracton 1274 Ipm 1285 FA
- Mussebur' 1281 Ass
- Mosebiri 1274 Ipm
- Mosebyry 13th Newnham 1285 FA
- Mosebery c.1280 QW 1377 IpmR
- Mosebury 1289 Ass
- Mousebur' 1281 Ass
- Mousebyry 1291 Tax
- Mouseburgh 1356 Ass
- Mousbery late13th BM 1303 FA
Etymology
The second element is burh referring to the ancient 'camp' here. The first is simply the OE mūs , 'mouse,' perhaps used in the compound to describe a deserted spot, v. IPN 149. Cf. similarly Carloggas (Co), from caer , 'fort, camp,' and loggos , 'mice' (W llygad ), and Mouseberry supra 402.