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.

Milemead

Early-attested site in the Parish of Tavistock and Tavistock Hamlets

Historical Forms

  • Milimet 1238 FF 1275 RH
  • Melemet 1310 Ass
  • Milemete 1330 SR
  • Mylemete 1402 Deed

Etymology

This name involves the same word as is found in to mil gemete BCS 955, on ðæt milgemæt KCD 673, apparently a compound of mil , 'mile,' and (ge )met , 'measure, space, boundary, limit.' The place probably takes its name from an old milestone, as it is about a mile distant from Tavistock on the road to the north-west.