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.

Rubbytown

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

Historical Forms

  • Rubes in Wodeovis 1488 Rental

Etymology

Thomas Rubye sold land in 'Woodovyse' to John Brent sometime before 1488.The land he sold is called Smythland and probably was later called Rubbytown or Ruby 's (ex inf. Mr J. J. Alexander). This Thomas Rubye may well have been of the same family as Roger Rubi , a witness to a charter granting land in the neighbouring district of Foghanger in 1185 (Buckland). For further names of this type, cf. Sparkaton, Prowtytown infra 231, 248.