Walkhampton
Major Settlement in the Parish of Walkhampton
Historical Forms
- Walchentone 1084 GeldRoll
- Walchinton 1187 P
- Wachetona 1086 DB
- Walcom(e)ton, Walcam(e)ton 13th Deed
- Walkamton(e) 1258–76 Exon 1262 Ipm 1328 Exon
- Walcampton 1261 Pat 1262 Ipm
- Waltamton 1284 FA
- Walkham(p)ton(e) 1270 Ass 1274 FF 1306 Ass
- Walkeham(p)ton(e) 1306 Orig
- Walcumlond 1281 Ass
- Wakampton 1291 Exon
- Wakington 1675 Ogilby
- Walkyn(g)ton 1548 Pat t.Hy8 Dartmoor
- Walkington 1733 DuCo
Etymology
The relation of the forms of this name to one another and to those of the river Walkham on which it stands is a difficult one.Ekwall (RN 431) is probably right in taking the river-name to be a back-formation from an original Wealchǣmatun . The relation of such a form to the three earliest ones is difficult. If we may judge by other hǣmatūn -names, that compound would not readily be reduced to -entone , -intun in the 11th and 12th cents.Those forms look more like a tūn development of a yet earlier river-name Wealca (the rolling one), suggested by Ekwall (loc. cit.). If so, we must assume an alternative form of that name formed by adding hǣma to the first part of the name. Cf. Strettington (PN Sx 68), which seems originally to have been simply Strǣt -tūn and later Strǣthǣma -tūn .