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.

Dewdon

Early-attested site in the Parish of Widdecombe in the Moor

Historical Forms

  • Depdona 1086 DB
  • Dawedun
  • Deaudon 1234 Fees400 1256 FF
  • Deauden 1288 Cl
  • Dyaudone 1328 Exon
  • Dewadone 1387 Exon
  • Dendon (sic) 1326 Cl
  • Dewdon Down oth. Dewdon Ball 1737 Recov

Etymology

v. dun . The first element is the OE  dēaw , 'dew,' and the name must have originally referred to a hill where the dew fell heavily.Cf. Dewcombe (Co), Deaucumba 1208–13 Fees (p). For the DB form, if it belongs here, cf. Pickwell supra 44.