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.

Watcombe Barn, Watcombe Bottom, Watcombe Plain & Watcombe Wood

Early-attested site in the Parish of Alton Pancras

Historical Forms

  • over whetecombe 891 Glast(S347(2)) 14
  • Watecombe c.1325 GlastE
  • Whetecomb' 1338–40 Glast
  • Whatcombe 1662 DCMDeed
  • Watcomb Wood 1811 OS
  • Whatcombe Copse, Whatcombe Gate, Whatcombe Plain & Whatcombe Wood 1839 TA

Etymology

Watcombe Barn, Watcombe Bottom (ST 715028), Watcombe Plain & Watcombe Wood, over whetecombe 891 (14) Glast (S 347(2)), Watecombe c.1325GlastE , Whetecomb '1338–40 Glast, Whatcombe 1662 DCMDeed, Watcomb Wood 1811 OS, Whatcombe Copse , Whatcombe Gate , Whatcombe Plain & Whatcombe Wood 1839TA , 'valley where wheat is grown', v. hwǣte , cumb , cf. Barcombe Fm supra .The spelling dated 891 occurs in the Anglo-Saxon bounds of Plush 3245, v. ofer 3 'across'.