Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Brideport 1086 DB Wm1 Salis 13 AddCh 1142–80 France c.1207 P 1156–7 Ch 1190 ChancR 1190 P 1332 ChancR 1194 1194 Pat 1196 AD 1198,1205 1217 1469

• Brideporta, Brideporti 1086 Exon

• Bridepourt 1342 Pat

• Brideporte 1428 FA 1447 Cl

• Brydeport 1268 Ass 1280 QW 1288 AD 1469 AD

• Brydeporte 1551 Brid

• Bridiport 1142–54 France 1157 Sarum 1172–3 P 1189 Ch 1313 1193–1205 P 1207–14 1230 Cl 1233 FF 1236 HarlCh 1426

• Bridiporte 1244 Ass

• Bridyport' 1233 Cl

• Brydiport 1426 HarlCh

• Brudiport 1154–5 RBE 1207 PatR 1362 Cl

• Bridepord' 1164–5 P 1212 Fees

• Bridepor(') 1230–1 Memo 1325 Brid

• Brideporth 1256 Pat 1275 Cl

• Briddeport 1225,1249 FF 1270 Pat 1277 Banco 1280 QW 1288 Ass 1460 Weld2

• Briddeporte 1272,1280 Pat

• Bryddeport(e) 1280 QW 1299 Pat 1444 AD

• Bridelport (sic) 1230 ChancR

• Bridport 1243 Sarum 1275 Banco 1324 ADI

• Bridporth 1273 Banco 1535–43 Leland

• Bridporte 1326 Pat 1437 Fine

• Bridpord 1433 Pat

• Brydport 1340 Cl 1451 Brid

• Bridporte 1474 ADI

• Brudeport 1249 FF 1252 Pat 1258 1268 Ipm 1280 1291 1486 Brid

• Brudeporte 1291 Tax 1327 Vaux c.1447

• Brudepourt 1337 Marten

• Budeport (sic) 1402 Vaux c.1447

• Brithport m13 Brid

• Bredeport 1266 Pat 1277 Banco 1302 Pat 1367 Cl 1416 ib

• Briteport(e) 1276 Pat 1551 Brid

• Brytdeport 1411 Weld1

• Britteport 1436 Fine

• Brytteporte 1493 Ipm

• Prideport, Prydeport 1288 Ass

• Prytport 1406 Fine

• Brudport 1366 Vaux c.1447 Cl 1397 Vaux 1402 Fine c.1447 1415

• Britport(e) 1407 Cl 1424 AD 1558 Weld2

• Britport, of sum written Bruteport 1535–43 Leland

• Brytporte 1553 Brid

• Byrpportte 15 AD

• Byrport(e) 1525 ADII 1526 1535 VE 1535–43 Leland

• Burporte 1561 Brid

• Byrtport(e) 1413 Cl 1535 VE 1576 Russ

• Byrt(e)porte 1558 Weld2

• Burtport c.1447 Vaux

• Brypport 1417 ADII

• villa Brideportie 1438 Brid

• Byrdport(e) 1438 ADI 1525 ib

• Birdport 1454 MinAcct 1485 Pat

• Bruteporte 1560 Brid 1564 Brid 1565 Brid

• Burgus de Brideport 1275 RH, 1288 Ass, 1327 SR

• Burgus de Brudeport 1280 Ass

• Bridport Burrough 1664 HTax

• Hundredo de Bridiport' m13 Brid

Etymology

'Harbour or market town belonging to or associated with Bredy', from port1 or port 2 and the name Bredy found in the par. names Little Bredy and Long Bredy both supra and Bredy Fm in Burton Bradstock par. infra (all lying to the E of Bridport and so named from their location on the R. Bride). The river at Bridport itself, the Brit, is a back-formation from the p.n. (i.e. from the form Brit (e )port found from the 13th to 16th centuries): this river was earlier called Woth , for which v. Camesworth and Wooth Grange in Netherbury par. supra .

On the almost certain identification of the form (to ) brydian in the Burghal Hidage (c.1025 (1562) BurgHid) with Bridport v. Dodgson in BH 108–9, Penn 23, Keen 234, and discussion s.n. Little Bredy par. supra . A mint existed here in Athelstan's reign (925–39), and a moneyer is mentioned in DB. Forms from the Anglo-Saxon coins minted here (Jayne Carroll and David N. Parsons, Anglo -Saxon Mint -Names 1 40) include: Bridian 927 × 939, Bryidge , Brydiga 979 × 985, Bryd 985 × 991, 991 × 997, 1023 × 1029, 1040 × 1042, Bry 997 × 1003, Brydia 978 × 1017, Br 1036 × 1037; and later (ex inf. Veronica Smart and William Lean), Pri 1066, Bri c.1074–77, Brd , Bridi , and Briput c.1083–86. Bridport (Brideport ) was a well-established borough by 1066 (VCHDo 3 62, Penn 23, ThornDB 75a) and is called Burgus de Brideport 1275 RH, 1288Ass , 1327 SR, Burgus de Brudeport 1280Ass , Bridport Burrough 1664 HTax, cf. Hundredo de Brideport el 3, Hundredo de Bridiport 'm13Brid ; it was made a free borough in 1253 (Penn 26).