Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Canna Hy1 ShaftR 15

• Canne 1202 P 1244 Ass 1323 Inqaqd 1327 SR 1564 Glyn

• Canme, Camne (sic) 1268 Ass

• Kanne 1288 ib

• Caune (sic, for Canne) 1354,1357 Cl

• Canne iuxta bertona Shafton c.1500 Eg

• Can 1575 Saxton 1615 Map 1655 HBr

• The Parish of St Rombald, or St Rowald, alias Cann 1744 Hutch1

• Can(n) St Rumbold(s) 1795 Boswell

• Shaston St Rumbold alias Cann 1840 TA

Etymology

From OE  canne 'a can, a cup', used topographically for 'a hollow, a deep valley' with reference to the situation of this place in a steeply sided valley; for an analogous simplex name, v. Canna D 481. The dedication of the church, now within the boundary of Shaftesbury borough, is to St Rumbold, v. further the section on Parishes and Churches in Shaftesbury infra . The form bertona refers to Barton Hill in Shaftesbury infra .