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.

Bowditch or Burridge, Bowditch Fm, Burridge Ho

Early-attested site in the Parish of Chardstock

Historical Forms

  • Buudihc 13 ADVI
  • Bouedich(') 1315,1316 FF 1349 Harl 1371 DCMDeed 1423 AddRoll
  • Bouedych(') 1317 Harl 1332 SR
  • Boudyche 1479 Cl
  • Bouditch 1664 HTax
  • Bowdich(e) 1537 Digby 1596 HarlRoll
  • Bowditch 1664 HTax 1774 Hutch1
  • Burridge ib
  • Burditch 1811 OS

Etymology

Bowditch or Burridge (ST 315063), Bowditch Fm, Burridge Ho, Buudihc 13 AD VI(p), Bouedich (')1315, 1316 FF (p), 1349Harl , 1371DCMDeed , 1423AddRoll (p), Bouedych (')1317Harl , 1332 SR (p), Boudyche 1479 Cl (p), Bouditch 1664 HTax (p), Bowdich (e )1537Digby , 1596HarlRoll (p), Bowditch 1664 HTax (p), 1774 Hutch1, Burridge ib, Burditch 1811 OS, probably '(place) above the ditch', from bufan and dīc . The hamlet lies above a narrow valley in which a small stream rises.The alternative spelling Burridge has not been noted before 1774, and Hutch3 comments thus: 'Bowditch. This is a hamlet, and the farm called Burridge, is a mere corruption of Bowditch' (282). The two forms are similarly differentiated, as names for the manor and the farm respectively, in 1795 Boswell.

Places in the same Parish

Early-attested site

Other OS name

Major Settlement