Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• (to) Cumtune, atte Cumtune 956 ShaftR(S630) 14

• Cuntone 1086 DB

• Cum(p)ton' 1268,1280,1288 Ass 1342 Pat

• Cumpton Abbatis(se) 1293 FF 1428 FA

• Cumptona 15 ShaftR

• Compton(e) 1280 Ass 1291 Tax 1327 SR 1332 SR

• Compton(') Abbatisse 1340 NI 1391 Glyn

• Compton(') Abbas 1676 Salkeld

• Contuna 15 ShaftR

Etymology

'Farm in the valley', from cumb and tūn , one of five Do pars. with this name. This manor belonged to Shaftesbury Abbey from 956, hence the affix Abbas , a reduced form of Lat  abbatissa (gen.sg. -(a )e ) 'abbess'. The Anglo-Saxon bounds of the manor are given in S 630. The form Cumtun 871–7 (15) BCS 531 cited by Ekwall DEPN for this place, together with Kuntune 871–7 (15) BCS 532, probably do not belong here, but to Compton Bassett W 262 (VCHDo 2 73, Finberg No. 212). There was a mill here in 1086 DB (VCHDo 382).