Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• castellum Warham 1086 DB

• castello quod dicitur Chorf l12 RCHM

• castellum de Corf(f)(e), castrum de Corf(f)(e) 1196 ChancR 1435 Midd

• castellum de Coruo 1199,1200 P

• castrum de Corft 1288 Ass

• Ruins 1844 TAMap

• into þam castele to Wærham 1113 ASC 12

• castellum de Warham 12 King'sWorks

• Castle hil(l) 1585 Tres

Etymology

Various parts of the castle are recorded as follows: in 1235 Clturris de Corf 'tower of Corfe'; in 1255 Clcapella castri regis de Corf 'chapel of the royal castle of Corfe' (cf. capella de Corf 1236 Hutch3, 'the three chapels of Corf '1241 Lib, 'chapel in the castle of Corfe '1269 Pat, 'the chapel of St Mary '1282 Hutch3); in 1280 Hutch3 'the tower called Butavaunt ' (Butavant 1280–1285 King's Works, 1282 Hutch3, 'chamber called Botevant ', 'chamber called le Botavant ', 'prison del Botavant '1356 King's Works; Professor Lewis Thorpe and Dr D. H. Evans point out that this is from OFr  bo (u )ter 'to thrust' and OFr  avant (AN  avaunt ) 'forward', and compare the Fr  p.n. Boutavent (Oise); Hutch3 1 484 suggested that Butavaunt was another name for Dungeon Tower (v. infra ), and in fact the meaning 'that which sticks out' would aptly describe the position of this tower at the W extremity of the castle; the name also occurs in Do as the surname of John Botevant 1321Winch (Osmington), John Boteuaunt 1332 SR (Owermoigne), cf. also botevaunt 'an article of furniture', from 1306–7 MED), 'the chamber called Gloriette ' (camera regis juxta coquinam in la Gloriet 1356 King's Works, 'a certain new tower called la Gloriet '1379 ib, v. gloriette 'a highly decorated chamber' (NED)), 'prison called Malemit ' (1285 King's Works; Dr D. H. Evans suggests that this could be a poor spelling for OFr  malmis , pa.part. of malmetre 'to illtreat, torture, etc'; Professor Lewis Thorpe compares the second part of the name with Fr  argot mit (t )e (masc. or fem.) 'gaol' (< argot cachemitte < cachot ) attested from c. 1800, and takes Male - to represent OFr  mal adj. 'evil' with a fem. ending or with a vocalic glide between l and m ; Professor Löfvenberg suggests that Malemit is possibly an error for OFr  maledit 'cursed, accursed'), 'prisons called Swalwe ' (Swaluwe 1281 King's Works, v. swalg 'a pit'); in 1280–1285 King's Works 'tower called Cocaygne ', 'tower called Cokayne ' (Cokayngue Hutch3, Cokaygne 1282 Hutch3, Cocagnue 1325 Hutch3, Cokayne 1356 Hutch3, Cokeyn 1367 Hutch3, v. cokaygne 'an imaginary land of abundance and bliss' (MED from ?a1325 (a1300)), 'tower called Plentey ', 'tower called Plante ', 'tower called Plente (y )'1282 Hutch3, 'chamber called Plente '1282 King's Works, 1367 Hutch3, v. plente 'abundance'), 'tower called Sauveray ' (Dr von Feilitzen suggests that this may be AN  salverei , sauverei 'save the king'); in 1303 Cl 'the bridge of the king 's castle of Corf ', 'the Bridge of the king 's castle of Corf '(2 ×)1586 Tres, 'a stately bridge of four very high , narrow , round arches ', 'the second bridge of one arch '1774 Hutch1, v. brycg ); in 1325 Hutch3 'the gate which is called Middelghete ' (v. middel , geat , probably = Gateway 6″), 'chamber called Le Parlour ' (v. parlour ); in c.16 Hutch3the Barbigan (v. barbican ); in 1585 Tresye base courte ('the lower courtyard'); in 1586 ibThe Castle diche (v. dīc ), a Courte (2 ×), The Dungen towre (v. dongoun 'keep, prison', = Dungeon Tower 6″, cf. Butavaunt supra ), ye Kingestowre ('the King's tower', = King's Tower 6″), The Kitchen , Newe Bulwark (v. bulwerk 'rampart'), ye Queenes Towre ('the queen's tower', = Queen's Tower 6″), a stable , the Steare leading up into ye Kinges Towre (v. stǣger 1 , cf. 'the chamber ultra staeriam '1282 Hutch3), a Vaute (freq), the Firste Warde , the Seconde Warde , the Thirde Warde , the Fourth Warde (v. ward 'division'), ye Well (2 ×) (sites of both marked 6″). Two other towers, both built in the 13th cent., are now referred to as the Horseshoe Tower (RCHM 2 65, so called from its semicircular shape), and the Plukenet Tower (ib 266, from its bearing the shield-of-arms of Alan de Plukenet , constable of the castle 1269–70).

In 1549 Hutch3 the demesne lands of the castle included Castle Borough (v. burh ), Castle Down (1586 Tres, v. dūn ), and Castle Hayes (v. (ge)hæg). The hill on which the castle stands was called Castle hil (l ) in 1585 Tres; also named from the castle are North Castle and Castle Lease infra . For the circular earthwork ¼ mile SW of the castle, v. The Rings infra .