Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Fortitone 1086 DB

• Fortitona Exon

• Fortintun 1155 PR

• Fortyngton 1378–1404 Pat

• Fortyngdon 1404 Cl

• Fordinton(e), Fordintun 1155,1156 RBE 1156,1157 PR 1160 P 1345 Pat

• Fordentun 1196 ChancR

• Fordyntun 1280 Ass 1397 Cl

• Fordington(e) 1155 RBE 1200 CartAnt 1205 RC

• Fordingeton(e) 1205 ClR 1554 DuCo

• Fordyngton(e) 1288 Ass 1547 Ct

• Fordyngton(e) by Dorcestre 1326 Pat

• Fordyngdon(e) 1291 Tax 1483 Ct

• Forthington 1242 Cl

• Forthyngton 1347,1358 Pat

• Furthyngton 1452 ib

Etymology

Probably 'farm at Fording ' ('the ford place'), from ford, -ing 2 , tūn ; the ford was no doubt across R. Frome, cf. Robert atte Forde 1335Ct . The rare forms in -inge - do not support the presence of gen.pl. -inga- or the interpretation 'farm of the ford dwellers' proposed by Fägersten 187, cf. also Ekwall DEPN. The East Tything , West Tything 1841TA are mentioned from 1329Ct (Decen ' oriental ', Decen ' occidental '), cf. Upper Fordington 1863 Hutch3 (adjoining Dorchester on N and W) and West Fordington (Kelly). For Fordington liberty, v. note under St George hundred supra . The bounds of Fordington are described in 1607 Clegg 159–61 and 1615DuCo .