Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Forest-side 1811 OS

Etymology

Forest Fm (ST 828299), Forest Side (ST 814295), Forest-side 1811 OS, cf. Forest Md , Forest Lds 1839TA , named from foresta (regis ) de Gilling (e )ham 1222 Pat, 1231, 1234, 1236, 1238 Cl et passim , 'Queen Philippa 's forest of Gyllyngham '1337 ib, 'forest and park of Gillyngham '1402 Pat, 'the king 's forest of Gyllyngham and his park within the latter '1461 ib, Gyllingham Forest '1519Ct , the parke Forrest ElizFor , cf. also Boscum de Gilling (e )ham Hy3 (14) Cerne, 1228 Cl et freq , bosco de Gillingham extra parcum 1234 Cl, forinseco bosco extra parcum de Gillingeham 1238 ib, and v. Park Fm infra . The bounds of the forest of Gillingham are given in Hy3 (14) Cerne (also Hutch3 3 662–3), in 1300, 1364, 1568 Hutch3 3620–1, 656–7, and in 1338–40 Glast, cf. also 1624 (p1816) DCMMap and the discussion of the bounds by C.D. Drew in Roscoe 34–5. It was disafforested c.1627 (Hutch3 3651); at this date there were four 'walks' in the forest, Woods-end -walk (v. Woodsend Fm in Motcombe par. infra ), Clear-walk or Middle-walk (v. Donedge Lodge Fm in Motcombe par. infra ), Laund-walk (v. Lawn Bridge, Lawn Fm infra ), and the Bailiff 's -walk (v. f.ns. infra ).