Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Newetone 1086 DB(f.82b) 1280 Ass

• Neweton(') 1244 Ass 1280 Ass 1345 1353 Pat

• Niweton(') 1208 Cur 1275 RH

• Neu(e)ton' 1208 Cur 1235–6 Fees 1244,1268,1280,1288 Ass

• Neu(e)tona 1268 ib

• Newe'ton' 1280 QW

• Newenton 1287 Drew

• Nyw(e)ton(') 1291 Tax 1327,1332 SR 1344–5 Ipm 1412 FA

• West Neueton, Westneuton 1282 Drew

• Mayde(ne)new(e)ton 1285 Drew

• Mayden(e) Neweton, Mayden(e) Neuton' 1288 Ass

• Mayden(e) Nyw(e)ton 1288 Drew 1303 FA 1310 Ipm 1664 HTax

• Mayde Neuton', Mayde Neweton' 1288 Ass

• Maydenyneneweton 1308 Drew

• Maidene Newenton 1328 Pat

• Maidene Niweton 1333 Ipm

• Maydon(e) Nywyton 1340 NI

• Maydon(e) Newton' 1478 DLCt

• Mayde(n)nuton 1380 Fine 1459 Ct

• Mayde(n) Nuton 1527 Winch

• Maid(e)newton 1386 AddCh

• Maid(e)neuton 1472 Pat

• Maydeneuton 1392,1472 Pat

• Maydenew(e)ton(') 1429 Ilch 1475 Marten

• Maydeyn Newton 1428 Cl

• Maydynnewton' 1434 MiltRoll e15

• Maden Neuton 1451 Cl

• Nova Villa 1286 Hutch3

• New(e)ton Lisle(s) 1405,1412 Hutch3 1412 IpmR

• Nyton Lyles 1405 ib

• Newton St. Lo 1412 Hutch3

• Libertye of Mayden Newton in 1664 HTax

Etymology

'The new farm or estate', from nīwe (wk.obl. -an ) and tūn . The early affix West ~ presumably distinguishes this place from one of the other Dorset Newtons, e.g. Sturminster Newton 3188 or Newton Peveril 248.The affix Maiden (e )-, also recorded from the late 13th cent., is from mægden 'maiden' (OE  gen. pl. mægdena 'of the maidens' giving ME  maidene ). The precise allusion is obscure, but it could suggest that the manor was once possessed by nuns, or that there was once a small cell here (as is the case with Maiden Bradley W 172), cf. also Maids Moreton Bk 45 (where the affix alludes to the tradition that the church here was built by two maiden ladies). There is apparently nothing in the known manorial history to indicate an appropriate association: as Hutch3 2 682 has it, 'the etymology of its additional name is utterly unknown'.However the f.n. Nunnery Mead 1838TA (said to be the site of the Frampton Roman villa when it was excavated in 1796/7, v. DoNHAS 7881–3) should at least be noted: there are no early spellings for this name, but the allusion is suggestive and could be significant.

Newton Lisle (s ) and Newton St . Lo are early divisions of the manor (consolidated in 1590). Newton Lisle (s ), identical with decenna de Lisle , decenna de Ly (s )le 1478DLCt and recalled as Newton -Lisle or Lisle 's Manor 1774 Hutch1, was held by the Lyle (de Insula ) family, cf. John de Insula 1327, Bartholomew de Insula 1332 SR, John de Lyle 1344 Ipm, Elizabeth and Bartholomew de Insula 1345 Cl, Elizabeth de Lyle 1346 FA (¼ fee), v. Hutch3 2683. Newton St . Lo , identical with decenna de Seyn (e )low 1478DLCt and recalled as St Loe 's 1774 Hutch1, was held by John de St Laudo or Seyntlo 1346 Hutch3 (¼ fee), cf. John de Sancto Laudo 1332 SR, v. Hutch3 2682–3.

Maiden Newton was once a liberty. It is recorded as Libertye of Mayden Newton in 1664 HTax, and according to Hutch3 2 682, 'it seems anciently to have been a liberty; for, 35 Edw III [1361] Henry Duke of Lancaster held the hundred of Maiden Newton of the king in chief, by knight's service'.