Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Melesberie 1086 DB(ff.79b,80b)

• Melesberia 1121 AC

• Melebire, Melebery 1091–1106 MontC

• Melebiri 1107–22 ib

• Meleberia 1100–22 Ch 1270

• Melebiriam 1135–54 France

• Melebury 1226–36 ADI 1243 HarlCh

• Melebir 1236 FF

• Melebria (sic) 1349–62 Lewes

• Melbury 1380,1398,1401 HarlCh

• Meleberi Willelmi f. Osmundi 1202 P

• Melibir' Osmund' 13 Ilch

• Meleburi Osmund Hy3 AddCh

• Melebury Osmund(') 1243 HarlCh 1291 Tax 1297 Pat 1428 FA

• Meleburi Osmond(') 1332 SR, HarlCh

• Meleburi Osmound 1369 ib

• Meleburiesimind (sic) 1291 Tax

• Melleber' Osmound 1280 Ass

• Mellebury Osmund 1359 Lewes

• Melebir' Ousmund 1294 Ilch

• Melebir' Priur 1235 Cl

• Melbury Osmund(') 1276 Banco 1322 CottCh 1327 SR 1386 Pat 1563 Glyn 1811 OS

• Melbury Osmond(') 1316 FA 1410 Ilch

• Melbury Vsmond' 1361 ib

• Melbury osmund' 1401 HarlCh

• Melbury Osemound 1403 Ilch

• Melbury esmond 1433 HarlRoll

• Melbury Osmonde 1472 Ilch

• Melbury Osmonte 1567 Hutch3

• Melbyry Osmund(') 1276 Banco

• Melbure Osmund(') 1288 Ass

• Melbiry Osemound 1370 Ilch

• Mebbury Osmond (sic) 1383 Cl

• Melbourne Ossemonde (sic) 1409 ib

• Melbery Osmond(e) 1500,1501 Ilch 1530 Batten

• Lower Melbury 1774 Hutch1

• Melbury Osmond (Lower) 1795 Boswell

• Melebir' Ousmund in 1294 Ilch

• Osmond 1635 Hutch3

• Osmond 1664 HTax

Etymology

One of the group of three pars. sharing this name, v. Melbury Sampford and Melbury Bubb both supra . The form from 1202 P (Meleberi Willelmi f. Osmundi , 'Meleberi of William son of Osmund') shows that this Melbury, like the other two, owes its distinctive affix to the name of an early owner (although nothing more is known about him), cf. also the Walter, William Ousmund mentioned in connection with Melebir ' Ousmund in 1294Ilch (also Hutch3 4 438), and the survival of the family name in this par. in the persons of John Osmond 1635 Hutch3 and Elizabeth Osmond 1664 HTax. Thus the statement in Hutch1 2463 that 'this parish takes its name…from the dedication of its church' (an assumption already thought questionable by Hutch3 4 437 and Fägersten 226), can be safely rejected. The dedication of the church here to St Osmond (i.e. Osmund , bishop of Salisbury 1078–99 but not canonized until 1457) must have come later (cf. Osmington 1212 for an identical church dedication arising out of the p.n.): indeed there is evidence that the church (or at least an earlier church) here had a different dedication, cf. 'church of Blessed Mary of Melbury Osmund '1276 Banco and v. St Osmond's Church infra . The affix Priur recorded only once (in 1235 Cl) refers to the prior of Montacute (Prior de Monte Acuto ib), v. prior ; this priory held lands here from the time of Henry I to the dissolution (Hutch3 4 437, 439, cf. also VCHDo 386 note 49: 'Presumably the manor given by William of Mortain to Montacute Priory, whence the name'). The late affix Lower is in relation to Melbury Sampford (Higher or Upper ) supra , v. Hutch3 4437.