Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Meleberie 1086 DB(f.84)

• Melebir' 1227,1228 FF

• Melebur' 1235–6 Fees

• Melebyry 1246 ADI

• Melebyr' 1247 FF

• Melebury 1271 Ilch 1327,1332 SR

• Mellebir' 1236 Cl

• Mellebury 1399 ib

• Melbur(y) 1305 Ipm

• Milbury 1504 ib

• Milbyri, Mylbyri 1535–43 Leland

• Melebir' Turbervill' 1235 Cl 1242–3 Fees

• Melebir' Thurbervill 1257 FF

• Melebur(i) Turberuill' 1280,1288 Ass

• Mellebour' Turbevile, Mellebor' Turbirvill', Melbury Turbeuill 1288 ib

• Melebur(y) Turbervile, Mellbyry Turbervyle 1303 FA

• Melbury Turbervill 1346 ib

• Melbury Turbervile 1428 ib

• Melbury Turbervyll 1431 ib

• Melebury Saunford(') 1312 Ilch 1313 FF 1340 NI

• Melbury Sandford(') 1361 Ilch 1412 FA 1664 HTax

• Melbury Sapforde (sic) 1386 Ilch

• Melbury Samford 1386 Pat

• Melbury Sampford(e) 1389 FF 1473 Cl 1476 Ilch

• Melbury Sampfort 1403 ib

• Melbury Saun(d)ford(') 1410,1412 1484 Cl 1507 Pat

• Melbiry Saunford 1370 Ilch

• Milbery Samford 1428 FA

• Melbery Sampford(') 1500,1501 Ilch

• Melburye Sampford 1580 ib

• Mul(l)eburn' 1288 Ass

• Melburn' Sampford (sic) 1630 Sher

• Melbury-Sampford, Higher or Upper Melbury 1744 Hutch1

• Melbury Sampford (Higher) 1795 Boswell

Etymology

Probably 'multi-coloured fortified place', from mǣle (wk. obl. -an ) and burh (dat.sg. byrig ), one of a group of three pars. sharing this name (v. Melbury Bubb and Melbury Osmond infra , cf. also Melbury Abbas 3129–30), a name of identical origin in the NE of the county. For the identification of the DB form, v. VCH Do 3110, but cf. discussion in ThornDB, notes to 26, 35 and 56, 17. The distinguishing affixes are manorial. The de Turbervill family was here in the early 13th cent., cf. Walter de Turbervill '1227 FF, Bartholomew de Turbervill '1235, 1236 Cl, 1246 AD I, 1247 FF; for the same family, v. Winterborne Muston 1284 and Bryants Puddle 1289. The Saunford family held the manor from the late 13th cent., cf. Hawis de Sa (u )nford 1271Ilch , Hutch3, 1288Ass , Alda de Saunford 1303, Adam de Saunford 1346 FA, v. Hutch3 2656–60. The late affixes Higher and Upper are 'with regard to its situation above Lower Melbury' (Hutch3 2656), this being Melbury Osmond par. infra . The isolated form Meleburiwaket 1314 Pat may belong here or under Melbury Bubb or Melbury Osmond pars. infra ; the affix is manorial, for the surname cf. William Waket (')1327, 1332 SR (taxed in Mosterton par. infra ).