Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• la Bere 1227 FF c.EdI Hutch3 1294 Queens 1319 Wim 1327 SR 1329 Ipm

• la Ber' 1332 SR 1406 DCMDeed

• Labere 1552 DLCt

• atte Bere 1323 Pat

• ate Be(e)r' 1332 SR

• Bere 1269 Cur

• Bere Horsenden 1269 FF

• Bere Horsindene 1280 Banco

• Bere Horsedene 1307 ib

• Berhorsindene 1281 FF

• Berehorsseden(e) 1306 Banco

• Bere by Caneford 1375 Fine 1377 Cl

• By(e)re 1387 ib

• Beare 1412,1431 FA 1591 DLMB

• Bere-Peverel or Berford or Barford 1774 Hutch1

• Beer Peverell or Ford 1795 Boswell

• Ber(e)ford(e) 1244,1268 Ass c.EdI Hutch3 1286 Ch 1313 DLComm 1598 ChrP 1372 Queens 1438

• Bireford' 1244 Ass

• Berheford', Bereford' super Sturam 1372 ChrP

• Berefford 1427 HarlRoll

• Bereforth 1518 ib

• Barfford super Stoure 1444 Queens

• Barr(e)ford hamme, Barr(e)ford mede 1512,1513 Pars

• Barf(f)ord(e) 1547 DLMB 1552 DLCt 1648 SC

• Barford ham 1653 DCMSurv

• Barfoot(e) (Ham) 1663 1677 DCMCt

• Higher Barford & Lower Barford 1811 OS

• Lower Barford 1811 OS

• Higher Barford 1811 ib

Etymology

'The (woodland) pasture' or 'the wood, the grove', from bǣr2 or bearu , cf. Bere Regis 1273, and 'the ford near Bere ', from ford , with hamm , mǣd . The manorial affixes are from the families of John de Horsyndon 1269 Cur, Joan de Horsenden 1269 FF (cf. Horsenden Bk, Horsendon Mx), and Thomas Peverel 1281 FF, Andrew Peverel 1329 Ipm (cf. Bradford Peverell 1334). The earlier Bere is probably represented by Barford Dairy (Lower Barford 1811 OS), Bereford by Old Barford (Higher Barford 1811 ib) which is on R. Stour and no doubt the site of the ford.