Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Bourn 1811 OS

• la Bourne 1270 ChrP 1372

• burn 1270 1372 ib

• la bourne 1306 1372 ib

• to bur(n)stowe 859 ShaftR(S334)

• to burnstowe (þanen up anlang burnstowe) 870 15 ib

• on burestowe 1019 15 ib

Etymology

Bourne Fm (SY 730972), Bourn 1811 OS, named from the small stream which flows S from Lyscombe Fm in Cheselbourne par. infra into R. Piddle or Trent; this stream is referred to in the bounds of Puddletown as la Bourne 1270 (1372) ChrP , and in other contexts it is burn 1270 (1372) ib , la bourne 1306 (1372) ib , v. burna 'stream'.Points higher upstream are referred to in the OE bounds of Cheselbourne as to bur (n )stowe 859 ? for 870 (15) ShaftR (S 334), to burnstowe (þanen up anlang burnstowe )? 870 (15) ib (S 342), on burestowe 1019 (15) ib (S 955 (1)), cf. also anlang burnstowe 966 (15) ib (S 744) in bounds of Vppidelen , v. Piddletrenthide par. infra ; this is OE  burn-stōw 'place where people assembled at a stream, bathing place', or perhaps 'watering place for cattle' (Sandred 98).