English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Friar Waddon

Early-attested site in the Parish of Portisham

Historical Forms

  • Wadone 1086 DB
  • Waddon 1251 Ch
  • W(h)addon' 1280 Ass
  • Bradewadon' 1175–6 P
  • Bradewaddon' 1235 Cl 1244 Ass
  • Brodewaddon(e) 1212 Fees 1288 Ass
  • Whaddon Monks 1299 Pat
  • Freren(e)waddon 1306 Drew 1384 Cl
  • Waddon Fratrum 1389,1476 Hutch3
  • Fryerne Waddon 1563 DorR
  • Waddon alias Frier Waddon 1579 Hutch3
  • Frier Waddon 1664 HTax 1774 Hutch1
  • Friar(s) Waddon 1795 Boswell 1811 OS

Etymology

Cf. prec. This was the larger of the two DB vills (paying tax for 6 hides), hence later brād 'broad, large' to distinguish it from Little Waddon supra (ThornDB 23, 1). The affix Monks is from its possession in the 13th cent. (v. 1242 Pat, 1288Ass , etc.) by Netley Abbey (Ha) which had acquired it from the Abbey of Montivilliers which held it at the time of DB. The affix Friar (earlier Freren (e )- 'of the friars' alternating with Lat  fratrum ) refers to the possession of lands here by the Knights Hospitallers in the 13th cent. (1280Ass , etc.), v. frere (ME  wk. gen.pl. -ene ), Hutch3 2 764, VCHDo 2 91 n. 16, cf. Fryer Mayne 1208.