Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Poleham 1086 DB 1279

• Polham 1234 Ch 1279 Cl 1251,1260 For 1270 Pat 1297 Ipm 1331

• Westpolham 1332 SR

• Puleham 1130 PR 1213 PatR 1291 Tax 1428 FA

• Pullam 1212 Fees

• West Pullam 1244 Ass

• Est Pullam, West Pullam 1440,1466 Pat

• Pulham Hy3 Cerne 14 Cl 1237

• West Pulham 1244 Ass

• Est Pulham 1258 For 1268 Ass

• Pulleham West 1258 For

• Pullham 1270 For

• Est Pullham, West Pullham 1547 Ct

• Est Pulhaump 1412 FA

• Easte Pulham 1567 Glyn

• Westpoulham 1394 Drew

Etymology

'Homestead or enclosure by the pools', from pōl (gen.pl. -a ) (with some influence from the synonymous pull ) and hām or hamm , cf. Pulham Nf (DEPN); the R. Lydden flows through the SE of the par. and another stream forms the NW boundary. The two DB manors of Poleham (ff. 79, 81b) are probably to be identified with West Pulham and East Pulham respectively (DBGazetteer 120, 128, cf. VCHDo 393 and discussion under Haselbury B. par. 2 100), v. ēast , west , Cannings Court infra .