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.

Seaborough

Major Settlement in the Parish of Seaborough

Historical Forms

  • Seveberge et alia Seveberge 1086 DB
  • Seueberga, Seuuebeorga, Seuuoberga Exon
  • Seveberugh 1256 FF
  • Seweberge 1285 FA
  • Seuebergh(e) 1303 FA 1316
  • Sevebergh(e) 1317(15),1329(15) Forde
  • Soueberge 1297 Pat
  • Seuenbergh 1306 FF
  • Seueburgh 1346 FA 1355 FF 1428 FA
  • Seburgh 1407 Fine
  • Mill Hams 1839 TA

Etymology

'Seven hills or barrows', from OE  seofon and beorg. The same name occurs as Seaborough Hall (Seueberghe 1293) in PN Ess 164 and in a much later form as Seven Barrows in Wareham par. 1 165, cf. also the Anglo-Saxon boundary mark on sevenburges , of sevenburges 964 BCS 1127 (S727) in Steeple Ashton PN W 136. There were two manors at Seaborough in 1086 DB held by different people, each consisting of 1½ hides and with ½ mill (the mill was no doubt on R. Axe, for a later mill here cf. the f.n. Mill Hams 1839TA , v. hamm ).