Hurpston
Early-attested site in the Parish of Steeple
Historical Forms
- Herpere 1086 DB
- Harpera Exon
- la Harpine 1109 Dugd(II.70)
- Herperston 1340 NI
- Harpeston 1376 Ass, Pat
- Harpstone 1795 Boswell
- Harpstone or Harpston 1861 Hutch3
- Harpson 1811 OS
Etymology
Hurpston (SY 924806), Herpere 1086 DB, Harpera Exon, la Harpine 1109 Dugd (II. 70), Herperston 1340 NI (p), Harpeston 1376Ass , Pat, Harpstone 1795 Boswell, Harpstone or Harpston 1861 Hutch3, Harpson 1811 OS, a difficult name. The DB and Exon spellings would seem to mean 'the harper', v. hearpere , and la Harpine is a Fr translation of this, v. harpin ; Hurpston is on the Corfe River and the term was perhaps used figuratively to mean 'the murmuring brook', cf. Harper's Brook Nth 2 and Harperwell YW 280 where the same usage is possible. In the 1340 form this name (later reduced to Harp (e )-) is combined with tūn 'farm' or stān 'stone'; the latter seems most likely in view of the existence of a large stone (Stone 6″, Harp Stone 1″) some 300 yards W of Hurpston, described by Hutch3 1 609 as 'a remarkable stone placed at right angles to its natural bed, and rising 9 ft. above the ground', cf. Roger atte Stone 1327SR ; according to local tradition, this stone is so called because when the wind is in the right quarter the grooves on its surface cause a singing noise not unlike that of a harp (R.J.T.). For another interpretation of this name, as an OE *hearpere meaning 'river occasionally dried up' or 'barren place' from a Gmc *herp -, *harp -, etc, v. Tengstrand MN 99–100. There was a mill here in 1086 DB (VCHDo 3108).
Places in the same Parish
Other OS name
- Alder Moor
- Blackmanston Withy Bed
- Kimmeridge Coppice, Kimmeridge Down
- Lower Grounds
- Nathan's Coppice
- Nattys
- New Hall
- Nigel's Plant.
- North Hills Plant.
- Oak Ctgs
- Old Bond St.
- Orchard Ctgs
- Pole Coppice
- Pomfrey's Plant.
- Raymond's Firs
- Rookery (Ctgs)
- St John's Church
- St Michael's Church
- Shepherd's Ctg
- Smedmore Hill
- Steeple Leaze Fm, Steeple Leaze Wd
- Hr Stonehips, Lr Stonehips
- Washing Ledge
- Whitehall
- Hr Withy Bed, Lr Withy Bed, N Withy Bed
- Ash Coppice
- Bottom Coppice
- Broadmoor Fm
- Carrot Bank
- Claud's Firs
- Clay Pits
- West Creech Fm, West Creech Hill
- Dairy Ctgs
- Devil's Staircase
- Dodgy Cl
- Drinking Barrow
- The Flats
- Gough's Shoot
- Grange Arch
- Grange Gate, Grange Heath, Grange Hill
- Great Plant., Great Wd
- Grey's Coppice
- Hasler
- Hollow Ditch
- Horse Coppice
- Hurpston Coppice
- Hurst Mill
- Ivo's Plant.
- Keeper's Lodge
- Kenneth's Plant.
- Louisa's Firs
- Taylor's Ctg
- Alder Bed
- The Belt
- Bridewell, Bridewell Plantations
- Little Wd
- Mare Pond
- Beach Coppice
- Breach Plant.
- King's Standing
- Lutton Gwyle, Lutton Withy Bed
- Thornhill's Coppice