Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Eglysham 1607 Clegg

• Eggelesham 1335 Ct

• Eglesham 1399 DorR

Etymology

Eglysham (lost, about SY 690911–15), Eglysham 1607 Clegg, Eggelesham 1335Ct , Eglesham 1399 DorR, Eglisham (Meadow ) 1409, 1445, 1532 all Hutch3 (2 413–4), 1615DuCo , v. hamm 'water-meadow' (on R. Frome). The first el. could be the OE  pers.n. Ecgel adduced for Eaglesfield Cu 378 and Egglestone YN 301, but Professor Cameron notes that on the evidence now available Eaglesfield Cu almost certainly contains PrWelsh  egl s 'a church', and this el. is clearly formally possible for this name too. In fact this possibility receives strong support from the location of Eglysham near to the former church of Frome Whitfield infra , v. St Nicholas's Church infra (though of course the actual building referred to may have been an earlier one on the same site). Most of the references to Eglysham place it in the old manor of Frome Whitfield, but the occurrence of the name in the 17th cent, bounds of Fordington (1607 Clegg, 1615DuCo ) establishes its location more precisely: from Moones Bridge and Great Brydge (across two arms of R. Frome, v. Mohun's Bridges in Dorchester par. supra ) the bdy goes 'along by a ground called Eglysham ' to Glydpath (v. Glyde Path Hill & Rd in Dorchester par. supra ). The name Eglysham may well have denoted the river meadows to the S of the church as far as Glyde Path Hill.