Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Awambruth (sic) 802–39 Finberg 17

• Wainbroc (sic, for Wambroc) 1202 P

• Wambroc 1215–20 Drew

• Wambrok(e) 1244,1280 Ass 1280 FF 1285 FA 1288 Ass 1291 Tax 1303 FA

• Wambrok(e) juxta Cherdestok' 1306 FF 1316 FA 1340 NI 1597 DCMCt

• Wambrock(e) 1288 Ass 1597 DCMCt

• Wambrouk(e) 1346 FA 1431 et freq

• Wambrooke 1620 DCMCt 1795 Boswell

• Wambreeke (sic) 1620 DCMCt

• Wanbroc 1202 ChancR

• Wanbroke 1309 Drew 1440,1451 Pat

• Wanbrook 1428 FA

• Wombrock' c.1290 DCMDeed

• Wrambrok (sic) 1291 FF

• Wembrok 1309 Drew

Etymology

Probably 'brook in a hollow', from wamb 'womb, belly' and brōc .The term wamb is probably used in a topographical sense of the stream- valley in which the village lies. The stream here rises in the N of the par., flowing through the village and S through Chardstock par. supra to join R. Axe. The spellings do not support the interpretation '(place at) the winding brook', from wōh (dat. wōn ) and brōc , first suggested by Ekwall DEPN. The spelling in the 9th-cent. Finberg charter, a grant by king Egbert of Wessex, is clearly corrupt, but the initial A - no doubt represents the Lat  preposition ad (or OE  æt ) 'at'.