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.

Mashbury

Major Settlement in the Parish of Mashbury

Historical Forms

  • Masceberiam 1086 DB
  • Massebirig ib.
  • Massebir' 1227 FF 1254 Ass
  • Massebury 1303 FA 1324 Londin
  • Messebir(e) 1203–6 FF 1203 Cur 1212 Fees
  • Messeber(i) 1203 FF 1285 Ass
  • Messeberge, Messebiria 1212 RBE
  • Messebyry 1218 FF
  • Messebyry Parua 1262 WAM
  • Mas(sc)hebyri 1287 FF
  • Mas(sc)hebery 1337 Londin 1372 IpmR
  • Great Mas(sc)hebery 1402 FF
  • Mas(sc)hebury 1402 Cl 1421 LancsCh
  • Maisshebury 1386 FF
  • Meshebury 1510 LP
  • Maysbury 1540,1544 ib
  • Maysbury alias Mashbury 1550 Pat

Etymology

OE  (æt ) Mæccean byrig , 'at the stronghold of Mæcca ,' v. burh .Cf. Matching (not far distant) and Messing supra 45, 396, both from Mæcca , and Patching and Pashley (PN Sx 248, 453), from Pæcc (i ), Pæcc (a ). In 1235 (Ass ) the name of Adam de Massebir ' is immediately preceded by that of Richard de Massebrok who is mentioned in connection with White Roding. Massebrok must have taken its name from the same man as Mashbury, and 'Mæcca 's brook' must have been the stream rising near Baileys and flowing south, past Wares in Good Easter, to the Can. v. Introd. xxiii

Places in the same Parish

None