Byrton
Early-attested site in the Parish of Stanway
Historical Forms
- (æt) Byrætune c.1000 ASWills 11th
- Byreton c.1000 14th ib
- Bertunā 1086 DB
- Berton(a) 12th ADiii 1237 Colch 13th WalthamA
- Berthon t.Hy3 ADiii
Etymology
Byrton (lost) is (æt ) Byrætune c. 1000 (11th) ASWills, Byreton c. 1000 (14th) ib., Bertunā 1086 DB, Berton (a )12th AD iii, 1237 Colch, 13thWalthamA , Berthon t. Hy 3 AD iii, great bertoun , little bertoun 1357, Byrton Wodde 1375ColchA . The first element is probably OE bǣr (e ), bēr (e ), 'woodland swine-pasture,' with the inverted spelling byr (e ) so commonly found in Kentish charters (cf. Ekwall, Anglia Beiblatt xxxv, 29) and likely also to be found in Essex, hence 'farm by the swine pasture.' Cf. Berden infra 548. For the identification v. EAS xxi, 58–62.