Purfleet
Early-attested site in the Parish of West Thurrock
Historical Forms
- Purteflyete 1285 StJohn
- Pourt(e)flet(e) 1312–17 Cl 1324,1358 StJohn 1327 MinAcct
- Pourtesflete Mulnes 1346 Cl
- Purflete 1313 Cl
- Purflewt 1492 Pat
- Portfletemylle 1448 Pat
- Porfleyt, Pwrfleytt 1487 Cely
- Poureflete 1503 FF
- Purthe a.1272 Colch
Etymology
This name should be considered together with Portpool in Holborn (Mx), Purtepole (1203 FF), a spring or stream called Purtewelle in Manuden which is probably connected with Potmore Shot infra 649 in the adjacent Farnham, and with the lost Potchmeers (supra 108) for which we have a 13th- century form Purtemere . All these names suggest some element purte which is specially connected with water, but its significance remains entirely obscure. We might add on purtan ige (BCS 1093) in Wiltshire to this group of watery names, but its relation to the neighbouring Purton is entirely obscure—for that we have forms Piertean , Piergean , Pirigean , Puritun (BCS 279) which are difficult to reconcile with one another or with purtan ige .
It should be noted that forms purt , pourt are found in Essex names at a later date for earlier port (cf. port infra 587, as also Post Bridge and Poor Bridge infra 490, 549), and at times it is impossible to say whether we have the lost purt (e ) or port , as in Purtemed , Pourtemed , Pourtesmede , Portmed (in Hadleigh)1315–24Ct , Purtelond , Poortelond (in Stebbing)1383, 1443Rental .
The possibility of a personal name also must not be lost sight of. We have in Essex Simon Pourte de Stratford (1291For ), Thomas Purthe (a. 1272 Colch) and a field-name Pourtesfeld in Kelvedon (1487MinAcct ). See further s. n. Purshill (PN Wo 291), the forms of Potchmeers supra 108 and Addenda supra lxi.