Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Broken(e)berwe 1269 FF

• Broken(e)borowes 14 ECP

• Broken(e)borgh 1322 MinAcct

• Broken(e)berwe 1327 SR

• Broken(e)burgh 1421,1493 Pat

• Broken(e)borowe 1540 MinAcct

• Broken(e)boroughe 1610 FF 1622 Knole

• Brokynborowe 1436 FF

• Brokynborogh 1540 ib

• Brockenbrow 1729 Will

• terr' et tenement' Brokenburghes, manerij de Brokenburgh 1517 Aug

• Brokenburyes chantry 1543 AOMB

• Brokynburie Chauntrie 1550 Chant

Etymology

Brokenborough (lost), Broken (e )berwe 1269FF (p), Broken (e )borowes 14 ECP, Broken (e )borgh 1322MinAcct (p), Broken (e )berwe 1327SR (p), Broken (e )burgh 1421, 1493 Pat, Broken (e )borowe 1540MinAcct , Broken (e )boroughe 1610 FF, 1622Knole 14, Brokynborowe 1436FF , Brokynborogh 1540 ib, Brockenbrow 1729 Will. This place has not been located; Rudder 224 states that it was a manor in the tything of Gaunt's Earthcott, but in 1540MinAcct it is more precisely placed in monte de Almondesbury (Almondsbury). It may be an old name for that hill, but from the earlier references it is more likely to be a manorial name from the surname Brockenborough , which occurs also in terr ' et tenement ' Brokenburghes , manerij de Brokenburgh 1517 Aug, 'Brokenburyes chantry ' 1543AOMB , Brokynburie Chauntrie (founded by Richard Brokynborowe ) 1550 Chant 252. This surname may well be from Brokenborough (W 53), which is 'broken hill or barrow' (v. brocen , beorg ).