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.

Woodenham

Early-attested site in the Parish of Bledington

Historical Forms

  • Wodenham 1287 Ass 1327 SR 1540 MinAcct
  • Withenham 1540 ib

Etymology

Woodenham, Wodenham 1287Ass , 1327SR , 1540MinAcct , Withenham 1540 ib. Probably 'Wōda's water-meadow', v. hamm ; the farm is on the low-lying ground near the junction of the R. Evenlode and Westcote Brook. The pers.n., an OE  Wōda , is not recorded but is a weak form of Wode , the name of a moneyer, which Redin 80 associates with OE  wōd 'mad' and the pers.n. Wod in Widsith 30. But OE  Wudia , a variant of Widia , is also possible, as in Withington (186supra ).

Places in the same Parish