Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Brimesfeld(e), Brymesfeld(e) 1086 DB 1221 Eyre 1275 Episc 1280 Cl 1496 GlR

• Brymesfeud 1227 FF

• Brumesfeld c.1180 GlR 1211–13 Fees 1221 Ass c.1230 GlR 1281 Ch 1291 Tax 1299 Ipm c.1300 RGl

• Bremlesfeld 1221 Ass

• Brummresfeld 1221 Eyre

• Brummesfeld 1285 FA

• Brunnesfeld' 1221 Ass 1290 GlR 1291 Tax

• Bremesfeld' 1221,1248 Ass 1280 Ipm 1289 Episc 1316 Glouc

• Bremefeld Ed1 BM

• Bremmesfeld c.1300 RGl 1481 Pat

• Brinnesfeld c.1230 GlR

• Brimfeud 1248 Ass

• Brymfeld 1450 MinAcct 1488 Pat

• Brymefeld 1535 VE

• Brimmesfeud, Brymmesfeud 1255 FF

• Brymmesfeld(e) 1279 Cl 1299 Ipm 1303 FA 1492 Pat

• Bromesfeld 1262 GlR

• Bromfeld 1287 Ass

• Bromsfeld c.1540 GlR

• Broumesfielde 1316 FA

• Bermesfeld 1460 Pat

• Brymsfeld 1494 Ipm 1535 VE 1537 Rent 1577 M

• Brimpsfeld 1760 M

Etymology

Names of this type often present difficult phonological problems in the variety of ME  forms in Brimes -, Bremes -, Bromes -, Brunnes -, etc. In a few like Bromsgrove (Wo 336) or Bromsberrow (iii, 166infra ) which have a similar variation to Brimpsfield, OE spellings make it clear that we have to start with OE  brem - or brym -. But this variation between Brem - and Brom - is not as a rule found with names that go back to OE  brōm -. A possible explanation is that the Brim - spellings are due to an early raising of OE ē to ī (with subsequent shortening as in Brimm -) and the Brom -, Broum - spellings arise by the analogical substitution of OE  brōm 'broom' (as compared with its derivative brēmel 'bramble'); such a substitution is certainly true of Bremhill (W 86) from OE  brēmel with occasional ME  spellings like Bromel .The first el. in some of these names is probably the OE  pers.n. Brēme , as in Brimscombe (141supra ), and this could hold for Brimpsfield and Bromsberrow, or *Bryme (le ), corresponding to OG  Brumi and Brumilo . But the two forms Bremles - and Brummres - suggest that in Brimpsfield we may have OE  brēmel 'bramble' (gen.sg. brēmles ) or possibly brēmer 'bramble thicket', which would be reduced to bremes - by dissimilation (cf. IPN 113). The name would be paralleled in sense by Brimfield (He 28), Bromefeld 1086, Bremelfelda 1123.'Brēme's or Bryme(le)'s stretch of open country' or 'such a piece of land amongst the brambles', v. feld .