Cow Honeybourne
Major Settlement in the Parish of Cow Honeybourne
Historical Forms
- Heniberge 1086 DB
- Huniburn(a), Hunyburn(a) 12,1221 WinchLB 1221 Ass 1251 Ch 1292 WinchLB
- Hunyburn(a) Abbatis 1221 Ass
- Honiburn(e), Honyburn(e) 1274 FF 1275 WinchLB 1285 FA 1305 WinchLB
- Calewe Honyburn(e) 1374 Episc
- Cal Honyburn(e) 1529 WorcWills
- Honyborn(e) 1316 FA 1375 WinchLB 1540 MinAcct
- Caw(e) Honyburn(e) 1577,1646 M 1610 FF
- Cow Honyburn(e) 1596 FF 1687 PR
Etymology
'Honey stream' or 'stream by which honey was found', v. hunig , burna . The stream is called Hunigburna in KCD 1368 (Wo) and from it is also named Church Honeybourne (Wo 264). There are also other examples of the compound in Huniburnan in Dowdeswell, Honeyband, Honniburne (171 supra , ii, 23, iii, 248 infra ). The spellings Cal (ewe )-, Caw - suggest that the affix is OE calu 'bare, lacking vegetation', for which Cow - is a later popular substitution in the p.n.