Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Dockeham 1545 LP

Etymology

Dockham Ditch, Dockeham 1545 LP, cf. also Dock Lane (128 supra from 1455), which is named from it. 'Water-meadow overgrown with docks', v. docce , hamm , dīc ; it is an alternative name for the Twyver which marks the eastern limit of Mean Ham. Rudder 85 said it was so called because barges and trows were built there, but that use of dock to denote 'a basin for a ship' or 'a cut to take a boat' is not found before the 16th century (cf. NED s.v.). The name occurs elsewhere (iii, 116 infra ).