Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Meneham 1535 VE 1539 AOMB 1542 MinAcct

• Lytle Meneham 1518 GlR

Etymology

Mean Ham, Meneham 1535 VE, 1539AOMB , 1542MinAcct , Lytle Meneham 1518 GlR. 'The common water-meadow', v. (ge)mǣne, hamm . The great tracts of low-lying ground in the vicinity of the two channels of the Severn were called hams (as similar land was at Avon Ham and Severn Ham in Tewkesbury 64, 66supra ). Besides Mean Ham, the grounds called Kingsholm (supra ), Priest Ham , Nunham (infra ) and Walham are to the east of the eastern channel, and between the two channels of the river on Alney Island are Port Ham, Town Ham and Maisemore Ham (in Maisemore iii, 161–2 infra ); cf. also Monk Meadow (infra ).