Meon Hill
Early-attested site in the Parish of Quinton
Historical Forms
- Mene, Mena 1086 DB 1157 P 1158 RBE 1221 Plea 1236 Fees 1287 QW 1335 Orig 1405 Ass
- Mona 1160 RBE
- Mones 1220 Fees
- Muna 1158–9 P
- Mune 1211–13 Fees 1221 Ass 1252 Ipm 1274 RH Hy6 AddCh
- Mina 1190 P
- Miene 1195 P
- Muena 1191,1192,1195,1201,1204 P
- Meone 1221 Ass 1306 Ipm 1594 FF
- Meone als. Mune 1253 Ipm
- Meones 1221 Eyre
- Meeon(e) 1600,1631 FF
- Moene 1361 Ass 1443 FF
- Morne (sic) 1406 Pat
- Meene 1517 InqEncl 1581,1634 FF
- Meen-hill 1779 Rudder
- Myone 1537 FF
- Mean(e) 1631 Inq 1692 M
Etymology
The various spellings are best explained by an OE Mēon -, of which the ME developments would in this area be [mø:n], represented by Mona , Muna , Moene , Meone , and [me:n], represented by Mene , Miene and (with raising of the close ē to ī ) by Mina (cf. Phonol. §§ 16, 21). The name has therefore an original form similar to that of the R. Meon (Ha), Meonea a. 790 BCS 258, Meóne 824 ib 377, Méone 932 ib 689, etc., and East and West Meon (Ha), Meanuarorum provincia c. 730 Bede, æt Meone c. 880 BCS 553. Ekwall (RN 288) explains the Hampshire names as from a Brit r.n., possibly related to the Gaulish r.n. Moenus (R. Main); its origin is doubtful, but it might be connected with the root of OIr moin 'treasure'. Meon Hill is, however, the name of a very prominent hill at the northern end of the Cotswold escarpment and on its summit are the remains of an extensive ancient encampment; it is to this hill we should expect the name to refer rather than to a river, for only a couple of insignificant streams rise on the lower slopes. But this does not rule out an etymological connexion with the Hampshire r.n. The manor was held in 1201 by William de Gamages, who also held a manor of Dymock (cf. Gamage Hall iii, 168infra ), and so Meon is sometimes associated with Dymock in the records.