South Cerney
Major Settlement in the Parish of South Cerney
Historical Forms
- loco…æt Cyrne, terra Cyrne 999 KCD703 13th
- terra…apud Cyrne c.1000 13th ib
- Cernei, Cerney(e), Cernai, Cernay(a) 1086 DB 1138,1144 Glouc Hy2 Ch 1318 RBE 1166 Berk l.12 Cur 1201 Fees 1220 Ass 1221 Comp 1512
- Sud- 1274 Episc
- Suthcerney 1285 FA
- South(e)- 1287 1584 Comm
- CerneyeMilon' 1291 Tax
- Sarney(e) 1286 Ipm 1492 Comp
- Suth Sarney(e) 1304 FF
- Cerningg 1289 Ch
- Serney 1492 Comp
Etymology
South and North Cerney (148infra ), which lie south and north of Cirencester respectively, are both on the R. Churn (5supra ), and all these names are related, Cirencester (60infra ) being the oldest recorded one. Cerney itself means 'the Churn stream' (from OE ēa 'stream, river') and the first element is possibly an old river-name formed from the same British root as that of the first el. of Cirencester or it is an early back-formation from the latter name. This problem is fully discussed by Ekwall, RN 78–9. As in Cirencester, initial C - [s] is due to French influence which is absent in Churn (cf. Phonol. § 32, IPN 100–2). The affix -Milon ' refers to the tenure of the manor by Milo Fitzwalter, Earl of Hereford, son of Walter, the DB tenant.