English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Beesmoor Plant

Early-attested site in the Parish of Sudeley

Historical Forms

  • Bab(e)lesmor(e) 12,13 WinchLB
  • Babismore, -is- 1482 MinAcct 1539,c.1540 AOMB 1547 Pat
  • to babeles beorgen 978 KCD618

Etymology

Beesmoor Plant., Bab (e )lesmor (e )12, 13 WinchLB, Babismore , -is -1482MinAcct , 1539, c. 1540AOMB , 1547 Pat. 'Bab(b)el's moor- land', v. mōr . The first el. is an OE  pers.n. Bab (b )el , found in the Wo p.n. to babeles beorgen 978 KCD 618 and doubtless a diminutive in -el of the recorded Babba (found in Babbedene 38infra ). The current form is a reduction through Babis -.