Gamsey Wood
Early-attested site in the Parish of Wood Walton
Historical Forms
- silva q. voc. Garbodeseye 1279 RH
- Germeshey Wood 1566 BM
Etymology
This is clearly a (ge)hæg or enclosure in a woodland district, but who its owner was is not clear. Our choice lies between taking the 13th cent. form as correct with a quite irregular development of Garbod to Garmod , or to believe that the 13th cent. form is a bad one for Garmod . Probably the latter is the correct solution of the name. The pers. name Gārmōd is not actually on record but is a perfectly regular formation. Gārbod is unknown, but we have Gerbodo in Domesday. This is a name of continental origin (cf. Forssner 106–7), and Gar - might be explained as a partial anglicising of the name.