Dow Bridge
Early-attested site in the Parish of Catthorpe
Historical Forms
- Duuebrigge c.1150 Pipewell
- Douuebrugge 1293 Ass
- pons de Douuebrigge in Watlingstrete 1330 ib
- Doebrege 1477 Charyte e.16
- Dowbridge 1590 Camden 1656 Dugd
- Dove Bridge 1656 1831 Curtis c.1840 TA
- Dowbridge or Dovebridge 1846,1863,1877 White
Etymology
Dow Bridge Duuebrigge c.1150Pipewell , Douuebrugge 1293Ass , pons de Douuebrigge in Watlingstrete 1330ib (with MLat pons 'a bridge'), Doebrege 1477 (e.16) Charyte , Dowbridge 1590 Camden, 1656 Dugd, Dove Bridge 1656 ib, 1831 Curtis, c.1840TA , Dowbridge or Dovebridge 1846, 1863, 1877 White; a bridge carrying Watling Street across the river Avon. Either 'bridge frequented by doves', v. dūfe , brycg ; or, more likely, with a 12th-cent. pers.n. Duva as the specific (from an OE fem. pers.n. *Dūfe ), as Duua Hy 2 Dane (cf. Robertus filius Duue 1166 P (Yorks.)), Doue 1195 ib (Notts.) or as a surn., cf. Radulfus Duue 1197 ib (Norfolk). The precursor of Dow Bridge was the most southerly of three closely consecutive bridges which may have given the important Romano-British settlement of Tripontium ('(the place of) three bridges') on Watling Street its name, v. Bransford Bridge in Cotesbach infra . For Tripontium , v. A. L. F. Rivet and Colin Smith, The Place -Names of Roman Britain (1979), 476.