Foxton
Major Settlement in the Parish of Foxton
Historical Forms
- Foxtone 1086 DB Wm2,e.12 Dugd 1109 Nichols
- Foxtune e.12 Dugd 1109 Nichols
- Foxtunia c.1147 BM
- Foxtun' 1160(p),1180 P
- Foxton 1109 Nichols 1174 P
- Foxon 1674,1679,c.1690 Terrier
- Foxestone 1086 DB
Etymology
Most probably 'the farmstead, village where foxes are frequently seen', v. fox , tūn . Note the tell-tale Foxborough in f.ns. (a) infra . The unique DB form Foxestone with its genitival construction hardly points to an unrecorded pers.n. Fox in the possessive case as the specific, although Toue fox (1154 × 89) of Saleby in Lincs. (with ODan Tovi , ON Tófi ) indicates that fox was used as a by-name from at least the middle of the 12th cent.