Glen Parva
Major Settlement in the Parish of Glen Parva
Historical Forms
- Glen e.13 Rut 1220 MHW 1227 Cur 1260 Wyg
- Gleen 1323 Misc 1352 Ipm 1389 Rut
- Parua ~, Parva ~ e.13 Rut 1243 Fees 1491 Rut
- ~ Parua, ~Parva 1389 Rut 1494 Comp 1576 Saxton
- Little ~ 1605 Terrier 1610 Speed
Etymology
With MLat parva 'little, small' in contrast to Great Glen in Gartree Hundred.
This place-name is identical in origin with that of Great Glen which lies five miles to the east (v. Lei 479). Early forms which are presumed to relate to Great Glen are (in loco qui nominatur ) æt glenne 849 (11) BCS 455 (S 1272), Glen 1086 DB, 1140 Reg and Glenne 1199 FF. Glen is probably a place-name formed from an earlier name for the river Sence, a Brit *Glan ā from *glano -'clean, beautiful', hence 'the clean one' alluding to a clear stream, giving an early OE settlement-name '(the place called) At the Glen', cf. R. Glen, DLPN 50. Alternatively, because of early spellings with -nn - for Great Glen, a Brit *glennos (Brythonic *glïn , Gaelic gleann ) 'a valley' may also be considered. However, although Great Glen lies in a pronounced valley of the river Sence at its particular location, Glen Parva, which is situated further west on the same stream, was established where a valley is much less noticeable.Hence, a British river-name seems likelier for the origin of both Glen Parva and Great Glen. The notion of the river as having a British name meaning 'the clean one' is supported by its Anglo-Saxon name Sence (OE senc 'a draught, a drink'), implying a copious supply of good drinking water.
If the origin of the names Glen Parva and Great Glen is indeed Brit *glennos 'a valley', it is possible that the name of the valley at Great Glen was extended to become a British district-name, eventually applied to two settlements within its compass which were only coincidentally beside the river.