Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Burchirche 13 TutP

• Borughkirk' 1332 HB 1332 Pat

• Burghkirke 1332 Inqaqd 1333 HB

• Borowkyrke 1462 Gret

• Borokyrk 1534 ib

• Burrowchurch 1601 Terrier

• capellam Sancti Petri Burghkirke 1332 Pat

• Burghkirke capella extra Wymundeham

• viam de Burchirche 13 TutP

• fontem de Burchirche 13 TutP

• capellam Sancti Petri Burghkirke 1332 Pat

• the Chappell 1601 Terrier

Etymology

A glebe terrier of 1612 locates the great field which took its name from the lost Burrowchurch to the west of Wymondham (v. Borokyrkfeld in f.ns. (b) infra ), while the undated citation Burghkirke capella (with MLat capella 'a chapel') in Nichols places the chapel extra 'outside' the township. The viam de Burchirche 13 TutP (MLat  via 'a road') led to the site which had its own fresh water supply, as indicated by fontem de Burchirche 13 TutP (MLat  fons (fontem acc.sg.) 'a spring'). The chapel itself was dedicated to St Peter (capellam Sancti Petri Burghkirke 1332Pat ) and is not to be confused with the parish church of St Peter, Wymondham.

Burrowchurch is a compound of OE  burh 'a fortified place', later 'a fortified house or manor' and OE  cirice 'a church', the generic in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries varying with or being replaced by ON  kirkja 'a church'. No evidence of a major fortified site is obvious to the west of Wymondham. It may well be that the chapel was once the upstanding survivor of an early manor house. It is recorded as the Chappell 1601Terrier . Note also the Burrow Churche feilde in Edmondthorpe f.ns. (b) infra .