Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• to willum, fram willum 971 PetLN 12

• ad Wellum Hy3 HarlCh

• Wellam dale 1649 ParlSurv

• Wellam marfar l17 BPD

• Welham Dale 1734 LRMB

• Wellham Close, Wellham Hole 1817 Map

Etymology

WELHAM (local), to willum , fram willum 971 (12) PetLN , ad Wellum Hy3HarlCh , Wellam dale 1649ParlSurv , Wellam marfar l17BPD (v. marfur 'a boundary furrow'), Welham Dale 1734LRMB 256 , Wellham Close , Wellham Hole 1817Map , 'at the springs', from the dat.pl. wellum of wella , well(e). The name occurs in the bounds of the Barrow AS charter and the site is approximately TA 067190, as Mr Paul Everson informs me. He has also reported that there were three springs here, Top Wellum, Middle Wellum and Wellum, and that the last was still running within recent memory.