Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• t' quondam Mr Johanne Bowere 1492 GrimsExtent

• tent' jacens … oppsit' portum voc Saynt John' bower house 1441 GrimsCBi

• Tenementum appellat St John a bowers howse 1598 GrimsFC

• uni messuage vocat St. John a Bowers' house 1614 ib

• One platt of Ground … of old Called John of Bowers 1685 Td'E

• one Plot of Ground … formerly called John of Bowers 1765 ib

• a Plot of Ground … commonly called John of Bowers 1794 ib

Etymology

St John a Bower Ho (lost), t ' quondam M r Johanne Bowere 1492GrimsExtent , tent ' jacens … oppsit ' portum voc Saynt John ' bower house 1441GrimsCB i , Tenementum appellat S t John a bowers howse 1598GrimsFC , uni messuage vocat St . John a Bowers ' house 1614ib , One platt of Ground … of old Called John of Bowers 1685Td 'E , one Plot of Ground … formerly called John of Bowers 1765ib , a Plot of Ground … commonly called John of Bowers 1794ib ; “the guild called 'of Holy John of Bower' which may have had its altar in St. James's, and the guild hall, often called St. John a Bower house, was on the south bank of the West Haven”, Gillett 84 and “At the beginning of the sixteenth century the town had its own play of 'Holy John of Bower'”, ib. l17. Nothing is apparently known of the identity of John a Bower .