Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Bretonnes Dybbyng 1306 Ipm

• Bretounesdybbyng 1374 Pat

• Bretonesdybbynges 1391 Cl

• Bryteyn Sale c.1550 AOMB

• Breton 1275 RH

• le Bretun 1306 Ipm

• Newe dibbing 1223 FF

• la Sale 1293 For

Etymology

Britain Sale (6″) is Bretonnes Dybbyng 1306 Ipm, Bretounesdybbyng 1374 Pat, Bretonesdybbynges 1391 Cl, Bryteyn Sale c. 1550AOMB , and is to be associated with the family of Ranulf Brito who was granted a wood here in 1227 (Ch), and is associated with an assart here in 1275 (RH), the family name being spelt Breton 1275 RH, le Bretun 1306 Ipm. The word dybbyng is clearly a woodland term. It is found in forest areas in Northamptonshire, the earliest reference being Newe dibbing (1223FF ) and les Dibbinges (t. Ed 1 Finch -Hatton ) and it appears in modern field-names as Dibbin (s ). There can be little doubt that it is to be associated with the rare dialectal vb. dib (cf. the more common dibble ), 'to make small holes,' dib rather than dibble being the common form in Bedfordshire and south Northamptonshire. In these districts the term can be used of setting out young acorns for a new oak plantation, and there can be little doubt that dibbing is an old word for such a plantation.

sale is found as a place-name element in various early minor names in Northamptonshire: boscus vocat . la Sale (1293For ), Middlesale , Briggisale (1313), and Fremansale (1401) in Higham Ferrers, and le Salecorner (1337). It is difficult to know how to interpret this element; topography and context alike make it clear that it is not the word sale sometimes found in place-names and derived from OE  sealh, 'willow.' The EDD records from Northamptonshire the word sale as a name for a “division or 'quarter' of a wood, of which the underwood is cut down and sold.” It is exceedingly unlikely that such a meaning of the word could go back to the 13th cent.; one cannot imagine a piece of woodland thus marked for sale in those days. More probably the old word sale (of which the sense is now lost) was taken over in comparatively recent times, and, by some misunderstanding, given a new and more comprehensible sense.