Dow Bridge
Early-attested site in the Parish of Lilbourne
Historical Forms
- pons de Douuebrigge in Watlingstrete 1330 Ass
- Dowbridge 1610 Camden
- Dobridge 1657 NRSi
- Dow Bridge or Dove Bridge 1826 G
Etymology
Dow Bridge is pons de Douuebrigge in Watlingstrete 1330Ass , Dowbridge 1610 Camden, Dobridge 1657 NRS i, Dow Bridge or Dove Bridge 1826 G. The bridge was apparently named 'Dovebridge.' It may contain either the bird-name or, as Professor Ekwall suggests, the recorded 12th century pers. name Duua .dow is a common dialectal form of dove , though not recorded from Northants (v. EDD). Close at hand is Dow Boards Covert.Boards is probably due to an attempt to preserve the dialectal pronunciation [bəˑdʒ] of bridge , v. Introd. xxxii. In both names the v would readily be lost before following b .