Naseby
Major Settlement in the Parish of Naseby
Historical Forms
- Navesberie 1086 DB
- Nauesbi, Nauesby 1166 P c.1190 Add 1475 ADvi
- Naveseby 1305 Fine
- Naveneby 1253 Ass
- Navenesby 1275 RH
Etymology
This is apparently one of the names in which an OE p.n. has been partially Scandinavianised. The OE name was clearly Hnæfes -burh , i.e. 'the fortified place of one Hnæf ,' a name recorded in the heroic poetry, but not hitherto noted elsewhere except in Hnæfes scylf in a Hampshire charter (BCS 307). The third series of forms show the influence of the ON pers. name Nafni , which has given us Navenby (L), DBNavenebi . We can hardly start from that name here, as it is unlikely that it would be compounded with burh , and would leave the genitival s unexplained.