Brize Norton
Major Settlement in the Parish of Brize Norton
Historical Forms
- Nortone 1086 DB 1300 Ipm
- Suthnorton 1235 FF
- Northone Brun 1264–8 Eynsh 1316 FA
- Northone Bruyn 1320 Eynsh 1517 DInc
- Brunesnorton 1341 Ipm 1365 Ch
- Norton le Bruyn c.1384 Eynsh
- Brimesnorton 1388 Cl
- Norton Broyn 1509–10 Os
- Bresenorton alias Norton Bruyn 1517 DInc
- Norton Bryne 1526 LS
- Norton Broyne 1539 Eynsh
- Breames Norton alias Norton Broyne 1560 AD
- Brice Norton early18th ParColl
Etymology
'North tūn belonging to Brun .' William le Brun is mentioned 1200 Cur in connection with land here. It is 'south' in relation to Chipping, Over and Hook Norton.
The prefix may have been altered to Brize by influence of the church dedication to St Brice, but K. E. Kirk (Church Dedications of the Oxford Diocese , Oxford 1946, pp. 62–3) suggests that there is no apparent reason why this church should have been dedicated to St Britius, bishop of Tours in the 5th century, and that it may have been because of the corruption of Brunes Norton to Brice Norton that the saint's name became attached to the church, whose original dedication is now lost.