Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Hamelduna 1067 WDB

• Hameldunam 1157 ib

• Hameldon' 1231 RegAnt 1241 FF 1256 For 1283 FF 1312 Pat

• Hameldun(e) 1086 DB 1232 RegAnt

• Hameldon(e) 1212 RBE 1227 RHug 1241 RGros 1413,1423,1427 Comp 1556 Chap

• Hamildon, Hamyldon 1235 RGros 1275 RH 1327 SR 1513 LP

• Hamelton 1289,1290 OSut

• Hambuldon c1538 Farnham

• Hambledon 1549,1553 Pat 1655 FF

• Hamleyton 1610 Speed

• Hambleton 1684 Wright

• Hambleton alias Hamildon 1701 DKR

• Magna - 1288 Ass, 1344 Inqaqd

• Great - 1684 Wright

• le Nethertowne of Hambledon 1549 Pat

• Parua -, Parva - c1200 BM, 1241 FF et passim to 1442 BM

• Little - 1632 Anc, 1655 FF

• Nether - 1549 Pat, 1684 Wright

Etymology

The first element of Hambleton is OE  hamol 'mutilated' used topographically of a flat-topped hill, one which appears to have been sliced off; the word was also used in the sense 'bare, treeless'. The second el. is OE  dūn 'a large hill'. The hill here is imposing, v. hamol , dūn .

The original settlement, possibly the early caput of Anglo-Saxon Rutland, was on the hilltop at Upper Hambleton, known earlier as Magna -1288Ass , 1344 Inqaqd, Great -1684 Wright. Nether Hambleton was le Nethertowne of Hambledon 1549 Pat, but the affix was normally Parua -, Parva -c1200 BM, 1241FF et passim to 1442 BM (Little -1632Anc , 1655FF , Nether -1549 Pat, 1684 Wright).Middle Hambleton appears by 1824 O.

Middle and Nether Hambleton were demolished in 1975 to make way for Empingham Reservoir, now Rutland Water, which was completed in 1977.