Foster's Bridge
Early-attested site in the Parish of South Luffenham
Historical Forms
- Fosters Bridge 1610 Speed 1620 Map 1732 Anc c1800,1806 Map 1849,1873 Anc
- Fosters Brigg 1659 ib
- Foster Bridge 1700 BHS 1729 Terrier
- Foster's Bridge 1763 Anc 1781 BHS 1796 Anc
- Fosdeybalk' 1368 BHS
Etymology
FOSTER'S BRIDGE, Fosters Bridge 1610 Speed, 1620 Map, 1732Anc , c1800, 1806 Map, 1849, 1873Anc , Fosters Brigg 1659ib , Foster Bridge 1700BHS , 1729Terrier , Foster 's Bridge 1763Anc , 1781BHS , 1796Anc , cf. Foster 's Bridge Lane 1809BHS , Foster Bridge Spinney 1943Map . If the early S. Luffenham f.n. form Fosdeybalk '1368BHS (with balca 'a bank') belongs here, then what appears to be the surn. Foster may originally have been OE *foss -dīc . If so, OE foss 'a ditch', perhaps a direct loan from Lat fossa , had an explanatory OE dīc 'an artificial water-course' (later perhaps influenced by Scand dík ) added to it, cf. Foss Dyke L and cf. also the reduction dík > dey in Landiegate , Landeygate (from land -dík ) L 2 189. In view of the late Roman military metalwork found in the pagan Anglo-Saxon cemetery here, the name perhaps reflects the antiquity of Germanic settlement at Luffenham. It must be stressed, however, that apart from R. Chater, its derivative Ketton, R. Glen and perhaps R. Welland, Rutland has no surviving names which indicate direct contact between Romano-British and Germanic peoples and this in itself throws serious doubt on a possible derivation from Lat fossa .Nevertheless, Foster is not a family name associated with either North or South Luffenham in the 16th and 17th centuries, although one John Foster was resident in neighbouring Morcott in 1524 SR.