English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Norbryght

Early-attested site in the Parish of Godstone

Historical Forms

  • Obricte t.Hy2 AddCh
  • Nobriht 1196 AddCh
  • (la) Nobrith, Nobrihte 1239 FF
  • Nobrithe 1241 Ass
  • Nobrychte 1282 FF
  • Nobright 1331 FF
  • Nobricht 1337 Ipm
  • Lobrike 1231 LGo
  • Lobricht 1235 Ass
  • Lobrid 1241 LGo
  • Lobriht, Lobright 1241 Ass
  • Lobrighte 1255 Ass
  • Attenobrighte 1241 Ass
  • aten Obryth 1279 Ass
  • Attenobrithte, Attenhouebrighte 1273 Ass
  • Noubrich 1354 Ipm
  • Neobright 1364 FF

Etymology

It is probable that this name is a compound of norð and fyrhþe , 'woodland,' though the forms with br appear much earlier than in Pirbright supra 144. This may, however, be due to the exceptionally difficult sound combination rthfr . Occasional loss of n is due to mis-division of the name atten Norbright as atten Orbright . Initial l is difficult to account for, but cf. Limbo Fm (PN Sx 117).