Highcomb Bottom
Early-attested site in the Parish of Thursley
Historical Forms
- hegcumbe 909 BCS627
- Hackham Bottom or Devil's Punch Bowl 1765 R
Etymology
Highcomb Bottom (alias The Devil's Punch Bowl). This is the hegcumbe of 909 (BCS 627), v. supra 165 n. Later references are Heycomb (e ) bottom 1647, 1698, 1718MinAcct , Haycombottom 1671 Musters, Highcomb bottome 1695Deed , Hackham Bottom 1729 Senex. The meaning is 'hay combe' rather than 'high combe,' and it refers to the meadow land at the northern entrance to the combe. Manning and Bray (ii, 40), with no intention of suggesting this etymology, note that in the Bottom “are a few strips of grass land watered by a small rivulet.” The alternative name, which is the one in general use now, refers to the deep circular valley here (Hackham Bottom or Devil 's Punch Bowl 1765 R). Cf. The Devil's Jumps supra 180.