Seabeach
Early-attested site in the Parish of Boxgrove
Historical Forms
- Seuebech c.1187 Box 1288 Ass
- Suuebeche 12th Box
- Suuebeych 1332 SR
- Senebeche 1329,1337 Ipm
- Sebeche al. Sewenbeche 1521 SRS14,121
Etymology
Possibly 'seven beeches,' cf. Sevenoaks (K), Sevenash (D) and (possibly) seofanæc BCS 778. Beeches are very common in this neighbourhood. The Sene - spellings are probably errors of transcription for Seue -. For the phonological development cf. Seaborough (So), DB Seueberge and (Ess) Seueberghe 1293 FF. In the latter it is clear that one has a pers. name Seofa as the first element, and such may possibly be found in Seabeach also. As Seabeach is in a well-marked valley we may have as the second element OE bece , 'stream,' used in the sense of 'valley,' cf. Beach infra 427. In that case it is clear that the first element is a pers. name.