Bridger's Pond
Early-attested site in the Parish of Harting
Historical Forms
- atte Brugg 1350 Cl
- atte Linch 1327 SR
Etymology
Bridger's Pond (6″) perhaps takes its name from the family of Domenic atte Brugg (1350 Cl). The clue to this type of personal name development and many other similar ones in Sussex is to be found in the fact that a man who is called Robert atte Linch in 1327 (SR) appears in 1332 (SR) as Robert Lincher .From this it is clear that a ME second or sur-name could be formed from a place-name by adding the suffix -er , denoting simply that the person bearing that name had to do with the particular place. Another clear example is the Sussex pers. name Rumbridger , deriving from the place-name Rumbridge , v. infra 88. On this basis we have a pers. name Coumber , from cumb , found in Cumber's Fm infra 45 and in the form Combers for Coombe Place in Hamsey infra 315, Croucher from ME crouche, and many others.