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.

Barham Cottages

Early-attested site in the Parish of Northiam

Historical Forms

  • Berham 1296,1327,1332 SR
  • Berhame 1343,1402 HMCVarvii
  • Berhamme 1347 ib
  • Beerham 1642 SRS14,127

Etymology

Barham Cottages (6″) is Berham 1296, 1327, 1332 SR (p), Berhame 1343, 1402 HMC Var vii, Berhamme 1347 ib. (p), Beerham 1642 SRS 14, 127. Possibly 'barley enclosure, ' v. bere , hamm , unless stress is to be laid on the long vowel suggested by the 1642 spelling, which would point to OE  baere, 'swine-pasture.'