Coundon
Major Settlement in the Parish of Coundon
Historical Forms
- Condone, Condelme 1086 DB
- Cundelma 1172 P
- Cundelme 1255 Spencer 1262
- Cundealme c.1185 Ch 1348
- Cundeaume 1202 FF
- Cumdiauim (sic) 1195 Cur
- Cumdelme, Delme 1221 Pap
- Cundulme 1247 Ass 1257 Ch 1318 Queen's
- Nethercundulme 1304 Ass
- Condulme 1279 Nott 1332 SR 1436 IpmR
- Condolme 1257 Monast 1277 Queen's
- Cundolme 1272,1299 Ass
- Cundulph 1262 Ass
- Coundolme 1282 Queen's 1299 Ass
- Coundholm 1297 FF
- Coundulme 1306 Queen's 1332 Ass 1339 ADv 1365 Coventry 1372 FF 1409 Cl 1410 LeetBk
- Coundulme juxta Coventre 1318 Ass
- Coundulmewode 1336 Coventry
- Coundulmfelde 1335 ib
- Condulmen 1367 FF
- Coundelme juxta Allesleye 1384 ib
- Coumdon 1380 Pat
- Cundull 1392 Pat
- Coundull 1393 IpmR
- Coundon 1411 FF
- Counden 1542 LP 1547 Monast
- Counden al. Cunden 1787 Recov
- Couldon 1545 LP
- Cowndon 1657 FF
Etymology
With respect to this difficult name, it would perhaps be well to adopt Dugdale's attitude (85), “so that, in regard the name at that time is so variously recorded: and altered, out of doubt, by corrupt pronunciation what it first was, I shall not trouble my self to guess at the Etymology thereof.” If we do allow ourselves some liberty of guessing, we may note that Coundon stands on a well-marked hill which may have been known as helm . Cf. Helm in Felton (PN NbDu no), from OE helm , and The Elms in Ewyas Harold (PN He 68) which may go back to OFr heaume . One is on and the other by a well-marked isolated hill. A well-marked hill, though not an isolated one, may similarly have given rise to Helme Park in Wolsingham (PN NbDu loc. cit .). It is difficult to say whether such hills were called 'helm' or, in French 'heaume ,' because they were thought to resemble helmets or because they were the top or crown of the land. If that is the second element in Coundon, it is clear that helm , largely perhaps because of the influence of the OFr cognate heau (l )me , underwent extensive corruption. The first element may be the well-established OE pers. name Cunda , found not only by itself but also in the early compound names Cundwalh , Cundigeorn . Hence possibly 'Cunda 's hill.'