Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Balgrene 1499 WCR4

• Balegrene 1525 ib

• Ballgreene 1624 Greave 1650 WillS 1665 Visit

• Ball Green 1665 HAS 1709 WMB

• Baulgreen 1750 TaxS

Etymology

Ball Green, Balgrene 1499WCR 4, Balegrene 1525 ibid, Ballgreene 1624 Greave, 1650 WillS, 1665 Visit, Ball Green 1665 HAS 10, 229, 1709 WMB, Baulgreen 1750 TaxS. Like le Balgrene 78 supra , Ball Green is a compound of ball and grēne 2 and probably denotes 'a green where some ball-game was played', possibly in some such sense as e.ModE  bowling-green which is first evidenced in 1646 (NED s.v.). The name probably suggested to the builder of the present house (erected in 1634) the device of three stone balls mounted on pedestals over the arch of its fine gateway; the name is certainly not derived from that fact.