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.

Bravoniacum

Early-attested site in the Parish of Kirkby Thore

Historical Forms

  • Ravonia 7 Rav

Etymology

Bravoniacum (lost), Brovonacis 4 Antlt, Braboniaco 4 NotDig, Ravonia 7 Rav, Brauniaco CIL viii, 4800, the name of the Roman station at Kirkby Thore at grid 83–637256, the site being now called Burwens (infra ); the site of Whelp Castle (infra ) is also here, cf. Ferguson 44–5 and RCHM 144–6. It lies just north of the Roman road, High Street (Road I, i, 19 supra ). K. Jackson in JRS xxxviii, 54–8 interprets the name as 'estate of Bravonius ' or possibly 'place of querns'.