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.

Groundwell Ho

Early-attested site in the Parish of Blunsdon

Historical Forms

  • (a) Grundewylle 962 BCS1093 c.1200
  • Grundewlle 1242 Fees 1294 Rental
  • Grundewell(e) 1249,1268 Ass 1257 For 1277 Rental 1428 FA
  • Grundewull' 1279 Ct
  • (b) Grindewylle 962 BCS1093 c.1250
  • Gryndewelle 1281 Ass
  • (c) Grendewelle 1086 DB
  • (d) Groundewelle 1289 Ass
  • (e) Grundwelle 1332 SR
  • (f) Groundwell 1339 Ipm
  • (g) Grondewelle 1356 Pat

Etymology

Groundwell Ho is (a ) Grundewylle 962 (c. 1200) BCS 1093, Grundewlle 1242 Fees, 1294Rental , Grundewell (e )1249, 1268Ass , 1257For , 1277Rental , 1428 FA, Grundewull '1279Ct , (b ) Grindewylle 962 (c. 1250) BCS 1093, Gryndewelle 1281Ass , (c ) Grendewelle 1086 DB, (d ) Groundewelle 1289Ass , (e ) Grundwelle 1332SR , (f ) Groundwell 1339 Ipm et passim , (g ) Grondewelle 1356 Pat.This is a spring and not a stream (v. wielle ). The first element is uncertain. The series of forms (a ), (d )—(g ) suggest initial grunde , others are in favour of grynde . grund-wielle might mean 'deep spring,' but even then we should have expected grund rather than grunde in the early forms. There is an OE  poetic word grynde which means abyss; possibly the words have been confused.