Burcombe
Major Settlement in the Parish of Burcombe
Historical Forms
- Brydancumb 937 BCS714 13th
- Bredecumbe 1086 DB
- Bredecoumbe 1325 Pat
- Brudecumba 1225etpassimto1428 FA
- Northbrudekumbe juxta Bereford 1282 Ass
- Northbrudycombe 1319 FF
- Southbrudecombe 1345 Ass
- Bridecumbe 1302 Sarum
- Bridcombe 1316 FA
- Bruddecombe 1443–50 ECP
- Northbritcombe 1481 BM
- Birdecombe 1526 Ct
- Burcombe 1535 VE
- Brudcombe alias Burcom 1539 Moulton
Etymology
It would seem that in this name, in Bridmore supra 201 and the associated Brydingadic there noted, we must have a common element brȳda and it is difficult to see how this can be anything other than a personal name as suggested by Ekwall (DEPN). If brȳd , 'bride,' were the first element, then the Saxon form should be brydecumb and not brydancumb , and we should hardly expect a compound brydingadic , 'ditch of the bride's people.' Just how such a personal name arose it is difficult to say. The most probable rendering therefore is 'Bryda 's valley,' v. cumb .