Bretforton
Major Settlement in the Parish of Bretforton
Historical Forms
- Bretfertona 709 BCS125 c.1200
- Brotfortun 716 BCS130 16th
- Bradferdtuna c.860 KCD289(iii.396) c.1200
- Bratfortune 1086 DB
- Brotfortona c.1086 EveA 1190
- Bretfortone 13th ChronEve
- Bratforton 1235 FF 14th ChronEve
- Bradforton 1249 FF 1346 FA
- Bretferton 1250 FF
- Brefferton 1251 Ch
- Bretforton 1275 SR
- Bretfordton 1286 Wigorn
- Bretfordon 1365 FF
- Brodforton 1546 Marr
Etymology
The first two forms are of no authority and count for little in the solution of this difficult name. We may compare its forms with those of Harvington in Oswaldslow Hundred supra 134, where we saw how medial -ford - might be weakened to -ferd - and -verd -. If the second element is ford , the first may possibly be brad , 'broad,' with later unvoicing of d to t before f . The development of the Bret-forms would be however quite irregular and could only be explained as due to some confusion, e.g. with Bretford (Wa).