Bastwood
Early-attested site in the Parish of Eastham
Historical Forms
- Bestwde 1086 DB
- Hastwude (sic) 1255 Ass
- Bastwode 1255 Ass 1294 Ipm 1303,1330 FF 1405 IpmR 1409 HanleyCharters
- Bastwood 1578 WillsP 1653–5 FF
- Estenore 1199 Cur
- Bestenor' 1200 ib
Etymology
The site of the manor house was on that of the present Eastham Grange (VCH iv. 270). The most probable explanation of this name is that the full form of it was in OE bī ēastan wuda , 'east of the wood,' and that at a later date the preposition and noun were run together. That was certainly the case with other similar names. The district of Wells now known as East Wells was in early documents (v. HMC Report on the MSS of Wells , ii. 883) known as Byestwalle , Bestwalles , Biestwalls meaning really 'east of the walls,' and there is also a Bestwall in East Stoke (Do) which has early forms Beastewelle DB, Byestewalle 1316 FA, Beestwall 1431 FA and must have had a similar history. Heming (251) mentions a Bufawudu next to Eastham. This must be for OE bufan-wuda , 'above the wood,' and suggests that there were two places which took their name in relation to this wood, Bastwood and a lost Bovewood .Cf. also Southwood in Shelsley Beauchamp infra 76. Bestnover (Sx) is Estenore (1199 Cur), Bestenor ' (1200 ib.).