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.

Pensham

Early-attested site in the Parish of Pershore St Andrew

Historical Forms

  • Pedneshamme 972 BCS1282 c.1050
  • Pendesham 1086 DB 1190 P 1327 SR
  • Pednesham a.1198 AOMB61 15th
  • Pennesham 1231 Pat
  • Pensham, Pensam 16th Wills

Etymology

Ritter (192, n. 3) has shown that in this name we have a pers. name Peden , an n -derivative of a pers. name Peda found in pedan-hrycg (BCS 820), now Pettridge (K). To the examples of such derivatives collected there we may add from the Stevenson MSS, Berhteningleag (BCS 442), Cægineshamm (Ethelweard), now Keynsham (So) from Cæg (PN BedsHu 15), and possibly Motenesoran (BCS 699) and Drocenesford (BCS 393), now Droxford (Ha). From post-Conquest material we have DB Edenestou now Edwinstowe (Nt). See further Introd. xxiii.

The hamm refers to a bend in the Avon.

Places in the same Parish

Early-attested site