Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• theginga de Rysemore 1275 RH
• hundr' de Haselore et Rys(sh)emor(e) 1278 QW 1288 Ass
• (hund' de) Ryss(h)emor(e) 1285 FA 1425 Cl
• Ris(s)emor(e) 1288 Ass 1316 FA 1319 MinAcct
• Riss(t)hemor(e) 1314 Ipm 1319 Ct
• tethyng de Russhemore, hundr' de Haselore et Russhemor' 1278 QW
• villata de Russemor(e), hund' de Russemor(e) 1280 Ass
• (hund' de) Runsmor(e) (sic) 1296 Ipm
• Rus(s)(c)h(e)mor(e) 1307 1323 Ct
• Russemor(e), Rossemor(e) 1342 Pat
• hund' de Haselore et Russhemour 1327 SR
• hundred of Russheme and Hasellore 1509 BrEll
• Ruys(he)mo(r) 1546 Ct
• Ruysmore 1408 Midd
• Russhemore 1546 Lane
• Rus(h)mo(o)re (Lane) 1671 Drax, 1686, 1698 Pick
• Rush Moor 1845 TA (Bloxworth)

Etymology

'Marshy ground where rushes grow', from risc, rysc and mōr . According to Hutch3 1 336 (and earlier Hutch1 1 122), Rushmore is 'a small spot of ground, near a gate of the same name, planted with ash-trees, near Winterborne; a meadow or two there is called by the same name. It is in the parish of Morden, between Bloxworth and Winterborne, on the confines of the three parishes'; it is Ruysmore 1408Midd , Russhemore 1546Lane , Rus (h )mo (o )re (Lane )1671Drax , 1686, 1698Pick , Rush Moor 1845TA (Bloxworth). Fägersten 72 identifies the name Rushmore with an lang riscemeres 943 (15) ShaftR (S 490) 'along the rushy pool' (or 'stream', v. mere 1 , Tengstrand 262), apparently used to describe that part of the OE bdy of Mapperton (in Almer par. supra ) formed by a small tributary of R. Winterborne rising at Botany Bay Barn in Bloxworth par. near to the area called Rushmore; Fägersten loc. cit. takes *Riscmere to be the original name and simply assumes later confusion of mere 1 with mōr . Anderson 122 follows this identification, but instead considers the charter form -meres to be corrupt for -mores . On the other hand, it is perhaps unnecessary to assume identification of the two forms; *Riscmere and *Riscmōr may well be independent names, each referring to a different feature of this marshy area (cf. the nearby Marsh Fm & Marsh Lane in Bloxworth par., and Marsh Bridge in Morden par.).