Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Grantacaestir c.730 Bede
• Grantacester c.1000 OEBede
• Grantaceaster 1170 LibEl
• Granteceaster c.1050 Guthlac
• Grantecestre 12th HH
• Grantecester 1170 LibEl
• grontabricc c.745 Felix 9th
• Grontebrugae 12th Ord
• (to) Grantanbrycge 921 ASC c.925 ASC 875 ASC c.1000 ASC 875 c.1100 875 c.1150
• Grantanbricge c.970 ASCh
• (to) Grantebrycge 875 ASC c.890 LibEl c.970 12th
• (to) Grántebricge 876 ASC c.1050 LibEl 1170
• Grántebrygge ib.
• Grántebrig(g)e 1086 InqEl 1285 Ass
• Grantebrice 1086 InqEl
• Græntebrigge 1186 P
• Grantabricge 1010 ASC c.1050 ASC 1010 c.1100
• Grantabrycge 1010 ASC c.1200
• Grauntebryge 1272 Ass
• Grentebrige 1086 DB
• Grenteburga 1086 ICC
• Grentebrigge 1187 P
• Cantebrigie, Cantebrigia 1086 InqEl
• Cantebrigge 1185 P
• Cantebrigge 1540 Ct
• Cantibridge 1639 CHuASiv
• Kantebrig 1196 FF
• Cantabrigia, Cantabrigie 1107 YCh 1605 CCh
• Canteburge 1191 France 1201 CCh
• Canteberg' 1201 P
• Kanteberge 1212 ANG
• Crantebr' 1219 FF
• Cauntebrig' 1230 P
• Cauntebrugge 1351 Pat
• Kauntebrigg 1232 FF
• Kauntebregge 1302 Ipm
• Cantrebrigg 1322 Pat
• Cantelbrigg 1390 FF
• Canterbrigge 1454 Annals
• Caumbrig(g)e 1348 Works 1458 Paston
• Cawmbregge 1406 Cl
• Kawmbrege 1449 Paston
• Cambrugge 1378 Cl
• Cambregge 1412 Pat 1552 Pat
• Camberage 1473 Paston
• Camebrygge 1478 ib
• Caunbrigg(e) 1386 Cl 1396 Pat
• Caundebrugg 1405 ib
• Cawnbrygg 1461 Paston
• Kair-Grant, id est, Granteceastria, quæ modo dicitur Cantebrigia (Grantebrigia) 12th HH
• Caergrant, id est, Cantebrugge 15th Higden
• Caergraunte, Cambrige, Caergrant þat is Cantebrigge 15th Trevisa
• Warda ultra Pontem 1312 SR
• Bruggewarde 1086 InqEl
• Warda citra Pontem 1312 SR
• Hey(e)warde ib.
• (Ballivo) Alti Wardi 1510 CBD
• Warda de foro 1312 SR
• (Ballivo) Wardi Mercati 1510 CBD
• Trumpton' warde 1298 Ass
• Warda Predicatorum 1491 CBD
• Melnewarde 1298 Ass
• Warda de Melnestrate 1312 SR
• Melneward et Neunham 1327 SR
• Mellewarde cum Newenham 1336 SR
• Bernewellewarde 1336 SR

Etymology

The further forms now collected serve only to confirm Skeat's etymology. Originally 'the Roman fort on the Granta,' later 'the bridge over the Granta,' v. Granta supra 6, ceaster , brycg . Caergrant is a Welsh  version of Grantaceaster , Brit  caer , 'fort,' cf. Colchester (PN Ess 369). The normal development of Grantaceaster would be to Gran (t )chester (the modern village of this name has a different origin, v. infra 75). The site of a Norman castle and the centre of Norman administration in the county, the town was subject to strong Norman influence which affected the development of the name. Initial Gr - became Cr - and the r was lost through distant dissimilation in the combination r --n --r in Crantebrigge . Cf. IPN 114. The only serious criticism of Skeat's etymology, as originally put forward, was the absence of such forms as Crantebr ' and the invariable initial Gr - in Grantchester. The former, though still illustrated only by a solitary example, is now supported by Cantrebrigg and Cantelbrigg and by certain forms for Grantchester showing a similar development, Crantesete , Crauncestre , Cantesete and Gantesete and by Graudene for Croydon, Cret (t )on and Crytton for Girton, Crethowe for Grethowe (infra 177) and Crendon for Grendon (infra 87) and also Camelinga , etc. for Gamlingay infra 160. From Cantebrigge the development is normal, a simplification of the consonant-group ntbr to nbr , assimilation to mbr , a nasalising and a lengthening of the vowel.For -burge from -bruge , v. Introd. xxxvi.