Chewton Bunny
Chewton Bunny, Christchurchcounty:
coords:
Dorset
SZ2193
county:
Hampshire
CHEWTON BUNNY in Highcliffe-on-Sea
Cope (1883: 12-13) notes that 'bunny' is a specialized term of the New Forest area, of unknown origin, for a narrow rift or valley, what is called on Isle of Wight or in Bournemouth a 'chine' (Old English 'cinu'). This 'bunny' is at 'Chewton' (about 1170 'Chiventon' 1247 'Chuuton' 1280 'Chyveton')='Ceofa's farm', or perhaps, as Ekwall suggests, 'Cifa's'. There is also a 'Beckton Bunny' in Hordle, and records of one in Exbury (1609 'Bunn(e)y meade, coppice, Bonnye') and a 'Bunny Copse' in Mottisfont, where the bunny is recorded as early as 1466 ('le Bony'). Cf also Young (1957: 191).
