Dibden Purlieu
Dibden Purlieu, Hythe and Dibdencounty:
coords:
Hampshire
SU4006
otherwise: Dibden in purlieu, 1486
DIBDEN PURLIEU
'Dibden' Old English 'Deopdenu'='deep valley', with voicing assimilation of 'p' to a following 'd'.
The 'purlieu' (Anglo Norman 'purale'='perambulation') was an area around the nucleus of the New Forest. Technically it was land removed from the forest in the 14th century when the forest boundaries as established by perambulations about 1300, reaffirmed 1327, were acknowledged (with more or less reluctance) by succeeding kings. In practice the king retained or claimed, certain rights in the area, and the activities of the royal foresters in enforcing forest law there were a matter of great resentment. 'Purlieu' as a place name element is also seen in the names of 'Purlieu' in Sopley 'Holbury Purlieu' in Fawley, and 'Brune's Purlieu' and 'Ogden's Purlieu' in Ashley Walk, for example.
