Hursley
county:
coords:
Hampshire
SU4225
otherwise: Herselega Episcopi, 1167; Hurseleye, 1171
HURSLEY
Smith (English Place Name Elements, I: 276) accepts Ekwall's suggestion that there was a lost hypothetical Old English form 'hyrse'='mare', which would account for this place name far better than 'hors'='horse'. Probably therefore hypothetical Old English 'Hyrsanleah'='mare clearing/wood'. It was part of the Bishop of Winchester's Merdon manor hence 'Episcopi'. 'Merdon' was 1138 'Merdona' 1184 'Meredon' apparently 'Maera's hill' according to Gover, because it is on no known boundary (gemaere) and there is no pond (mere) there. But why not from 'miere'='mare', confirming the parish name (the reason for the duplication being obscure) and accounting for the 1167 form 'Merendon(a)' from hypothetical 'Mierenadun'='hill of mares'?
Shown on an old map by Harrison 1788
- settlement, hamlet - Buddlesgate Hundred - Hampshire
Period - 1780s
Shown on an old map by Morden 1695
- settlement, village - Budlesgate Hundred - Hampshire
Period - 1690s-1720s
Shown on an old map by Ogilby 1675
- settlement, village - Hampshire
Shown on an old map by Blaeu 1645
- settlement, hamlet - Budlesgate Hundred - Hantshire
Shown on an old map by Speed 1611
- settlement, hamlet - Budlesgate Hundred - Hantshire
Shown on an old map by Norden 1607
- settlement, village - Budlesgate Hundred - Hamshire
Period - 1590s-1600s
Shown on an old map by Saxton 1575
- settlement, village - Southamtoniae
