Owslebury
county:
coords:
Hampshire
SU5123
otherwise: oselbyrig, 963-975; Oselbury, 1185; Oselebery, 1245; Oslebergh, 1272
OWSLEBURY
Old English 'blackbird fort'. It is curious that the Old English name appears to be a direct compound of the two words, though some 13th or 14th century forms suggest hypothetical 'Oselaburh'='blackbirds' fort'. No earthwork is known to me. The village is on top of a hill from which the ground falls away on all sides.
The place is described in text Cobbett 1830
... said to the farmer, 'What is that coming up the valley? is it smoke, or is it a cloud?' The day had been very fine hitherto; the sun was shining very bright where we were. the farmer answered, 'Oh, it's smoke; it comes from Ouselberry, which is down in that bottom behind those trees.' ...
Shown on an old map by Harrison 1788
- settlement, hamlet - Fawley Hundred - Hampshire
Period - 1780s
Shown on an old map by Badeslade 1742
- settlement, village - Hampshire
Period - 1740s
Shown on an old map by Morden 1695
- settlement, village - Fawley Hundred - Hampshire
Period - 1690s-1720s
Shown on an old map by Blaeu 1645
- settlement, village - Fawley Hundred - Hantshire
Shown on an old map by Speed 1611
- settlement, village - Fawley Hundred - Hantshire
Shown on an old map by Norden 1607
- settlement, village - Fawley Hundred - Hamshire
Period - 1590s-1600s
Shown on an old map by Saxton 1575
- settlement, village - Southamtoniae
Listed in Domesday Book
- Falelie Hundred - Hantscire
Period - 11th century
