The History of North Curry

North Curry Names

Borough Post - from old English word baerw meaning a sacred grove or burial mound.

The Fosse - Fossa - from Roman word meaning road protected by a ditch

Helland or Hillend - Hel from Old English word meaning hidden place.

Huntham - from Saxon name Hunna.

Knapp - from old English word Cnap meaning a round protruding hill.

Lillesdon - from Saxon name Lilla

Moredon - Moridunum of Roman origin meaning fortified place by the sea. Possibly the site of a Roman defensive earthwork that might have linked a Roman road that ran from the estuary of the Rivers Tone and Parrett to the River Axe in Devon.  Castra

Newport - from the old English word port meaning a market town.

North Curry - There are many theories which try to establish the origins of the name North Curry. During the centuries between the Roman occupation and the Saxon conquest the Celtic church was the influence for law and order thoughout the district. One of these theories suggests it derives from the name of St Cyrig, a Celtic bishop, who has been associated with North Curry as well as Curry Rivel, Curry Mallet, and East Curry (Stoke St Gregory). It is alleged he, with another monk, crossed the Bristol Channel, entered the estuary of the Parrett, and eventually came inland, landing on the shore below Lawnmoor Farm and established a small reed and wattle church. The Celtic words Llan and mere meaning church by the marsh.

This is sometimes disputed as the origin of the name Curry and others suggest it comes from the ancient British word Cors or Cos signifying a marsh or fen. Therefore – the lands about the marsh.

The spelling of North Curry has undergone numerous orthographical changes leading us to its present form. In Saxon Charters of 854 and 904 it is termed Curig. In the Domesday Survey and other old documents and manuscripts it is termed (Nort or Nord) Cori, Chori, Curi, and Cory

Thong Farm with its circular formation could be derived from Saxon times when ownership of land was acquired by enclosing as much land with thongs cut from a bulls hide.

Wrantage - from Saxon name Wrenna

 

For more information on the history of North Curry why not buy a copy of  "North Curry - A Place in History" by Angela Dix.  For details go to http://www.dixuk.com.