Warminster, Wiltshire Beggars Bush 1581

EPNS Wiltshire gives this name from papers of Corpus Christi College, Oxford. It also says these included Coldharbour, as Coleharborow, aka Gooseland 1609, which is recorded as La Goslonde as early as 1292,. The name does not appear on any later maps or records. The editors of EPNS describe it as a term of contempt.

The archivist at Corpus Christi College has been unable to trace any relevant papers. The phrase Beggars Bush was certainly known at Corpus Christi by 1609 as it is used in a letter dated 22nd October 1609 from Brian Twyne, a student there.

Cold Harbour, and a lane called Cold Harbour Lane are on the outskirts of Warminster at ST864455. The fields to the north are now the playing fields for Warminster School, and would not be an attractive place to camp. They are flat low lying ground, near a stream. The area is open to the elements, seems to offer little natural shelter, and is (and would have been) close to woodland which would offer much more.

Coldharbour is certainly a derogatory name but it isn’t possible from EPNS to know whether the names occurred together geographically or just in the same papers. The goose~ may derive from occupation by geese but may be another derogatory name. Goose meaning simpleton is known from 1547.  This would fit with the literary use of the phrase Beggars Bush as a place to which people went through their own folly.

Sources

EPNS Wiltshire, p.159, (quoting papers of Corpus Christi College, which the archivist there has been unable to trace. The earliest reference in 1292 is given as from Longleat Archives).

Coates, R, ‘Coldharbour – for the last time?’ Nomina, vol 8, 1984, p.73.

Thanks

John Pile

Posted: March 13th, 2011 | Filed under: Places | Tags: Brian Twyne, Coldharbour, Oxford, Warminster, Wiltshire, derogatory, early sites, proverb | No Comments »