Furzton Street Names

Anne Baker brought out a series of books setting out the background to the street names of each ‘estate’ in Milton Keynes. I have the full series at home – and they make very interesting reading.

The two volumes dealing with “West of Watling Street” are Milton Keynes West and Milton Keynes South.

Ms Baker points out that the name Furzton “was taken from the old names of fields which previously covered this area. ‘Furze Ground’ is shown on the Ordnance Survey map 168 and,, with ‘Furze Field’, on a 1771 plan and survey of part of the Lordship of Shenley belonging to John Knapp.

The theme of the street names is “Exmoor” – where there are hamlets,  villages and towns called Allerford, Bampton, Barnstaple, Bickleigh, Bilbrook, Brendon, Brushford, Calverleigh, Carhampton,Cheriton, Cloutsham, Combe Martin, Dulverton, Dunster, Elmhurst, Exbridge, Hawkridge, Kingsbridge, Loxbeare, Luccombe, Luxborough, Lynmouth, Marwood, Morebath, Muddiford, Northleigh, Porlock, Selworthy, Shallowford, Shirwell, Simonsbath, Swimbridge, Timberscombe, Treborough, Trentishoe, Twitchen, Washfield, Watchet, and Withycombe.

There are hills in the area called Countisbury, Croydon, Dunkery Beacon, and Winsford