Bridgwater

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A market town in Somerset in southwestern England, historically known for its port on the River Parrett and its role in the English Civil War
2. A town in the county of Somerset in southwestern Britain, formerly an important harbor and site of significant historical events including the Monmouth Rebellion
3. A historic market town located in Somerset in the southwest of England, notable for its riverside location and its importance as a medieval trading center

Etymology: Bridgwater is a town in Somerset, England, and its name is a compound of two Old English elements that have nothing to do with a mill or a water feature in the usual sense. The first part is "bryċġ", meaning "bridge", and the second is a personal name, Walter. The town was once known in records as Brigewaltier, which shows the name's two halves clearly: a bridge built by, or belonging to, a man called Walter. That man was Walter of Douai, a landowner whose name was attached to the crossing and the settlement that grew around it. Names of this type, combining a landmark with the name of a local holder, were common in medieval England, so the pattern is typical even though the particular bridge is specific to this place. The surname-like ending "-water" that remains in the modern spelling is the Walter element, worn down over the centuries into the familiar form the town carries today.