Somerford is a name of Old English origin and the interpretation is obvious: "summer river-crossing".Gelling, Margaret (1984) Place-Names in the Landscape. London: J. M. Dent , p. 69 This probably means that the River Penk near this point was only fordable in the summer.Cameron, Kenneth (1996) English Place Names. London: Batsford , p.176. The manor of Somerford was held from the 1120s, when Henry I granted land there to Richard de Somerford, until 1705 by the Somerford family, named after their place of residence.
