Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Chota Ordrici 1096–1101(1280),1150 Chest

• Cotha Ordrici 1188–91 ib

• Ordrychescotes 1295 Ch

• Ordrichescotes 1295 CRC, Chest

• Cotun 13 Vern

• Coton 13,1228 Vern 1473 Dav

• Coton besyde Crystelton 1470 ib

• Coton iuxta Cristilton 1473 ib

• Magna Coton 1324 Plea 1435 ChRR

• Abbottescoton' 1440 Rental

• Cotes 13 Vern c.1230 AD 1321 City

• le Cotis 13 Vern

• le Cotes 1266 Dugd 1402 ChRR

• Magna Cotes 1249–1323 Chest

• Coten' 13 Vern

• Cotene 1287,1288 Court

• Magna Coten, Cotene Abbatis, Abbots Cotene, Abbotescoten 1288 ib

• Cotton 1325 Orm2 1503 Plea 1535 VE 1581 ChRR 1719,1775 Sheaf

• Cotton neghe Cristylton 1547 Vern

• Cotton iuxta C(h)ristleton 1584,1591 ChRR

• Cotton ex parte Abbatis 1471 MinAcct 1555 Orm2

• Cotton iuxta Stanford Brugge 1509 ib

• Cotton Abbots 1508 ChRR

• Abbotts Cotton 1539–47 Dugd

• Abbottes Cotton 1547 MinAcct

• Abbot Cotton 1656 Orm2

• Cotton Abbot 1739 LRMB264

• Abbots Caton 1546 Dugd

• Cottyn 1547 Vern

• Cotton Hook(e), Cotton Abbot(ts) alias Cotton Hook(e), Cotton Hook(e) alias Cotton Abbotts 1708,1709 Dep 1739 LRMB264

• Cotton Abbots or Cotton Hook(e) 1831 Bry

• Cotton Hook 1819 Orm2

• mansion called Cotton Hook 1831 Hem 1839 TAMap415 1842 OS

• Cotton Abbots cum Stanford 1724 NotCestr

Etymology

'At the cottages, at the shelters', from cot (dat.pl. cotum , nom.pl. cotu , ME  nom.pl. cotes , cf. Studies3 30). For other forms cf. Cotton Edmunds 112infra , Emper Cotton 110supra . Cotton Abbotts belonged to the abbots of Chester, v. abbat . It is first referred to as 'Ordrīc's shelters', or 'Ordrīc's part of Cotton', named from one Ordricus (OE  Ordrīc ) who was a serf granted to the abbey together with his home 1096–1101 Chest i3. It was also distinguished from Cotton Edmunds as 'Great Cotton', v. magna . The township is called Cotton Abbots cum Stanford 1724 NotCestr, and formerly in- cluded Stamford Mill 112infra , as in Bryant's map 1831. The forms without affix are difficult to ascribe, and are all included here though many may refer to Cotton Edmunds. The hall at Cotton Abbotts was named Cotton Hook , from its position on a slight elevation, v. hōc .