Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Wistetestune 1086 DB

• Wichtrichestona, Wythticheston 1096–1101 Chest 1280

• Witrecheston 1096–1101 ib

• Wihcdrest' 1175 Facs

• Wictredest' 1194 AddCh

• Wict(e)riddiston c.1230–40,c.1250–60 Orm2

• Wiarediston c.1230–40 Orm2

• Wicretaist' c.1230–40 Orm2

• Wicliddiston c.1230–40 Orm2

• Wictreest' 1241 MRA

• Wyctristun c.1260 Orm2

• Wictruston 1316 ib

• Wictriston 1515 Plea

• Wystglteston 1260–72 AddCh 14

• Wit'ruston E1 Orm2

• Wyghterston 1303 Orm2 1579 Dugd

• Wisturnston 1316 Orm2

• Wyzterston 1343 Orm2

• Wysterston 1414 ib

• Wisterston 1606 Sheaf

• Whigtreston 1350 Orm2

• Wyterston(e) 1400 ChRR, CampbCh

• Wytereston 1422 Orm2

• Wyghtreton 1409 Plea

• Wightreton 1468 MinAcct

• Whitreton 1507 ib

• Wyghtreson 1418 Plea

• Wyghterson 1450 AddCh

• Wyghterton other ways called Wyksterston 1442 Orm2

• Wexturston 1489 AddCh

• Wixsterston 1505 ChRR

• Wiksterston alias Wyxsterston 1532 Plea

• Wighstretton 1471,1486 MinAcct 1553 Pat

• Whistretton 1488 MinAcct

• Wightstretton 1486 MinAcct

• Whit(e)stretton 1487,1488 ib

• Whitetreton 1507 MinAcct

• Wixstaston 1511 AddCh 1516 ChEx 1553,1557,1559 Orm2

• Wixtaston 1557 ib

• Wigstaston 1628 1702 AddCh 1724 NotCestr

• Wixs'ton 1512 Orm2

• Wighsterston 1513 ChEx

• Wighsterton 1513,1515 ChEx

• Wyxsterton, Wixsterton 1515,1522 Plea 1516 ChEx

• Wixterton 1542 AddCh

• Wictrison 1528 Plea

• Wygsterston 1551 ChRR

• Wigsterston 1579 Dugd

• Wisterson 1819 Orm1 1860 White

Etymology

'Wihtrēd's farm', from the OE  pers.n. Wihtrēd and tūn. OE  *Wihtrēdestūn , by numerous combinations of AN and ME  assimilation, dissimilation, metathesis and elision in the groups -htr (e )-, -r (e )d (e )s -, -(e )d (e )st -, leads to a variety of forms. In some of them, the first el. has been identified with the OE  pers.n. Wihtrīc . Orm2 iii 487 states that Willaston township, 'variously written Willaston, Wightreston, Wisterson, Wigstanton and Wistaston', is divided between Nantwich and Wybunbury parishes, and that it was originally two manors. The name of this part has been confused with that of the other, Willaston 78infra , and of Wistaston 45infra .Wisterson is here identified with the northern, Nantwich, half of Willaston township, because Birchin Lane infra was in Wisterson manor, and so was Cheney Hall 39supra (near Beam St. in Nantwich).Moreover, the proximity of this half of Willaston to Wistaston 45infra makes confusion of their names the more likely. Under Willaston 78infra , the suffix '-iuxta Alvandeston (Alvaston)' may denote that part of the township which was in the manor of Wisterson .