Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• War(e)burgetune, War(e)burgetone 1086 DB

• Warburg(h)ton(e) e15 Orm2 1464 LRODx

• Wereburtuna 1150 Chest

• Werburtona super Merse 1190–1211 Cott.NerocIII

• Werbertune, Werberton(a), Werburton(a) 12,l12,e13(17) Orm2

• Werburthon l13 LRODx

• Werburtun 1346 VR

• Werbirton c.1275 Chol

• Werbreton c.1536 Leland

• Warburtona supra Merse l12 Dugd

• Warburton l12 Orm2 17 MidCh 1340

• Warberton 1349(1576),1404 ChRR

• Warbyrton 1393 ib

• Weberton 1304 Chamb 1403 Pat

• Weburton 1415 ChRR

• Werburgtuna c.1311 Chest

• Werburghton 1337 Eyre

• Werbeton 1323 Plea

• Werblyton 1352 BPR

• Warbulton 1439 Cl 1447 Pat

Etymology

'Wǣrburg's farm', from the OE  fem. pers.n. Wǣrburg , v. tūn . The p.n. appears to have prompted the dedication to St Werburgh (Wǣrburg , the Mercian saint and princess, d.700–707) of the chapel (now St Werburg's church) of a convent of Premonstratensian canons established here in the twelfth century, and later incorporated in Cockersands Abbey La, cf. Sanctae Werburgae (Werberge ) de Werburton (Werbertun ) et canonicis Premonstratensis ordinis ibidem (deo servientibus ) and Sancte Werburge et capelle sue de Werburt ' R1 or John Orm2, capella de Werburton 1271 Orm2, cf. also Abbey Croft infra . It has also suggested a connection with the place æt Weard byrig 915 ASC(C) fortified, with Runcorn 176infra , by Æþelflǣd, lady of the Mercians, v. Sheaf3 39 (8445). It might be convenient to find that place in this district, cf. F. T. Wainwright, 'North-West Mercia, 871–924', LCHS 94 3–55, and my remarks in Saga-Book xiv 313. Warburton is beside the Mersey, the old frontier between Mercia & Northumbria. Of course, the tūn might not have been near the burh , or alternatively the unattractive site might have been abandoned in favour of Thelwall 138infra fortified in 919, and the disused works, which need not have been massive, may then have been regarded as a tūn 'enclosure', v. burh-tūn. Cf. Burford Lane 38infra . However, there is no record of archæological evidence of a fortification here, and the forms Wareburge -, Werebur - indicate the pers.n. Wǣrburg rather than the p.n. Weardburh .