English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Sesswell's Barton

Major Settlement in the Parish of Steeple Barton

Historical Forms

  • Bertone 1086 DB
  • Bertona c.1210 Bodl
  • Bertun' Odun 1220 Fees
  • Berton' Odonis, Berton' Ede 1242–3 Fees
  • Berton Goede 1273–4 RH
  • Berton Roede 1275–6 RH
  • Berton Rede 1428 FA
  • Bartona c.1215,1245 Os
  • Bartona Odonis 1245 Os
  • Odebartona 1247 FF, Os
  • Barton Ede 1278–9 RH 1316 FA 1334 Ch
  • Barthone Odonis 1280 Os
  • Ode Bartone 1293–4 StJohn
  • Ode Barton 1320 Ch
  • Barton Oede 1337 Cl
  • Barton Odonis 1338 Cl 1389 Os
  • Barton Eudonis 1350 Cl
  • Barthona O(u)donis 1350 Os
  • Barton Sharshill 1517 DInc
  • Seswell Barton 1797 Davis

Etymology

v. beretūn : the earliest form for Westcot Barton (250) suggests that this group of names contains *bærtūn , with the same meaning.

The parish of Steeple Barton contains the two manors of Great Barton and Sesswell Barton formerly Barton Odonis . Great Barton is so called in distinction to Westcot or Little Barton , and was sometimes called Barton St John from the family de Sancto Johanne , who had land there in the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries. Barton Odonis takes its suffix from Odo de Bertona, who grants land there c. 1210Bodl . It became Sesswell Barton from William de Shareshull , who is given free warren there 1334 Ch and land 1350 Cl. An early stage in the transformation of the last name is seen in a letter of Sir Thomas More dated 1530, where it is called “the manor of Sharshelberton in the parishe of Stepleberton.”