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.

Atherstone

Major Settlement in the Parish of Atherstone

Historical Forms

  • Aderestone 1086 DB 1221,1262 Ass
  • Hadereston 1410 Pat
  • Atheredestone 1221 Ass 1239 FF
  • Atheradeston 1232 Ass
  • Aldredestuna, Adrestuna 1228 Bracton
  • Edrideston 1246 Ch
  • Atheringestun 1232 Ass
  • Arredeston 1246 FF
  • Ayereddestona 1247 SR
  • Atherestone 1275 RH 1291 Tax 1316 FA 1402 Pat
  • Atherston 1343 Pat 1609 FF
  • Atherston al. Adderston 1670 ib
  • Adderstone al. Etherstone t.Eliz ChancP
  • Aderston al. Atherston 1599 Recov
  • Athelstone 1312 FF
  • Atheston 1454 SR

Etymology

'Æþelred 's farm,' a. tun, with occasional confusion with other OE  pers. names such as Ealdred and Ēadred . Cf. Dugdale (779), “the name first arose from some antient possessor thereof in the Saxons time, both Edredus and Aldredus being appellations then in use.” We have a different pers. name in Atherstone on Stour infra 248.