Survey of English Place-Names

Etymology

( 109–433656 ) , cf. le Wellefeld 1296Vern , the Abbots Walefield 1641 Sheaf , Well Field (5x), Wall Field 1844TA , the Well Fields 1878 Sheaf , cf. Abbot (t )s Wel (d )s Feilds 1653, 1675Corp ( belonging to Great Boughton ) , ' the abbot's well ' , v. abbat , wella , wælla . This is named from the abbot of Chester , and is the ' spring of water in the field of Christleton ' , from which a conduit was led to the abbey in 1282 – 3 ( v. Chest i 340 – 342 , Pat 75 , Orm 2 ii 778 , and Burne 40 ) . It is not apparent whether this is the same spring as St Winifred 's Well 1700 Sheaf3 3 (497) , which may , however , refer to the famous shrine at Holywell Fl .