Frustfield Hundred
Hundred in the County of Wiltshire
Historical Forms
- Frystesfeld 968 WiltonRegister 14th
- Fristesfeld 1086 ExonDB
- Firstesfeld 1207 Cur
- Fyrstfelde 1544 LP
- Ferstesfeld, Ferstesfelt hundred 1086 ExonDB 1316 FA
- Fortesfeld Abbatisse 1166 P
- Furstesfeldhdr 1167,1168 P 1249,1289 Ass
- Frestesfelde 1196 Cur 1198 Abbr
- Furstefeld 1255 RH
- Furstfeld 1402 FA
- Frustfelde 1544 LP
Etymology
In 944 King Edmund granted to his minister Wulfgar three hides at a place called æt Fyrstesfelda . In the Wilton Register (11) there is a variant form of the boundaries of an estate of the same name and extent which was granted by King Edgar to Wilton Abbey in 968. The name of this estate is clearly to be identified with the name of Frustfield Hundred, though the Hundred itself must have included other lands beside those mentioned in the grant, for the Hundred is assessed at 11 hides in the ExonDB. The exact site of the estate is unknown. The first element must be OE fyr (e )st used in the sense 'leader, prince,' as in the cognate German Fürst . Hence 'prince's open country,' v. feld .