Beeston
Early-attested site in the Parish of Sandy
Historical Forms
- Bistone 1086 DB Hy2 StNeot Hy3 1202 FF 1206 Ass 1227
- Buistona Hy2 StNeot Hy3
- Beston Hy2 StNeot Hy3 Ass 1202 FF 1219 Cl 1223–4 Ass 1227 FF 1228,1232 FF 1236 1240 Ass 1247,1276,1287 Ipm 1299 Cl 1301 ADvi 1312 ADv 1339 ADvi 1341 FA 1346 Cl 1382 Ipm 1488 BHRSii.116 Hy8 BM 1553
- Beeston 1219,1247 FF 1287 Ass 1342 Ipm 1376 Cl 1382 IpmR 1387 ADvi 1428 FA Hy8 BHRSii.116
- Bueston 1220 LS 13th ADiii,vi
- Boeston 1227 Ass
- Beyston 1232 Cl 1254 FF Hy8 BHRSii.114 1549 Pat
- Buston 1246 FF 1247,1276,1287 Ass 13th ADiii,vi 1331 QW 1337 ADvi 1488 Ipm 1515,1553 BM
- Beuston, Bouston 1276 Ass
- Bystone 1276 Ass
- Bestun 1276 Ass
- Boston(a) 13th ADvi 1346 FA
- Bieston 1362 ADiii
- Bayston 1535 VE
- Beeson Eliz ChancP
Etymology
It is difficult to attain certainty with regard to this name, but one may suggest that it is from OE byges -tūn , 'farm of or in the bend of the river.' This would explain the variant ME forms and suits the topography as Beeston lies in a well-marked bend of the river Ivel or (alternatively) in the well-defined south-west angle of the parish of Sandy. The only difficulty in this interpretation is that it involves a rare type of place-name compound in which the significant first element is in the gen. case, but Ritter (155) has shown clearly that the existence of such in OE place-nomenclature, at least in the case of triple compounds, cannot be denied, and there is abundant confirmatory evidence in ME field-name material even for simple compounds, e.g. Brochiseved (1279), Hulkescroft (1304), Parkesriding (13th), Sturteslowe (1269), Holmeshurne in these two counties.