Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Windlesoran mid11th ASWrits l.11th ASC 1096

• (æt) Windles oran 1061 ib

• (on þam) niwan Windlesoran 1110 ib

• (to) Windlesofra 1126 ib

• (on) Windlesoure 1127 ib

• Windlesores 1087 Madox 1139–40 BMFacs c.1265 Godstow c.1450

• Windleshora 1109–20 RSO 13th

• Wyndleshor' 1139 S c.1280

• Windelshora 1158 RSO 13th

• Windlessores 1194 P

• Windelsores l.12th Gerv 13th

• Windelesor' 1218–19 FF

• Windleshor' c.1240 S l.13th

• Wyndeles' 1242–3 Fees

• Windleshouere 1248 Cl

• villam regis de Windles' et…veterem Windles' 1257 ib

• Windelesore, Windleshore, Winleshore, Windelsore, Windlesores 13th Gerv

• Vuindisor 1072 HMC5thRepI

• Windesores 1086 DB 1130 P 1600 Camden

• Windesoueres Hy2 Gaimar

• Windesouer' 1204–5 FF

• Vet'i Windesores 1212–13 ib

• Old Windeshour 1251 Ch

• Old Wyndesore 1281 Fine

• Wyndesouere 1377 ib

• Windresores 1146 Sar 1172,4 P

• Windresoris 1157 ib

• Windresor' 1160,1176 ib

• Windreshor', Windr'hores 1185 RR

• Windreshora l.12th ReadingC

• Winlesor' 1156 P

• Winlesores l.12th Gerv 13th

• Wynlesore 1306 Ipm

• Wildesores 1162 P

• Wildeshoram a.1170 ClaudiusCix c.1200

• Veteri Windsore, Nova Wyndsore 1316 FA

• Windsor 1618 SpecCom

Etymology

'River-bank with a windlass', v. windels , ōra . The forms show interchange of l-n -r (v. Pt 3), and early confusion of ōra with ōfer .

There are six certain examples of this name, the other five being Broadwindsor and Little Windsor Do, Windsor Pemb and Wa, and Winsor D and Ha. Two more possible examples are Windsor (Cu 442) and Windesore Mill (Db 541). The Berks name should probably be dissociated from Windlesham Sr, about 7 miles away, which may (like wyndelescumb BCS 721 in D) contain a personal name *Windel .

New Windsor was the name given to the settlement which grew up near Windsor Castle, built in the late 11th cent.