Woolstone
Major Settlement in the Parish of Woolstone
Historical Forms
- Olvricestone 1086 DB
- Wolfrichstone 1204–5 Winchester Ed2
- Wlvricheston' 1206 Cur
- Wluricheston' 1220 Fees
- Wolfricheston', Wolricheston' (p), Wulfricheston' (p) 1241 Ass
- Wulvricheston' 1242–3 Fees
- Wolfrichestone 1243 Winchester l.13th
- Wlricheston, Wuluricheston 1275–6 RH
- W(o)lfricheston', Wulfricheston' (p), Ulfricheston', Welingeston' 1284 Ass
- Wolriston, Wolfredyngtone 1325 Winchester 14th
- Wolfricheston 1327 SR
- Woluerisshton, Woluerissheton' 1547 LRMB
Etymology
'Wulfrīc's estate', v. tūn . Woolston (D, Ha, La, So) and Woolstone (Bk, Gl) have other pers.ns. in Wulf - as first el. The shortening of the Berks name to its present disyllabic form appears to be a late development; the modern spelling appears 1830 OS.
There is every reason to suppose that Woolstone became known as 'Wulfrīc's estate' after the two estates representing the E. and W. halves of the modern parish had been given to the powerful thegn Wulfric in 944 and c. 955. For these two charters v. Pt 3. The land had previously been known as Æscesburh , the OE name of Uffington Castle, and by this name it is listed among the 15 villages restored to Wulfric in 960 (BCS 1055).