Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Alcestre 1433 Salis

• Hundrid' de Alcestre 1494 HarlCh

• hund' de Alyncestr' 1453 Midd

• hundred' de Alynsester 1518 HarlCh

• Lybertye of Alynsester 1566 Sher

• hundred de Alcetor 1577 AddCh

• libertatem de Alcester als. Alincester 1586 Comm

• (libertie of) Al(n)cester 1585 Sher 1664 HTax

• Alcester als. Alincester 1795 Boswell

Etymology

Alcester (ST 856225), Alcestre 1433Salis , Hundrid ' de Alcestre 1494HarlCh , hund ' de Alyncestr '1453Midd , hundred ' de Alynsester 1518HarlCh , Lybertye of Alynsester 1566Sher , hundred de Alcetor 1577AddCh , libertatem de Alcester als. Alincester 1586Comm , (libertie of ) Al (n )cester 1585Sher et freq to 1664 HTax, Alcester als. Alincester 1795 Boswell, a transferred name from Alcester Wa (PN Wa 193), from the possession of lands here by Alcester abbey from at least as early as the 13th cent., cf. per diuisas inter dominum Regem et Abbatem de Alcestre Hy 3 (14) Cerne (in a perambulation of the forest of Gillingham). For the extent of this small liberty, v. Hutch3 354 and under Sixpenny Handley Hundred supra .Alcester formed a civil par. between 1894 and 1920.