Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Witcerce 1086 DB

• Witcercie Exon

• Witcherche Wm1(13),m12 Salis

• Witcherch(a) 1142–54 France c.1200 Osm

• Witchirch(e) 1142–80 AddCh c.1207 Weld2 13

• Witchureche c.1207 AddCh

• Witchurch c.1220 Poul 1231 Hutch3

• Wit(t)churche 1240 Sarum

• Wytchurch' in Merswodeuall' 1384 Brid

• Wytchyrch' 1487 Pole

• Withchirche Wm1 AddCh c.1207

• Wytthechurche 1320 FF

• Whitchurch(e) 1224 Hutch3 13 Forde 15 Ass 1288

• Whitchurch(e) juxta Lym 1311 Weld2 1318 Drew

• Whitchurch(e) in Mershwodevale 1386 Pat

• Whitchirch(e) by Lime 1264 Pat 1269 Ch 1288 Ass 1436 Fine

• Whitcherche 1308 FF 1412 FA 1447 Pat

• Whytchyrch(e) 1242 FF

• Whytchurche 1341 Pat 1559 Pole

• Whytcherche 1412 FA

• Wittecheriche c.1228 Sarum

• Wyttechirch' 1340 Ilch

• Whittechurch' 1410 HarlCh

• Witechurch(e) 1230–1 Memo 1240 Sarum

• Wytecherch, Wytechirche 1268 Ass

• Wytechurch(e) 1280 1302 FF 1316 FA

• Whitchurch Canonicorum (Album Monasterium) 1262 Pap

• Albi Monasterii 1291 Tax

• Wychirch 1265 Misc

• Wycherch' 1268 Ass

• parys of Wychorche 1521 Pole

• Whitechirch(') 1275 Pat 1392 Brid

• Whitechurch' 1288 Ass

• Whitecherch(e) 1466 Pat

• Whytechirch(e) 1288 Ass 1326 Ch

• Whitechurch Can(n)onicorum 1795 Boswell 1811 OS

Etymology

Probably 'the white church', referring either to a stone-built or whitewashed building, from OE  hwīt and cirice. The name is a common one, this being one of ten or so examples in the south and west of England (cf. PN Bk 86, PN D 247, PN O 63, etc. and in this county, Winterborne Whitechurch par. 2 82). In spite of Hutch1 1 324 (citing Coker) and more recent commentators, the dedication of the church here (v. infra ) to St Candida (Wite ) is probably derived from the p.n. rather than vice versa, v. D. H. Farmer, The Oxford Dictionary of Saints 401–2 for the various theories about her identity and for a description of her shrine and reliquary (inscribed Hic requiescunt reliquie sancte Wite ), cf. also The Saint's Well (just S of Morcombelake) in Stanton St G. par. supra . Ekwall DEPN 513 includes the form (æt ) Hwitancyrican c880 BCS 553 (Alfred's will) here, but Sawyer (S 1507) ascribes to Whitchurch D. The Latin addition Canonicorum (first noted in 1262) means 'of the canons', from its rectory having been appropriated to the canons of the cathedral of Sarum and Wells (Hutch3 2252), cf. also 'The tythings of Whitchurch Canonicorum Sarum , and Wells '1774 Hutch1 1324, listed as Sarum and Wells (tithings) in 1664 HTax, 1795 Boswell, v. further Beerlands Fm infra for Saram 1811 OS. For the occasional early alternative forms of the name Whitchurch from Latin albus 'white' and monasterium , cf. Winterborne Whitechurch 282.