Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Wynterburn' Nicholeston(e), Winterburn' Nicholeston(e), Winterbo(u)rn(e) Nicholeston(e) 1283 ADVI 1324 Wim 1329 Hutch3

• Winterbo(u)rn(e) Nicholaston, Winterbo(u)rn(e) Nycholaston 1286 1544 PlR

• Winterbo(u)rn(e) Nicoleston, Winterbo(u)rn(e) Necholeston 1343–5 Ipm

• Winterbo(u)rn(e) Nicholson 1625 AddCh

• Wynter Born Nicole, Wynterburn Nicole 1285 Ipm 1286 Cl

• Nicholeston 1340 NI

• Niclaston 1412 FA

• Wynterbourne Nicholai 1428 ib

• Lower Clenston or St Nicholas 1795 Boswell

• Wynterburn Nicole 1286 Cl

Etymology

Winterborne Nicholston (lost), 1574Add , Wynterburn ' Nicholeston (e ), Winterburn ' Nicholeston (e ), Winterbo (u )rn (e ) Nicholeston (e )1283 AD VI, 1324Wim , 1329 Hutch3, Winterbo (u )rn (e ) Nicholaston , Winterbo (u )rn (e ) Nycholaston 1286 ib, 1544PlR , Winterbo (u )rn (e ) Nicoleston , Winterbo (u )rn (e ) Necholeston 1343–5 Ipm, Winterbo (u )rn (e ) Nicholson 1625AddCh , Wynter Born Nicole , Wynterburn Nicole 1285 Ipm, 1286 Cl, Nicholeston 1340 NI, Niclaston 1412 FA, Wynterbourne Nicholai 1428 ib, Lower Clenston or St Nicholas 1795 Boswell, v. par. name supra . The affix may be from the dedication of the church as suggested by Hutch3 1 195 (v. St Nicholas's Church infra ), but it is perhaps more likely that it is manorial in origin and that the dedication of the church to St Nicholas came later (cf. Osmington 1212), v. tūn . The pers.n. and surname Nicholas (from Lat  Nicolaus , gen. Nicolai ) and its vernacular form Nicol were extremely common, and a Nicholas de Benham is mentioned as holding land in Wynterburn Nicole in 1286 Cl. According to Hutch3 1 195, Winterborne Nicholston 'seems to have lain near the present church and churchyard', in the S of the par., cf. op. cit. 1 193 for a former chapel near here, and v. Clenston Fm infra .