Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Almodesberie, Almodesberia 1086 DB Steph,Hy2(1318) Ch

• Almodesburi, Almodesbure, Almodesbir', Almodesbury c.1150 Monast 1154 Berk 1244 Ass 1316 FA

• Almodebir(ia), Aumodebir(ia) 1221 Ass

• Almundebir', Aumundesbir' 1221 Ass

• Alemundebere 1233 Berk

• Aylmundesbyr' 1248 Ass

• Aylmundebur' 1287 ib

• Almundesbir(y), Almundesbyr, Almundesbur(i), Almundesbury, Almondesbir(y), Almondesbyr, Almondesbur(i), Almondesbury 1248 Ass 1251 Mrk 1287 QW 1291 Episc 1306 Ass 1587 FF

• Alkemundesbur' 1287 Ass

• Alymondesbur' 1291 Tax

• Al(l)monsbery, Al(l)monsbury 1535 VE 1670 PR

• Awmesburie on the Hill 1533–8 ECP

• Awlmsburie 1569 FF

• Aunsbury 1577,1610 M 1675 Ogilby

• Almesbury, Almesbyrye 1540 FF 1542 LP

• Almsburie 1610 FF

• Amesbury als. Ambrosbury 1571 FF

• Amusbury 1573 ib

• Ambesbury 1608 ib

Etymology

The earliest spellings indicate an OE  pers.n. Æþelmōd , which would be reduced to Almod (cf. Feilitzen 102 ff), but by the 13th century the first el. is clearly a pers.n. which goes back to OE  Æþelmund (as suggested by the two Ayl - spellings) or Alhmund (if we can rely on the single Alke - spelling); Fosbrook i, 491 reports a tradition that Ealhmund (c. 820), son of King Ecgbeorht of Wessex, was buried in the church, but the only evidence is the similarity in these common OE pers.ns. 'Æþelmōd's or Æþelmund's fortified place', v. burh . The site of a Roman camp lies on a small hill (Knole Park ¾ mile south-west of the village), but burh may mean no more than a fortified manor-house. The later dialectal forms should be noted as parallel to those of Almondbury (YW ii, 256), which has, however, a different origin.