English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Cold Ashton

Major Settlement in the Parish of Cold Ashton

Historical Forms

  • Æsctun, Æsctunæ, to Æsctune 931 BCS670 e.12th BCS936 955–7 12th
  • Escetone 1086 DB
  • Escsentona c.1150 Bath
  • Eston Frigida 1289 Episc
  • Aiston' 1221 Ass
  • Aischton 1303 FA
  • Ays(s)h(e)ton 1459 MinAcct
  • Cold Ays(s)h(e)ton 1595 FF
  • Aston 1291 Tax
  • Cold(e) Aston 1287 Ass 1290 Episc 1316 Ch 1327 SR 1575 FF
  • As(s)hton(e), Assheton(e) 1318 FF 1471 Rent
  • Cold(e) Assheton(e) 1310,1332 FF 1364 Ipm 1767 PR

Etymology

'Farmstead by the ash-tree', v. æsc , tūn . 'Cold' (v. cald , Lat  frigidus ) from its situation, 'much exposed to the violence of the winds' (Rudder 239). The spellings of this name are sometimes difficult to separate from those of Aston Blank, formerly Cold Aston (i, 164supra ).