Elmstone
Major Settlement in the Parish of Elmstone Hardwicke
Historical Forms
- Al(c)hmunding tu(u)n 889 BCS559 11th
- on Alhmundingtune, se Alhmunding snæd 899–904 ASChartxvi
- Almvndestan 1086 DB
- Almundeston c.1240 GlR 1297 Episc
- Helmundestan 1221 Ass
- Eilmundestan 1221 Ass
- Eilmundeston 1221 FF
- Aylmundeston, Eilmundeston, Eylmundeston, Eylmondeston c.1240 GlR 1248 Ass 1274 Ipm 1319 FF
- Aylmundestone juxta Okynton 1319 ib
- Aylemondeston als. Elmeston 1612 FF
- Elmeston(e), Elmyston(e) 1506 FF 1535 VE 1597 FF
Etymology
The OE forms cited, Alhmundingtun and Alhmunding snæd , are in a grant by the church of Worcester, where Alhmundingtun is stated to have belonged formerly to Clife (Bishop's Cleeve), which makes it probable that it is to be placed in this district. Alhmundingtun denotes 'the farmstead associated with Alhmund' (v. -ing 4 , tūn ), but the farmstead must have disappeared at an early date and it is possible that Alhmund's memory was perpetuated only in the name of his stone (v. stān ); the few spellings in Almund - might support this.The snǣd was 'a detached piece of land' also belonging to Alhmund.In view, however, of the ME Eil - spellings, which usually represent OE Æþel - (cf. Feilitzen 103–6), Elmstone itself is possibly 'Æþel- mund's stone' and not directly connected with the OE forms.