Frocester
Major Settlement in the Parish of Frocester
Historical Forms
- Frowecestre 1086 DB
- Frouecestr(e)' 1241 GlR 1268 Episc
- Froucestr(ia), Froucestre, Froucester Hy2–1315 Glouc c.1230,1233,1261 GlR 1287 Ass 1291 Tax 1378 Ass
- Frowcestre, Frowcester 1287 Misc 1316 FA 1576 MonLand
- Froucet(t)or, Frowcet(t)or, Frowcet(t)er, Frowcet(t)our 1535 VE 1542 MinAcct 1622
- Froceter 1574 PR
- Frouster 1562 PR
- Froster 1601 FF 1673 PR
- Frochester 1575 TRMB
Etymology
'Settlement near the Frome', v. Frome (1) (i, 7supra ), ceaster (in its later AN form -cester , as in Cirencester i, 60supra ). No remains of a Roman camp (which is usually indicated by ceaster ) have been observed here, but Capt. H. S. Gracie is (1961–2) excavating a Roman villa here, and we have the f.n. Stamborough (infra ), which is at grid-point 156–785028, just south of the village by Bath Street, and about a mile further south on the same road there is another field called Hagborough at 156–793021 (TA 13/90, nos. 466, 386–7).The village is nearly if 1½ miles from the Frome. The river-name was in a form Frow - which results from Brit lenition of -m - to nasal -v - and OWelsh loss of this sound (cf. Jackson 416, 488).