Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• æt Ælvestune, æt Alfestune 955–9 BCS936 12th

• Alvestone 1086 DB

• Olueston', Olveston' 1167 P 1246 FF 1248 Ass 1280 Episc 1287 Ass 1568 Comm

• Olveston' als. Olston 1570 FF

• Olweston 1283 Episc 1291 Tax

• Uluestone 1307 Ass

• Olston 1421 Pat 16 Berk 1562 FF

• Oulston 1702 PR

• Oldestone 1558 Surv

• Oldveston 1564 FF 1626 Inq

• Oldson 1631 Ipm

• Wolston 1529–32 ECP

• Owlson 1571 FF

• Owelston 1587 ib

• Oulveston 1688 PR

Etymology

The oldest spellings make it certain that this was 'Ælf's farmstead', from the OE  pers.n. Ælf and tūn. But in the 12th century an unusual change took place which cannot be explained by any of the normal phonological processes. It would appear from the single Ulues - spelling to have been a replacement of ME  Ulf (from OE  Wulf by AN influence, cf. IPN 113–14, Feilitzen 75); such a substitution may have followed some change in the ownership of the manor, but no record of such a change is known. On the other hand, the substitution of Olues - for Alues - may have been necessitated by the confusion with the neighbouring Alveston (111supra ) and for no other reason. But it could be a WMidl  change of -al - to -ol - (cf. Ekwall in ESt lv, 402).