Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Cherleton(e), Cherletune 13 HMCv,336 13 ADi 1221 FF 1287 Ass 1301 Ch 1494 MinAcct

• Cherletune juxta Tettebury 1360 Ipm

• Cherlton(e) 1327 SR 1346 Ipm

• Chorlton 1282 Ipm 1447 MinAcct 1461 Pat

• Chorleton 1382 Ipm 1459,1494 MinAcct

• Cherlington, Cherlyngton 1305 Ipm, Orig, Pat

• Charleton iuxta Tetbury 1470 FF

• Tedburies Charleton 1584 FF

• Charlton juxta Tedbury 1486 Ipm

• Charrelton 1587 FF

Etymology

'Peasants' farmstead', v. ceorl , tūn ; the same churls doubtless gave their name to Cherleford (f.n. infra ). A ceorl was originally one of the lower classes of freemen, but later the word denoted a peasant. It is possible that a ceorla -tūn was land recovered from waste on the edges of an estate for the use of peasants, since many are located on the outskirts of more important towns, like Charlton Abbots near Winchcomb (ii, 5infra ) or Charlton Kings near Cheltenham (ii, 96infra ); cf. EPN i, 89. Cherlington is an interesting secondary form in its use of -ing 4 to denote an association.