Woodchester
Major Settlement in the Parish of Woodchester
Historical Forms
- Uuduceastir 716–43 BCS164 11th
- Wuduceaster, ceaster setna 896 BCS574 16th
- Widecestre 1086 DB
- Wydechestre 1380 FF 1408 Ipm
- Witchester 1635 Will
- Vdecestre 1086 DB
- Wdecestre 1216 ClR 1221 Ass
- Wudecestr' 1221,1248 Ass
- Wodecestr(e) 1220 Fees 1221,1248 Ass 1376 Ipm
- Wodechestr(e) 1297 1313,1338 FF 1421,1435 Ipm 1436 Pat
- Wodcestre 1287 QW
- Wodchestre, Wodchester 1465 Pat 1535 VE
- Wychestre, Wychester 1416,1420 Pat 1455 FF 1533–8 ECP 1553 FF
- Woodchester 1584 Comm
- Woodchester als. Wychester 1602 FF 1634 InqM
Etymology
If OE ceaster 'camp' refers here to a Roman settlement, as it usually does, the first el. must be OE wudu in the sense 'woodland' as any wooden structures of the Roman period are unlikely to have survived to produce an OE name indicating the materials of their construction; 'Roman camp in the wood' is therefore the likely meaning. Remains of a Roman villa and tessellated pavement have been found just north of the village. The DB form Wide - is probably a vestige of OE widu , the archaic form of wudu ; on the later Wydeforms cf. Phonol. § 29. For ceaster setna , v. sǣte 'dwellers'.