Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Sewesten 1086 DB

• Sewesterna 1166 P

• Sewestern(e) 1203 Cur e.13 BHosp 1214 Cur 1547 Chap 1549 Pat

• Sewistern' 1370 Wyg

• Sewysterne 1541 MinAccts

• Seuesterne 1185 Templar 1208 ChancR 1242 Fees 1360 Brase

• Seuestorn' 1205 P 1206 ib

• Seuestorne 1208 ib

• Sustron 1556 Pat

• Seustern(e) c.1130 LeicSurv 1195 P 1196 ChancR 1199 Fine 1399,1424 AD 1539 Rut

• Sesterne 1522 LEpis

• Sewstern(e) 1298 Ipm 1303 Pat 1356 Banco 1539 Deed 1549 Fine 1576 Saxton

• Sheusterne 1412 PRep 1412 Pat

• Shewesterne 1609 LML

• Kelesterne 1185 Templar

• Keylsterne 1210 (1252) Ch

• Kaillesterna 1212 Fees

Etymology

Probably 'Sǣwīg's thorn', v. þyrne . Ekwall in DEPN suggests that the second element may be an unrecorded OE  *sterne , possibly a metathesized form of (ge )strēon 'property'. However, OE  þyrne 'a thorn-bush, a thorn-patch' is likelier. In the East Midlands, the ME  reflex of þyrne frequently appears as terne . Voiceless initial th was unknown to Norman scribes who replaced it by t . For example, in nearby Normanton, le long terne Edw 1 is typical and unambiguous and may well represent the modern Normanton Thorns, originally a major stretch of thorn scrubland. A parallel to Sewstern is Kelstern in Lincs. (Kelesterne 1185 Templar, Keylsterne 1210 (1252) Ch, Kaillesterna 1212 Fees, 'Cǣgel's thorn', with an OE pers.n. as the specific). The specific of Sewstern appears to be the gen. sg. of the OE  pers.n. Sǣwīg .Spellings in -torn (e ) may represent the variant OE  þorn 'a thorn-tree, a thorn patch'.