English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Owston Abbey, Olveston Abbey

Early-attested site in the Parish of Owston and Newbold

Historical Forms

  • abbatie de Oselveston 1220 MHW 1401,1421,1467 Pat
  • abbatia de Osolveston 1268,1328,1349,1355 ib
  • domus de Oselveston 1264 Pat
  • monasterii Sancti Andree Oselveston 1446 Pat
  • monasterii Sancti Andree Apostoli (in) Osolveston 1446,1504 ib
  • monasterii de Oselveston 1467 ib
  • monasterii de Osolveston 1481 ib
  • alias Owlston 1549 ib
  • Owsen Abbay 1538 Leland
  • the Abby 1708 Terrier 18

Etymology

The abbey was founded for Augustinian Canons by Robert Grimbald, Justice of England, shortly before 1161 in the reign of Henry II.Fragments of the early building appear to survive in the present parish church, particularly in the nave and in the north aisle (v. St Andrew's Church infra ). Note in the above MLat  abbatia 'an abbey', MLat  domus 'a religious house', MLat  monasterium 'a monastery' and v. abbaye .