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.

Wolterton

Major Settlement in the Parish of Wolterton

Historical Forms

  • Ultretune, Ultertuna 1086 DB
  • Wlterton(e) c.1140 Holme 1202 FF 1209 Ass 1242–3 Fees 1254–75 Val 1269 Ass 1379 BM 1401–2 FA
  • Wltertun(e) c.1145 CAcre 1202,1203 FF 1242–3 Fees
  • Wltreton 1195,1196 FF
  • Woltreton 1199 Seld
  • Wolterton(e) 1200 Cur 1269,1286 Ass 1287to1483 FF 1302to1428 FA 1332 Cl 1353 AD 1379 BM
  • Wulterton(e) 1220,1224 Cur 1234to1316 FF 1235 Cl 1362 AD 1379 BM 1535 VE
  • Wolturton 1316 FF
  • Woolterton 1504 Past
  • Woltherton 1549 Pat

Etymology

Ekwall explains this as a pers.n., e.g. OE  Wulfþrȳþ , a woman's name, and tūn (DEPN). This is a possible explanation, but the pers.n. remains uncertain. Only the round tower remains of the parish church, dedicated to St Margaret. It was abandoned c. 1740 (EAA 51: 30, 52).