Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• (æt) Wolcnæsstedæ c.970 ASWills

• Wolcnesstede c.980 ASWills

• Wachelestede 1086 DB

• Wolcnested(e) 1212 Fees

• Wolknested(e) 1225 Ass 1226 FF 1316,1321 Ipm

• Wolcensted c.1212 HMCVariv

• Wolkenested 1235 FF 1272,1304 Winton

• Wolkenestod' 1241 Fees

• Wolkenestede 1365 Cl

• Wolkenstede 1322 Winton

• Walkestede 1226 ClR 1279 QW

• Walknested' 1235 Fees 1255 Ass

• Walkenstede 1446 FF

• Wulkested 1241 Ass

• Wulkenestede 1263 Ass

• Welkested 1251 Ch

• Wolkyngsted 1255 Ass

• Wolkested 1272 FF

• Wolkstede 1392 BM 1412 FF

• Walkhamstede 1316 FA

• Walkemstede 1487 Ipm

• Wokkelsted 1508 ADi

• Okynsted al. Wolkensted 1557 FF

Etymology

For further late forms v. s. n. Godstone supra 317. The first element in stede-names is usually significant rather than personal, but that is not always the case, cf. Bersted (PN Sx 90), and probably also cusesstede (BCS 820, cf. supra 300 n.) and hredles stede (BCS 741). The twice repeated ss in the OE forms suggests a genitival form for the first element, and that again is in favour of a personal name. Professor Ekwall and Dr Ritter suggest that we have here an OE cognate of OGer  Wolkan , found independently and in several compound names. The later development may have been affected by the presence here of fuller's earth which was used in fulling or walking cloth (VCH iv, 284).