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.

Oxted

Major Settlement in the Parish of Oxted

Historical Forms

  • Acsted(e) 1086 DB 1212 Fees c.1212 HMCVariv 1228,1285 Pat 1241 Ass
  • Akested' 1176 P 1263 Ass
  • Aksted 1241 FF
  • Axsted' 1202 Cur
  • Axstude 1210–12 RBE
  • Axstede 1219 FF 1220 Bracton
  • Ocsted 1225 Ass 1294 Winton
  • Okstede, Hocstede 1255 Ass
  • Okested 1267 Ch 1292–9 Ipm
  • Ockstede ib.
  • Ocstede 1279 Ass
  • Okstide 1305 Ass
  • Oxsted 1261–9 Ipm
  • Oxstede 1305 Pat 1428 FA
  • Oxstead 1621 FF
  • Oxsted al. Okested 1694 Recov
  • Oxsted al. Byrsted al. Bursted 1577 DeedsEnrolled
  • Barsted 1582 FF

Etymology

'Place of oak trees,' v. ac , stede . Cf. Ashtead supra 68. In 1255 (Ass ) we have reference to Burwestede in Ocstede , evidently the same place as the later Bursted . This can hardly be anything other than the site of the earthwork, close to Oxted, mentioned under Barrowgreen infra . It would seem that the OE  compound beorg-stede showed a different development (ME  burwe ) from that found in Barrowgreen. Such a development is found in Burgh Heath supra 69 and would in this case be assisted by the presence of a burh on the beorg .