Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Wavere 1221 RegAlb 1297 Ipm

• Waure 1257 Ch

• Wauere Willam 1262 Ass

• Chesterwavere 1272 1386 FF

• Chestrewaure 1307 ib

• Chesterwaver 1362 IpmR

• Thesterwauere 1285 Ass 1305 Ch 1400 IpmR

• Thestyrwover 1448 ADv

• Thestre Waury 1469 Pat

• Chesterwouer 1429 Rental

• Sester Wover c.1520 MinAcct

• Sesterwover 1546 LP 1551 Trinity

• Chesterwover 1524 Add

• Cesterwaver al. Cesterover 1545 FF

• Cesterwaver 1558 PCC

• Cesters Over al. Cesters Waver 1609 Recov

• Sisters Over 1667 HT

Etymology

For the second element v. Brownsover supra 100. The whole name probably denotes 'the settlement on the Waver (or Swift) marked by some ancient camp or fortification' (v. ceaster ) though no such camp is known. Dugdale (60) was not aware that the name went back to the 13th century and says “Of late times it hath been by the vulgar called Cester -Over ” and believed Thester - Over to be the more correct, and interprets this as “The Easter or the Eastward” Over in relation to Monks Kirby. The probable explanation of the double series of forms is however that the th -forms are misreadings for ch and that we have to do with one and not with two names. There is the further objection that if one of the Overs was described as 'easter' it would be in relation to Churchover and Brownsover and not in relation to Monks Kirby. It is north and slightly west, not east, of these places. Willam from Sir William de Wavere who held the manor t. Hy 3 (Dugdale 60).