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.

Alton Barnes and Alton Priors

Major Settlement in the Parish of Alton Barnes and Priors

Historical Forms

  • Aweltun 825 BCS390 c.1150
  • Auuiltone 1086 DB
  • Awelton 1155–60 StOsmund 1205 Pap 1242 Fees 1268 Ass
  • Awelton Berners 1282 Ass
  • Awltone, Aultone 1086 DB
  • Aulton 1189 BM
  • Aulton Prioris 1199 P
  • Aulton prioris Winton' 1249 Ass
  • Aulton Berners 1258 FF
  • Aulton Berner 1285 FF 1297 Pat
  • Aulton Bernes 1316 FA
  • Priores Aulton 1321 Ass
  • Aulton by Wilcote 1392 Pat
  • Aulton Barones 1512 NewColl
  • Alton Barnas 1524 SR

Etymology

'Farm by the spring or stream source,' v. æwielle , tun . In the bounds of Alton the spring is referred to as westmæstan æwylle (BCS 390). Alton Priors belonged to the priory of St Swithin's, Winchester. Barnes clearly goes back to a holding by a member of the Berners family, but no record of such has been found.

Places in the same Parish

None