Warminster
Major Settlement in the Parish of Warminster
Historical Forms
- Worgemynster 899–925 BCS591
- Worem' 1253 Ipm
- Gverminstre 1086 DB
- Werminister 1115 StOsmund
- Wermenistra, Wermenistre 1157,1158 P 1198,1206 Cur 1207 FF
- Wermunstre 1186 RBE
- Wermester 1294 Pat
- Wermestre 1420 Trop
- Warmenistre 1155 RBE
- Warministre 1158 HMCVari
- Warministra 1169 P
- Warmynystre 1289 Cl
- Warmestre 1448 FF 1458 Trop
- Warmester 1471 BM 1578 Recov
- Warmister t.Eliz WMxxi
- Wyrmenistre 1249 Ass
- Wereministre 1253 Cl 1269 FF
- Weremynstre 1316 FA 1343 Pat
- Weremystre 1324 FA
- Weremestre 1357 GDR 1409 MinAcct
- Weremoustre 1374 Pat
- Werreministre 1257 Pat
- Wormenestre 1350 Cl
Etymology
Forms on coins include Worimen , Wori 979–1016, Worim , Wori , Wor 1016–40.
'The church or mynster on the river Were' (v. supra 10).The coin-forms make it clear that the o in the OE form Worgemynster is correct, as was to be expected in an original document of the 10th century. The normal development would have been to Wor (i )minster and not Werminster , but Ekwall (RN 450) compares the similar irregular development of Wodnesdæg , Wodnesbyrig , Wodnesfeld , and, we may add, Wodnesleage , to Wednesday, Wednesbury and Wednesfield (St) and Wensley (Db). Werm - developed normally to Warm -. Curious are the persistent trisyllabic forms ministre , etc., from OE mynster.