Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Uueogorna civitate 691 BCS75 12th BCS223 777 12th
• Uueogorna cæstre 789 12th BCS308 803 12th
• Uueogorna ceastre 889 c.900 11th ib
• civitate Wegornensi c.705 BCS123 12th
• Uuegorna cestre 814 11th ib
• Wigranceastre c.750 BCS137 11th
• castrum Uueogernensis c.736 BCS156 11th
• Uueogernensis æcclesiæ 780 BCS234 803 11th 814 11th 11th 824 11th ib
• Uuigorna civitate c.730 BCS164 11th
• Uuegrinancæstir c.730 BCS166 11th
• Uuegernensi civitate c.757 BCS183 11th
• Uuegernensem ecclesiam 780 BCS238
• Wigerna civitate 774 BCS216 11th
• Uueogerna civitate 774 BCS217 11th
• Uueogerna cestre c.795 11th 849 11th 855 11th ib
• Uueogerna cæstre 855 ib
• Uueogernacestre 875 11th ib
• Uuigrinnanceastre c.760 BCS220 11th
• Uuegerna civitate c.760 BCS205 11th 781 11th c.802 11th 840 11th ib
• Uuegerna cæster 845 11th ib
• Weogerna Ceastre c.775 BCS226 11th
• Weogernacestre c.790 11th ib
• Wigorcestrensis æcclesiæ 780 BCS235 11th
• Wigorna ceastre 779 BCS231 11th
• Wigorna cestre 804 11th 851 11th 883 11th ib
• Wigornacestre 967 11th 972 ib
• Guigornensis æcclesiæ 779 BCS233 11th
• Wegriñ civitate 794 BCS269 11th
• Weogra ceastre c.795 BCS272 12th
• Wigornensem æcclesiam 802 BCS307 11th 841 11th ib
• Wegoranensis civitatis 803 BCS312 11th
• Wegernensis æcclesiæ 817 BCS359,360 11th
• Wiogoerna ceastre 825 BCS386
• Weogurnacestre 836 BCS416
• Uuigrecestre c.872 BCS537 11th
• Wigraceaster 904 BCS608 12th
• Wigracæstre 959 ASC c.1100
• Wigracestre c.970 BCS1184 12th ASC 1033 c.1050
• Wigra cestre 1047 ASC c.1100 ASC 1114 c.1130
• Weogreceastre 964 BCS1135 12th
• Wiogorna ceastre 966 BCS1180 11th 1181,1182,969(11th) KCD649 985 11th
• Wiogurna ceastre 969 BCS1232 11th KCD661 987 11th
• Wiogerna ceastre 969 BCS1233
• Wigurna ceastre 969 BCS1240 11th 974 11th ib
• Wiornocensi æcclesiæ 1016 KCD724
• Wihgraceastre c.1040 KCD766 11th
• Wigeraceastre c.1050 KCD805 c.1050 KCD923
• Wygracestre 1049 ASC c.1100
• Wigeran-ceastre, Wigerna-ceastre 1298 KCD898
• Wihgeraceastre c.1050 KCD924
• Wirecestre 1086 DB
• Wircestre 1350 Pat c.1400
• Worcetre 1396 Bodl79a
• Wyrcettur, Wersyter 1459 StratGild 1538 LP
• Worcester al. Wurcestre 1487 Pat
• Worcettur, Worssitour, Worcetur 1473 StratGild 1491–8 Pat
• Wiscettour, Wysseter 1538–40 LP

Etymology

Professor Ekwall suggests that we should perhaps connect the first element in Worcester with Wyre Forest. This is some miles to the north but may have occupied a larger area in former days. Wyre Forest appears as Wira in 1174 but behind it may well lie an earlier Wigra . There is a Gaulish stream-name Vigora (now Voire , Viere , Vègre ) which may have been the original name of Dowles Brook, which runs through Wyre Forest, and the same river-name may be found in Wyre (La) used as a river-name. The only other example of Wigor - in English place-names is in Wereham (Nf) which is Wigorham in 1060 (Thorpe 591), DB Wigreham . No stream is marked here but the place lies in a little valley just off the fens through which a stream may once have run. The form Wiogorna suggests a tribal derivative of Wigor .