military camp.
The English place-name Chester, and the suffixes -chester, -caster and -cester (old -ceaster), are commonly indications that the place is the site of a Roman castrum, meaning a military camp or fort (cf. Welsh castrum), but it can also apply to the site of a pre-historic fort.
What does chester mean at the end of a place name?
encampment
The suffix -chester comes from the Latin castrum meaning encampment. The names Manchester and Lancaster are interesting for two reasons. One is that in both cases the word to which the suffix is attached is a Celtic one.
Whats the meaning of chester?
camp of soldiers
Meaning:camp of soldiers. Chester is a boy’s name of Latin origin. This classic-sounding name can be spotted as a placename element in cities like Manchester and translates to “camp of soldiers,” contributing to its old-world style.
What does chester mean in Saxon?
a Roman fort
CASTER, CESTER AND CHESTER. These are derived from the Saxon word ceaster, which meant a Roman fort or town.
Why are there so many chesters in England?
The suffixes -chester, -caster, and -cester all derive from the Latin castrum which refers to a castle, fort, or military camp, and came to refer to a city in Old English, where the ending ‘ceaster’ was added to a number of former Roman cities, which normally had much older origins.
Why is Chester in so many place-names?
The English place-name Chester, and the suffixes -chester, -caster and -cester (old -ceaster), are commonly indications that the place is the site of a Roman castrum, meaning a military camp or fort (cf. Welsh caer), but it can also apply to the site of a pre-historic fort.
Why does Chester have a wall?
Chester city walls consist of a defensive structure built to protect the city of Chester in Cheshire, England. Their construction was started by the Romans when they established the fortress of Deva Victrix between 70 and 80 [CE]. It originated with a rampart of earth and turf surmounted by a wooden palisade.
Why is Chester called Chester?
In 616, Æthelfrith of Northumbria defeated a Welsh army at the Battle of Chester and probably established the Anglo-Saxon position in the area from then on. The Anglo-Saxons adopted the native name as the calque Legeceaster, which over time was shortened to Ceaster and finally corrupted to Chester.
How many Chesters are there?
Did you know there are 27 places called Chester in the USA? It’s true, and they can be found all across the country, from Maine in the east to sunny California in the west.
Is Chester male or female name?
masculine
Chester is a masculine given name.
What does bury mean at the end of a place name?
a fortified place
A placename suffix indicating a fortified place.
Why do towns end with ham?
Herwick said that “ham” essentially means a village. “And to take it a step further, that H-A-M — that ‘ham’ itself — in old English means ‘home,’ which is why it sort of doubles to mean ‘village’ as well. So that word ‘ham’ actually means home,” he said.
Why do towns end in Ford?
Ford in modern English still means to cross a river without a bridge. A town with the -ford suffix was where a river was broad and shallow so that people could cross.
What was Chester originally called?
Originally settled in 1644 by the Swedish as “Upland”, the name was changed to Chester in 1682. Incorporated on October 31, 1701 as a Boro and as a city on February 14, 1866.
Why do English cities end in mouth?
When the town name ends in Mouth, it is often because it’s also the mouth of the local river. Plymouth is the mouth of the river Plym. Bournemouth has the mouth of the river Bourne, etc. Portsmouth, however, doesn’t have a river port.
Did the Vikings go to Chester?
During the ninth century, the rulers of the Mercians fought continuous battles with Viking armies, chronicled in a series of annals known as the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. In 893 these annals tell us that: ‘a large (Viking) army… reached a deserted city in Wirral, which is called Chester.
What does by mean at the end of a town name?
Place names with the ending ‑by are well-known in Denmark, e.g. Valby and Næsby. The word by originally had the meaning ‘place to live. ‘ In Danish, though, the meaning must have turned into ‘village’ very early because it is extremely rare to find single farms with names in ‑by in Denmark.
What does Ton mean at the end of a town name?
village
Ton: This word ending, that remains very familiar today, was used to describe a settlement. A name ending in ton refers to a farmstead or village.
What’s Chester famous for?
Chester is famous for its black and white buildings including the Rows, medieval two-tier buildings above street level with covered walkways which today house many of Chester’s shopping galleries. The city centre Cross is where you will find the Town Crier at 12 noon Tuesday-Saturday, Easter to September.
Can you walk the walls in Chester?
Chester is the only city in Britain that retains the full circuit of its ancient defensive walls. Walking the complete circuit gives wondrous views down into the city and gives a fantastic insight into Chester’s long history.
Which Legion was in Chester?
The legion most readily associated with Chester is Legio Vicesimae Valeria Victrix, who occupied the fortress from c. 88AD until the late-fourth century.