From alicebrowne@mindspring.com Thu Jun 21 17:12:11 2001
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Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2001 08:01:23 +0800
Subject: boston
From: "Alice Browne" <alicebrowne@mindspring.com>
To: classics <classics@u.washington.edu>
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>> Another question, of a philological nature: I am told that Boston is a
>> corruption of St. Botolph (a local/Celtic saint from the British Boston).
>> I can't see how the change could take place. Does anyone have any guesses?
>> Or ideas where to look?
>
> But surely it's a corruption of
>  St. Botolph's *Town* > Botolphston > Bo'ston?

close.

According to Ekwall, Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place Names,
earliest attested forms of the name Boston are Botulestan [1130] and
Botolfston , meaning "St. Botulf's stone.  "Boston may have got its name
from a stone or a stone cross at which St. Botulf preached Christianity to
the Middle Anglians.  Or OE stan, like ON steinn, ODan sten, may have meant
'stone house.'  If so, 'Botulf's stone church.'  St Botulf was not buried in
Boston."

presumably Botulf is the correct OE spelling of modern Botolph

Alice Browne


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