capOver the centuries the name of the village where I live has been spelt in many different ways. My neighbour Arthur Walters, is the village historian, and he has collected the following versions, originally hoping to establish a pattern of chronological change. He found, however, that many of the variants stemmed from illiteracy, ignorance and simple mistakes like the typing error shown in the last entry below.

I originally created this page for the village web-site, which is sadly now defunct owing to the loss of its sponsor. However there is this site, which has interesting information about the place.

Variant Source Information
WIRECESBERIE Domesday Book - 1087
WIREDESBURI 11th Century "...son of Osbert de Wiredesburi...Gilbert" from "The quest for Nonsuch" - John Dent (Fiji)
Wyrardesburie 13th Century (Gyll)
Wyrardesbyr c1300 (Gyll)
Wyredesbir c1300 (V.C.H.)
Wyredesburi 13th Century (V.C.H.)
Wardesbury 1300 Deed of Gift (Gyll)
Wiredesbury 1300 Deed of Gift (Gyll)
Wraisbury 1300 Deed of Gift (Gyll), 1801 Vestry Minutes Book
Wyrardesbury 1300 Deed of Gift (Gyll, an exemplification of 1391;
also 1350, 1393, 1453, 1470, 1485, 1490, 1498 and 1509 (M.S.G.C.)
Wyresdebyri 1300 Deed of Gift (Gyll)
Wyrardisburye 1300 (? M.S.G.C.)
Wyradesbury 1348 Inventory of St. George's Chapel, Windsor ("St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, 1348 - 1416")
Wyrardesburye 1348 (M.S.G.C.) Notorial Cert. of Grant by Edward III of the church of Wyrardesburye in the Diocese of Lincoln (& 2 others) to 8 secular canons of the chapel - 6th Aug., 1348
Wyraydesbury 1348 (M.S.G.C.) licence from Edward III to warden of the Chapel of Windsor... To hold the advowson of Wraysbury - 16 Nov. 1348
Wyrardesbure 1349 (M.S.G.C.) Appropriation of church (Wraysbury) 27 Oct. 1349
Wyrardsbury 1354 (M.S.G.C.) Compotus; "Royal English Atlas" Bowen 1777 (Bucks); Rollo's map of Bucks.
Wyrardysbury 1354 (M.S.G.C.) A Compotus of 1354, 1566 and 1614
Wyrardd 1359 Grant 2 Sept. 1359 (Westminster Abbey)
Wyrardisbury 1391 (M.S.G.C.) Notorial certificate 13 Feb. 1391; also 1533
Warerdsbury 14th Century (?) (Gyll p.63)
Waresdsbury 14th Century (?) (Gyll p.63)
Werardisbury 14th Century in a reference to Ankerwyke Purnish (17 July, 1450 ?)(Gyll)
Wirardsbury 14th Century (M.S.G.C.) Acquittance, 55/- from Dean of Lincoln for 5 yrs. Pension out of the rectories of W. Dadington and Datchet
Wirardesbury (M.S.G.C.) An acquittance 31.3.1487 given by Bishop of Lincoln re annual pension for church; also acquittance 1507
Waredesbur 1540 ("Langele cum Waredesbur") Deed of Grant 1540 to Lord Wyndsore (Gyll)
Waisburey 1607 Map of Bucks. from Camden's Britannia
Wasbury 1607 Map from Camden's Britannia
Wrasbury 1611 Speed's map of Middlesex
Waisbury Blaue's map of Bucks.
Raisbury 1661 Lease 20.3.61 (Westminster Abbey); Daily Courant 26.6.1722 - Advertisement "Raisbury Mills"
Waisburye 17th Century map (?)
Washbury 17th Century map (?)
Waysbury 17th Century map (?)
Wraysbury 17th Century (M.S.C.G.) Acquittance from Dean & Chapter of St Mary's, Lincoln, to Dean & Cannons of Wraysbury of 17/2d; "A pension from Wraysbury": "Royal English Atlas" Bowen (Berks.)(1777)
Wreysbury 17th Century (V.C.H.)
Rasborough 1758 from a plan of Yeoveney farm (Westminster Abbey)
Raysbury 1764 Document 47 (Westminster Abbey)
Wyarsbury 1777 "Royal English Atlas" Bowen (Middlesex)
Wrabury 1784 Walpole & Condor's map of Bucks. in "The New British Traveller"
Wradisbury 1787 19.12.87 - Johnson beats Michael Ryan at Wradisbury - (Capt. Topham, Editorial Director of the "World" 1787-91)(from "Prize Fighting, the Age of Regency Boximania" John Ford)
Wresbury 18th Century (Gyll)
Wyrarisbury 1832 Cary's "Atlas of England & Wales" (No. 19)
Wyrarddisbury 1880 (?) Smith's "English Atlas" (Bucks.) 1361 Grant 1.8.1361 (Westminster Abbey)
Wyrardisbury 1905 Map of Surrey in Bacon's "Popular Atlas of the British Isles"
Wrayabury 1975 Wraysbury Musical Society News Letter, May 1975
Wraybsury Wraysbury News, December 2005 - panel describing the front cover picture!

M.S.G.C. = Manuscripts of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle
V.C.H. = Victoria County History   Gyll = Local 19th Century historian

Although Gyll, in his "History of Wraysbury", gives the origin of the name as "from wier, a dam and burg or bury", the Rev. James B. Johnstone, M.A., B.D., in "The Place Names of England & Wales" (1915) says it derives from the town or burgh of Waerheard or Weradus which are both common Saxon names.