Ceaster
Bosworth & Toller Anglo-Saxon Old English Dictionary - ceaster
According to the Old English Dictionary:
cæster, cester;
- ceaster
- gen. dat. ceastre; acc. ceastre, ceaster, pl. ceastra; f. The names of places ending in caster and -chester were probably sites of a castrum a fortress, built by the Romans; the Saxon word is burh, Gen. 11, 4, 5. I. generally f. but sometimes n. vide II. A city, fort, castle, town; urbs, civitas, castellum :-- Ne mæg seó ceaster beon behýd non potest civitas abscondi, Mt. Bos. 5, 14. On ðære heán ceastre in the high city, Bt. 39, 5; Fox. 218, 18. Ðá cómon ða weardas on ða ceastre then the keepers came into the city, Mt. Bos. 28, 11. Ðú in ða ceastre gong go thou into the city, Andr. Kmbl. 1878; An. 941. Ælla and Cissa ymbsǽton ceaster Ella and Cissa besieged the city, Chr. 491; Erl. 15, 6. Se Hǽlend ymbfór ealle burga and ceastra circuibat Iesus omnes civitates et castella, Mt. Bos. 9, 35. II. ceaster; gen. ceastres; n. A city, etc: it is thus declined in the termination of Exan-cester, -ceaster :-- Ymsǽton Exancester besieged Exeter, Chr. 894; Erl. 91, 9; Th. 166, 30, col. 1. Ymbsǽton Exanceaster, Th. 167, 26, col. l, 2. Ðá wende he hine west wið Exanceastres then he turned west towards Exeter [versus Exanceaster], Chr. 894; Erl. 91, 10; Th. 166, 31, col. 1; 29, col. 2 ; 167, 28, col. 1, col. 2. Se cyning hine west wende mid ðære fierde wið Exancestres the king turned west with the army towards Exeter, 168, 26, col. 1; 24, col. 2; 169, 21, col. 1; 18, col. 2. III. the name of a particular place, as CHESTER, CAISTOR, CASTOR, the city; hæc civitas :-- He him sende scipon æfter, and Hugo eorl of Ceastre he sent ships after him, and Hugh earl of Chester, Chr. 1094; Erl. 230, 28: 1120; Erl. 248, 8. ceaster