St Whites Cinderford - Origins of name ?? (General)

by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Wednesday, April 03, 2013, 16:13 (4254 days ago) @ slowhands

Apologies if this question has been asked in the past, but does anyone know why it's named St Whites ? Who, or even what, was St White ?.

As a Cinderfordian I've often wondered this but never researched it. I don't know of any local Churches for example affiliated to this particular Saint, not in Cinderford. There is a Catholic Convent School near this part of Cinderford, but that's St Anthony's, so..?.

In fact judging by my efforts and much to my surprise I don't think there is a Saint White at all ! My staunch Catholic motherinlaw doesn't know of one, and this fine religion is very "strong" on Saints. Below is a link to a huge list of Saints, but like other lists I've found there is no Saint White irrespective of spelling.

Among various history websites even the definitive British History only mention St Whites as a place, but nothing as to it's origins. Perhaps the "St" element doesn't mean "Saint" at all in this context, do the scholars know if it's perhaps Olde English or even Latin for "of", perhaps supporting the possibility the name refers to an early settler named White, or even Wyatt etc ?.

All and any suggestions gratefully received, please, thanks.

Apologies Karen for borrowing your thread, the first two links below clarify how the earlier placenames seen on the Victorian Census' such as Bilson, Woodside and indeed St Whites, eventually became known as the town of Cinderford.

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=23266#s2
http://www.cinderford-online.co.uk/local-information/cinderford-history-2/
http://www.catholic.org/saints/stindex.php?lst=W
http://www.stanthonysschool.info/links.html