Pitstone
Major Settlement in the Parish of Pitstone
Historical Forms
- Pincenestorne 1086 DB
- Pincelestorne 1086 DB
- Pilketorn' 1195 Cur(P)
- Pichelesyorne 1220 Fees313
- Pichelestorn 1227,1241 Ass 1243 Gross 1286 Ch
- Pichestorn 1227 Ass
- Pychestorn 1235 Fees461
- Pychelestorn 1235 Fees465
- Pychenestorn 1235 Fees555
- Pichelesporne 1237–40 Fees
- Pichelesthorne 1247 Ass 1306 Fine 1307 ADv 1316 FA
- Pychelesthorne 1262 Ass 1339 Pat 1593 BM
- Puchelesthorne 1284 FA
- Pichelesturne 1285 Ch
- Pychelstorne 1396 Pat
- Pittleshorn 1526 LS
- Pytcheleythorne 1536 LP
- Pychesthorne 1593 BM
- Pidlesthorne 1641 Mert
- Pittlestone 1743 Hughenden
- Pittelsthorne 1766 ib
- Pightlesthorne or Pitstone c.1825 O
- Pightlesthorn 1826 B
Etymology
'Picel's thornbush.' The name Pīcel is found in the form Piichil in LVD and seems to be a diminutive of the rare OE name Pīc . Since 1500 the phonetic development has probably been affected by association with the common dial. pightle which itself has an alternative form pichel (NED s.v.). It is to be noted that the same pers. name appears in a stream in Pitstone called Pichelesburne c. 1400 (St Alb iii. 326). The DB form is probably corrupt (v. Introd. xx).