Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Magna Stanthirle, Parva Stanthirle, Stanthirle 1277 Dugd 1277 VR 14 Orm2 1299

• Stanthur(l)l(e) 1278 Ipm 1280 IpmR 1296 Plea 1581 ChRR

• Magna Stanthorl 1315 Plea

• Great Stanthirle 1353 VR

• parua Stanthirle 1353 Indict

• Mecul Stanthirle 1369 Tab

• Mukel Stanthirle 1374 ib

• Litel Stanthirle 1385 Cl

• Stanthorn(e) 13 MidCh 1284 et freq

• Parua Stanthorn(e) 1321 AddCh

• Great Stanthorn(e) 1364 ChRR 1484

• Litel(l) Stanthorn(e) 1459 ChRR, Orm2

• Magna Stanthorn(e) 1537 MidCh

• Over Stanthorn(e) 1541 Orm2

• Stonthorne 1545 Orm2

• Stanitill 1291 Tax

• Stanhurle 1291 VR 1338

• Stanhurl 1420 AddCh

• Stanton 1347 BPR

• Little Stanton Hill 1375 Orm2

• Spital Hill latterly Stanton Hill 1819 ib

• Stanitill 1291 Tax

Etymology

v. magna , parva , grēat , lȳtel , mycel , uferra . This p.n. is from stān 'a stone' and þyrel 'an opening, a gap, a passage-way', (DEPN has 'door'). The final el. gives way to þorn , þyrne 'a thorn-tree'. The -thurl forms are more frequent until m15, and thereafter the -thorn forms. Stānþyrel is an unusual name, which led to the substitution of þyrne , whence þorn , before the date of the earliest record. The significance of stān -þyrel is not certain, but 'stone passage' or 'stone doorway' or 'opening in a stone' looks like an allusion to a megalithic monument, perhaps even a burial-chamber of the 'port-hole' type, v. Varley 34, cf. The Bridestones 291infra . Little Stanthorne is obviously Stanthornehill, v. hyll , cf. Whatcroft 215infra . This may have been the site of the lazar-house belonging to Vale Royal abbey mentioned in 1291 Tax (cf. Orm2 ii171, 173), v. spitel 'a hospital'.The form Stanitill 1291 Tax may mean 'hill at a stony place', v. stǣniht , hyll .