Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• abbas et conventus de Stanlawa, Stanlawa 1172–78 c.1190 Bun l12 ChFor 1347

• Stanlawe 1172–78,1178,1178–81 Whall

• Stanlaw, Stanlaw Monastery 1819 Orm2

• sita de Stanlawe 1499 Sheaf

• Stanlowe 1178–89 Chol,Facs 1614 Orm2

• Stanlow 1260 Court

• Stanllowe 1299 Port

• Stanlowe in Wirhale 1289 Cl

• Stanl' 1178–82 Whall 1292 et freq

• Stanelawe 1271 ChFor 1283 Pat 1334

• Stanhowe 1283 Pat

• Stanlagh 1283 Pat

• Stanlewe 1306 Pap

• Stanley 1553 Pat

• Stanlay(e) c.1554 Whall

• Standlowe 1614 Orm2

• Stanlawa que est sedes abatie ('Stanlow, which is the site of the abbey') 1172–78 Bun

• …the place called Stanlowa, for the making and building of an abbey there' c.1190 Bun

• 'Stanlow now a farm…But there was a monastery… taking the name from Steny-hill' 1621 (1656) Orm2 ii 359

• locus Stanlawe qui mutato nomine Benedictus Locus vocari volumus 'the place Stanlow which we wish to be called by the changed name of Blessed Place' a.1178 Whall

• ecclesia de Locus Benedictus (de Stanlawe), abbatia de Locus Benedictus (de Stanlawe), Locus Benedictus (de Stanlawe) 1178–81, 1178–90, 1186–91 Whall et freq

• Locus Benedictus de Stanlawe nunc de Whalleye 1303 Whall

• abbat(h)ia Sancti Benedicti de Stanlaue, abbat(h)ia Sancti Benedicti de Stanlawe 1209 Bun, Whall

• Stanlow Ho 1831 Bry

• grangia de Stanlowe 1537 Dugd

• Stanley Grange 1553 Pat

• Stan(d)lowe alias Stan(d)lowe Grange 1614 Orm2

• Stanlow now a farm 1621 (1656) Orm2

Etymology

The name of this place is taken from the rocky promontory at Stanlow Point, so named 1831 Bry, the eroded remnant of what must have been a conspicuous headland before the great inundations which caused the evacuation of the abbey. The point is named Stanlawa que est sedes abatie ('Stanlow, which is the site of the abbey') 1172–78Bun , cf. '…the place called Stanlowa , for the making and building of an abbey there 'c.1190Bun , and is named Steny-hill in 'Stanlow now a farm … But there was a monastery … taking the name from Steny-hill '1621 (1656) Orm2 ii359. The p.n. is 'stone hill, rock hill', v. stān , stǣnig , stǣnen , hlāw , hyll , point .Unless the 1283 Pat form Stanhowe is a sport, the second el. is once replaced by hōh . Later forms show confusion with lēah . The name of the abbey itself was Locus Benedictus 'the Blessed Place' and locus Stanlawe qui mutato nomine Benedictus Locus vocari volumus 'the place Stanlow which we wish to be called by the changed name of Blessed Place 'a.1178 Whall, ecclesia de Locus Benedictus (de Stanlawe ), abbatia de Locus Benedictus (de Stanlawe ), Locus Benedictus (de Stanlawe )1178–81, 1178–90, 1186–91 Whallet freq with variant spellings as for Stanlow supra to Locus Benedictus de Stanlawe nunc de Whalleye 1303 Whall. This new name was taken to be a dedication in abbat (h )ia Sancti Benedicti de Stanlaue , abbat (h )ia Sancti Benedicti de Stanlawe 1209Bun , Whall. Stanlow Ho 1831 Bry, so named 1831 Bry, the remains of the monastic buildings and the cell maintained there, is grangia de Stanlowe 1537 Dugd, Stanley Grange 1553 Pat, Stan (d )lowe alias Stan (d )lowe Grange 1614 Orm2, Stanlow now a farm 1621 (1656) Orm2, v. grange .