Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Staweius jwinde Hy3 Cerne 14

• Staweyesfote 1270 For

• Stan(e)wey(e)sfot(e) Ed1 ForReg 15 Glast 1338–40

• Stowefote 1300 Hutch3

• Bystaweidich 1317 MiltC

• Stoweye 1550 PlR

• Stowey 1843 TA(Hillfield)

• Stowey (Copse) 1843 TA(MinterneM.)

• Stawaye 1553 PlR

• Stoys gate 1569–74 Map

• Stoyes yate 1615 DuCo

• Stays Gate 1840 TA(Hermitage)

• Steys hill (sic) 1569–74 Map

• Stoyes crosse, Stoyes Lane, Winding Stoye (a lane) 1615 DuCo

• land called the Stoye 1618 Winch

• High Stoy 1811 OS

• Stoys 1843 TA(Hillfield)

• Meech's Stoy, Plain of Stoy, Stoy Plant. 1843 TA(MinterneM.)

Etymology

'Stone way', from OE  stān and weg, thus identical in origin with Stowey So (DEPN). For the loss of ME  -n - before a labial consonant, cf. Stoborough 173 and W. Stafford 1243. The name probably refers to the curving lane which climbs from Lane Cottages infra up to the 800′ chalk ridge (cf. '(Old) Chalk Pit' 6″), at one end of which is the hill known as High Stoy (847') (cf. Penn Wood infra which may recall the original Brit name for the hill). The forms Staweius jwinde (from OE  (ge)wind 'winding ascent') and Stan (e )wey (e )fot (e ) (from OE  fōt 'foot of a hill') occur in the medieval bounds of Blackmoor Forest (3 274). There is an interesting echo of the first of these forms in the e17 name for the lane, Winding Stoye , v. winding . Other forms cited contain the els. dīc 'ditch', geat 'gate', and cross probably 'crossroads'. For the surname Meech , cf. f.ns. infra .