Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Kirkbergh(e) 1282 Cliff 1369 1526 Hothf

• Kirkber 1634 NB

• Kirkbar 1684 BdyR

• Kirkeberg(h), Kyrkeberg(h) 1292,1315 Ipm 1323 MinAcct 1375 Ipm

Etymology

Kirkber, Kirkbergh (e )1282 Cliff 342, 1369 ib 330, 1526Hothf , Kirkber 1634 NB 293, Kirkbar 1684BdyR , Kirkeberg (h ), Kyrkeberg (h )1292, 1315 Ipm, 1323MinAcct et freq to 1375 Ipm. 'Church hill', v. kirkja , be(o)rg. No church is known on or near this hill, so that the name must refer to church-ownership of the land or more probably to some cairn or heap of stones (no longer identifiable) popularly supposed to be the remains of a church, as in Kirk Stone (ii, 223infra ).