Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Brandreth Stone 1859 OS

Etymology

, Brandreth Stone 1859OS , a boundary stone which is now the bottom step of a stile ( cf. RCHM226, NWm 195 ) ; the name is doubtless a figurative use of OE brand-rida ' fire-grate ' , ON  brand -reið , ME  brand-rith ' grid-iron ' , ' aframework of wood as a stand ' , etc . ( cf. NED s.v. brandreth ) ; this seems more likely than ' burnt clearing ' ( v. brende 2 , ryð ) suggested for Brandrith (YW v, 121) and Brondrid , -red ( Gl i , 205 , ii , 7 ) ; Mr B . L . Thompson points out that because of the resemblance in plan to a splayed - out three - legged brandreth or trivet the term is used of the point where three parish boundaries meet ; the term was also formerly used of the point where the rivers Brathay and the Rothay met , but no such feature is noted at Brundreth Stone .