Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Alretunstall John Orm2i521 17

Etymology

Alretunstall (lost), Alretunstall John (17) Orm2 i521, the name of an estate given with Sunderland by Hamo de Massey III to Cicely his daughter.Sunderland is Sinderland 20supra in Dunham Massey. The lost place is probably the origin of the local surname Artunstal (l ), Ardonstal (l ), Artonstal (l ), Artonstal (l )e 1354 BPRet freq to 1385Eyre , of Timperley, cf. Bardsley s.nn. Artin (g )stall . The p.n. is formed from alor 'an alder- tree', tūn 'a farm, an enclosure' and stall 'a site'. It can be construed either as Alre -tūnstall , 'farm-site at an alder', or as Alretūn -stall 'site of Alretūn (farm at an alder)'. The latter construction involves the identification of Alretone DB f.266b with Ollerton 79infra , v. Tait 183. The name is of a common type, and Ollerton need not be the only location, cf. Offerton 1290, Oulton 326infra . Alretone DB f.266b was held TRE by Ælward and in 1086 by Hamo de Mascy.So were Ashley, Hale (including Ringway, not named in DB), Bowdon, Dunham Massey (probably including Altrincham, not named in DB) and part of Sinderland in Dunham Massey, all contiguous and in the ancient parish of Bowdon. Alretone was probably hereabouts, and Alretunstall in Timperley probably represents it, for Timperley, also in Bowdon parish, adjoins Hale, Altrincham, and Sinderland. Cf. also Clay Cottages 29supra .