English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Barras Ho

Early-attested site in the Parish of Burtholme

Historical Forms

  • Barras c.1210 Laner
  • Barhouse 1814 PR(Lanercost)
  • Barras House 1825 ib
  • Barhouse Top 1830 ib

Etymology

This is clearly OFr  barras , 'barrier or outwork,' ME  barres , barras , barrais , barrace , EME  barwis , often used of a gate or other obstruction across a road and readily confused with the plural of barre , 'bar.' Cf. Barras Bridge in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and for other examples v. Barras in Dalston and in Orton infra 131, 145 and Barras Meadow in Corney infra 365. See also CW vii (OS) 272 ff.