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.

Shilstone

Early-attested site in the Parish of Drewsteignton

Historical Forms

  • Selvestan 1086 DB 1238 Ass
  • Silvestane 1242 Fees788
  • Shilveston 1249 Ass
  • Schilveston 1303 FA
  • Shilston 1262 Ipm

Etymology

v. scylf , stan . This must refer to the famous cromlech near by called the Spinster's Rock. The first element in this name is OE scylf , 'shelf, ledge, floor, story,' referring to the flat stone lying on top. The probability is therefore that the compound scylfestan denoted a cromlech in OE, though at the five other places in the county where the p.n. occurs there are now no remains of such.