Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Babylon Hill 1811 OS

• Gt Babylon Hill, Lt Babylon Hill, Barberlons 1838 TA(OverCompton)

Etymology

Babylon Hill (ST 583161), Babylon Hill 1811 OS, Balylondwey 1531, Bablynwaye , Bablinhill , Babline furlong 1563Digby , Gt Babylon Hill , Lt Babylon Hill , Barberlons 1838TA (Over Compton), v. weg , hyll , furlang . The first el. may be a surname, but, especially if the earliest form is an error for Babylond -, it is more likely to be a biblical allusion to Babylon, v. Field 9. Since the hill lies on the important road (now the A30) connecting Yeovil and points further W with Sherborne, Salisbury and eventually London, it may in turn have been a derogatory or humorous reference to London or one of the other places en route, v. NED s.v. Babylon for its application 'rhetorically to any great and luxurious city' (from 1634).