Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Foresteshull 1227 FF

• Forsteshull 1254 1280 Ch

• Forsteshill 1288 Ass

• Forstehull 1280 Ch

• Forteshull 1227 FF 1280 Ch

• Fortishull 1288 Ass

• Forshull(e) 1244 Ass 1275 RH 1279 FF 1300 Ipm 1484 MinAcct

• Westforshull(e) 1404,1475 Weld1

• Westforeshull 1319 Pat

• Forshill 1329 1437 Weld1 1469 MinAcct

• West Forshill 1443 Weld1 1461 Rent

• Forsshull 1408,1413 Weld1

• West Forsehill 1535 VE

• Furshyll 1435 Weld1

• Fosthell 1589 Comm

• Fossell 1705 Weld1

• Lr & Middle Fossill 1811 OS

• Foss(hi)ll Fm 1865 Weld1

• Fossill Hill 1841 TA

Etymology

Probably 'hill called Forst ' ('the ridge'), v. forst (gen.sg. -es ), hyll , cf. Forest Hill O 171, Furzehill W 245, Frosthills Wt 283, as first suggested by Tengstrand MN 100–1; alternatively, as Professor Löfvenberg points out, the first el. may be an OE  pers.n. Forst , originally a byname, v. Tengvik 376, Reaney 126. The hill itself is called Fossill Hill in 1841TA . West in relation to East Fossil in Winfrith N. par. infra , v. west ; some of the early forms cited above may strictly belong there. In 1811 OS West Fossil Dairy is called Lower Fossill , West Fossil Farm is Middle Fossill .