Sterte
Early-attested site in the Parish of Longfleet
Historical Forms
- Sterte 1863 Hutch3
- Strette iuxta Pole 1520 Rent
- Sterts 1811 OS
Etymology
Sterte (SZ 011918), Sterte 1863 Hutch3, Strette iuxta Pole 1520Rent , Sterts 1811 OS, cf. Stert Fm 1822EnclA , Street Fd 1843TA .Probably from steort 'tail of land', with reference to a low-lying promontory in Holes Bay; for the metathesis of r in two of the forms, cf. Woodstreet 1190. Formally the name could perhaps be from strǣt 'paved way, Roman road', but this is not very likely. The Roman road from Badbury to Poole Harbour (Margary 4d) led to Hamworthy 1½ miles W and could not in itself be the road referred to, and there is no evidence that this road originally forked, one branch passing near Sterte to Poole on the opposite bank of Holes Bay; however, for the discovery of Roman occupation debris and a coin-hoard at Sterte, in fact in Street Fd itself, v. RCHM 2604.