Survey of English Place-Names

Etymology

Stall Barn (SY 624867), cf. Stall piece 1859TA , possibly to be associated with the landmark on æt steallesbeorh , of þam beorge 1024Ilch (KCD 741, S 961) in the Saxon bounds of Portisham. This boundary point is fully discussed by Tengstrand 142–7, who suggests that the name may contain the rare OE  æt-steall in the sense 'encampment, fortification', thus perhaps 'hill or barrow (beorg) by the fortification' with reference to the earthwork on Corton Down just N of Coryates and on the present par. boundary. There are several tumuli near here. It might be noted that Hutch3 2 757, in reciting the bounds of the Portisham charter, mentions Stalborough as if it is a name that is still current (i.e. in 1863). EPN 1 7 has an entry for æt-steall (also mentioning a possible alternative explanation of the compound as ǣt-steall 'feeding stall (for cattle)', cf. Forsberg SNPh 45 No 1), but it should be noted that the word ætstall 'camp' is rejected as a headword in VEPN 1 150 for lack of evidence.