Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Povrestoch 1086 DB

• Povrestoca Exon

• Powestoc' m12 Salis

• Powestoch' l12 ib

• Poerstoke 1150–1200 MontC 1194–5,1196–7 RBE

• Poestoch(a) 1157 Salis l12 Salis m13 Salis

• Porestok(e) 1157,c.1160 Sarum 1201–12 RBE 1205 ClR 1230 Lib 1231,1233,1236 Cl 1273 Fine 1275,1294 Cl 1297 Pat 1479 Cl

• Porestoc 1217 Pat

• Porstok(e) 1157,c.1160 Sarum 1205 ClR 1207,1213 PatR 1213 Osm Hy3 Cerne 14 Pat 1224–30 Cl 1230 Memo 1230–1 Cl 1232–7 Pat 1235 Cl 1243–54 Pat 1255 For 1258 Cl 1258–61 Pat 1265,1266 Ass 1268 ADI 1382

• Poursted(a) (sic) 1194,1201 P

• Pourstok(e) 1195 P 1196 ChancR 1202,1203 P 1208 1210 P 1211 ChancR 1212 Fees 1235 Cl 1238 Pat 1248 Salis 1327 SR 1443 Ilch

• Pourstoch(e) 1198–1214 P

• Poverstoke 1202–12 RBE

• Pouerstok(e) 1236 Cl 1386 Fine 1392 Cl

• Pouerestok(e) 1380 1384 Pat

• Purstock 1206 ChR

• Purstok(e) 1219 Fees 1263 Cl 1287 Cl 1288 Ass 1302 Fine 1394 Pat

• Purestok 1255 Sarum

• Pourestok(e) 1211 ChancR 1230 P 1364 Cl 1486 Pat

• Postok 1213 Salis

• Postak' 1251 Cl

• Poustok 1255 Salis

• Port(e)stok (sic) 1226 FF 1228 Lib 1274 Fine 1288 Ass

• Bourstok 1346 FA

• Burstoke 1428 ib

• Powerstok(e) 1355 Pat 1535 VE

• Powerstock 1664 HTax

• Peu(e)restoke 1384 Cl 1471 Pat

• Poorstock 1686 DCMCt 1811 OS

• Porland 1275 RH

Etymology

From OE  stoc 'secondary settlement, outlying farmstead' with an uncertain first el., possibly an old r.n., which it shares with North Poorton & South Poorton. Ekwall Studies2 21, DEPN 371, is no doubt correct in associating this with a place called Power mentioned in the 12th-cent. MS BM Cotton Faustina A. ii in reference to a grant by King Egbert of Wessex (802–39). Power may here be an old name of Poorton, or of the district, transferred from an old r.n. of obscure origin but possibly formed on the o -grade of PrWelsh  *pefr 'radiant' found in Peover Eye Ch 133. For another view, v. A. Breeze, 'Welsh  pybyr 'staunch' and Poorton, Dorset', SoDoNQ 35 (2004) 302–4. Powerstock and (North & South) Poorton lie on separate small streams which join near West Milton to form the Mangerton River, and Power may be the original name of this river. Thus Powerstock may be 'outlying settlement belonging to or within Power ', or 'outlying settlement on the Power '.

Ekwall Studies2 21 mentions a Porland 1275 RH which he supposes must have been in the neighbourhood, and Power forms the first el. of Poorwood , a name for (part of) the old forest of Powerstock, for which v. Powerstock Common infra . Also of interest is the f.n. Poor mead 1839TA and the cluster of f.ns. called Poor Gates 1840TA (Wytherstone), Pooryate (s )1588, 1593Brid situated near to South Poorton and close to several springs at the source of the most northerly of the two streams (apparently the Lodburn , see 6″ names infra ).

As noted by Fägersten 241, the unusual first el. of Powerstock seems to have been associated at an early date with ME  poure , povere , pouere , pore (< OFr  povre ) 'poor' but cannot be this word which is first recorded in English c.1200, v. the quotation from Hutch1 1 362 regarding Poorwood cited under Powerstock Common infra . Fägersten also notes the curious fact that the DB under-tenant of Powerstock, one Hugo, seems to have had the surname le Poer in a Sarum charter of 1152 (v. Osm II lxxxvi fn.), but this looks to be only a coincidence (cf. the 12th- cent. spellings Poerstoke , Poestoch (a )supra ).