English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Fairyhall

Early-attested site in the Parish of Felsted

Historical Forms

  • (grauuam de la) farhaie, farheie 12th Caen
  • Varheie, le Varheie, Varhey t.Hy4 Ct
  • (le) ffarehei(h)a(m), ffareheya 1222,1367 Rental
  • Farehey 1428 EASix
  • le ffeyrygrene 1506 Ct
  • Fairhey 1576 ERxxviii

Etymology

Fairyhall (6″) is (grauuam de la ) farhaie , farheie 12thCaen , Varheie , le Varheie , Varhey ib., t. Hy 4Ct , (le ) ffarehei (h )a (m ), ffareheya 1222, 1367Rental , Farehey 1428 EAS ix, le ffeyrygrene 1506Ct , Fairhey 1576 ER xxviii. 'Pig enclosure,' v. (ge)hæg. The first element might be from OE  fearr , 'ox,' or fearh , 'pig,' but there is little doubt, in this instance, that the latter is correct. In the Caen Cartulary, the entry immediately preceding that relating to Fairyhall states that William porch ' “debet servare boscos et porcos. ” Further, the herbagium de farhaie was held by a swineherd (porcarius ). Cf. Fairy Fm infra 467.