Dunstable Common
Early-attested site in the Parish of Molesey
Historical Forms
- Dunstall 1420 FF
- Dounstalles, Donstalles c.1420 Ct
- Dunstall Hall 1596 SrWills
- Dunstable Comm 1609 LRMB
Etymology
Dunstable Common is Dunstall 1420 FF, Dounstalles , Donstalles c. 1420Ct , Dunstall Hall 1596 SrWills, Dunstable Comm 1609LRMB , Dunstable farm . 1749 B. The name would seem to be a compound of OE dun and steall , 'site, place, cattle-stall,' but there can never have been any hill here, and dun probably denotes open land. It is possible, however, that Dunstall is for Tunstall from OE tunsteall, 'farmstead.' That is the history of Dunstall (L), DBTonestall , and Tunstall (PN NbDu 201) shows similar confusion of forms. The later and modern forms must have been influenced by Dunstable (Beds). Cf. Dunstall 1548LRMB (Coulsdon), 1568 Endowments (Ewhurst).