Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Stomblets grene 1559 Ct

• le Stumblet 1600 SRS14,91

Etymology

Stumlets Wood (6″) is Stomblets grene 1559Ct (C.P.), le Stumblet in 1600 SRS 14, 91. The same element is found in Stumblewood supra 352 and, much more important, we have mention in an Ashburnham deed of 1584, belonging to Catsfield, of two pieces of brook (i.e. meadow), three of arable land and two stomlet voc. Stumblets . It is clear then that the word is a significant word and it probably applies to pieces of woodland, so completing the three kinds of land. This word stumblet is an et -derivative of stumbel (v. Stumbleholm supra 208), of the type described under Grevatt's supra 17 and must denote 'place abounding in stumps,' and here might be used of stubbed land in contrast to furze-grown land like Ruffet supra . The phrase used in the Ashburnham deed looks as though stumblet in course of time came actually to be used as a measure of woodland. We may note further The Stumblets and Stumblets as field-names in the Tithe Awards for Brightling and Salehurst respectively, and on the present day map Stumlet Wood in Waldron, Stumblett Wood in Ticehurst, Stumblott's Wood in Ewhurst and Stumletts Gill in Rotherfield.