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.

Amberstone

Early-attested site in the Parish of Hailsham

Historical Forms

  • Ambeford 1212 P 1340 NI
  • Amberstone 1588 DuLa
  • Ombeford 1370 IpmR
  • Ombford 1422 FF
  • Ombefordstone 1470 Hailsham
  • Ambefeld 1180 Hailsham 1212 P 1293 Cl
  • Aumb(e)feld 1302,1428 FA

Etymology

The name is to be associated with a lost Ambefeld 1180 Hailsham, 1212 P, 1293 Cl, Aumb (e )feld 1302, 1428 FA and probably also with Hamly Bridge supra 399. The first element is probably an unrecorded pers. name Eamba , a pet-form of the OE  pers. name Ēanbeorht . The stone must be a boundary-stone on the Hailsham-Hellingly boundary. One is marked on the 6″ map 250 yds. S.S.W. of Amberstone.