h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The almost certain derivation of the village name is from the celtic sun god BEL, i.e. Bel's Hurst or the continental/romanised version Belinus (Belinushurst).

The Hurst lies to the East of the village where the sun would rise as seen from the village and where the church now sits, probably replacing a celtic temple to Bel and or Roman temple to Belinus/Appolo.

The obvious connection to Billingsgate is that they have have similar derivation: It is the east gate of the city and the rising sun would travel down the long straight slope of the old fish market to where The Monument now stands.

Naming after a roman builder of Stane street is possible (the name is a likely roman/british name) but why then the hurst and not the street/road?

It is also put forward that there was a local tribe called the Bilinguae, but Billingsgate rather puts paid to that unless they went for a picnic to the Tower and had it named after them!