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.

Ellgate Lane

Early-attested site in the Parish of Marsh Chapel

Historical Forms

  • Hellgates, Helegate 1595 FSurv
  • hell gaits lane 1657 LMR
  • Hell Gate Lane 1712 Foster 1828 Bry
  • le gret hell 1505 LMR
  • gret Hell 1553 Anc
  • le great Hell 1567,1581 ib
  • great Hell 1595 FSurv 1659 Holywell
  • Great hell c.1638 ib
  • Great Hell 1712 Foster
  • Great Ell 1839 TA
  • the North great hell 1663 Holywell
  • lyttell Hell 1510 LMR
  • Little Hell 1564 Anc 1595 FMap 1595 FSurv
  • little Hell 1616 LMR 1803 Hill
  • litle hell 1626 LMR
  • litle hells 1627 Dudding
  • Little-ell 1847 Padley
  • Little Ell 1848 EnclA
  • Inhell pitt (sic) 1595 FSurv
  • Inhel pitte (sic) 1595 FMap
  • Inhellpit Close c.1638 Holywell
  • Hell Pits 1712 Foster
  • Ell Pit 1839 TA 1841 MC 1847 Padley
  • norton Hell 1564 Anc
  • Norton helles 1563 ib
  • le Norton Helles 1567 ib
  • Norton Hells 1572 1581 ib
  • Nortonhell 1595 FMap
  • Norton hells 1595 FSurv
  • Norton Hells c.1638 Holywell 1803 Hill
  • Norton hills 1637 LMR 1803 Hill
  • Norton Hill 1821 AH
  • Norton Ell 1839 TA 1847 Padley

Etymology

ELLGATE LANE, Hellgates , Helegate 1595FSurv , hell gaits lane 1657LMR , Hell Gate Lane 1712Foster , 1828 Bry, called simply Bridle Rd today. It is the continuation of a road in Fulstow on which Heelgate Fm is situated and north of which is a field Helgates shown on FMap . However, north from Ellgate Lane as far as New Dike, which forms the boundary with North Coates, are four fields called Hell . These are le gret hell 1505LMR , gret Hell 1553Anc , le great Hell 1567, 1581ib , great Hell 1595FSurv , 1659Holywell , Great hell c.1638ib , Great Hell 1712Foster , Great Ell 1839TA , the North great hell 1663Holywell ; lyttell Hell 1510LMR , Little Hell 1564Anc , 1595FMap , 1595FSurv , little Hell 1616LMR , 1803Hill , litle hell 1626LMR , litle hells 1627Dudding , Little-ell 1847Padley , Little Ell 1848EnclA ; Inhell pitt (sic)1595FSurv , Inhel pitte (sic)1595FMap , Inhellpit Close c.1638Holywell , Hell Pits 1712Foster , Ell Pit 1839TA , 1841MC , 1847Padley ; norton Hell 1564Anc , Norton helles 1563ib , le Norton Helles 1567ib , Norton Hells 1572ib , 1581ib , Nortonhell 1595FMap , Norton hells 1595FSurv , Norton Hells c.1638Holywell , 1803Hill , Norton hills 1637LMR , 1803Hill , Norton Hill 1821AH , Norton Ell 1839TA , 1847Padley (presumably from the surn. Norton , though none has been noted in the sources searched). Under Heelgate Fm in Fulstow supra it is suggested that the first el. is the surn. Hell , recorded several times in Fulstow documents. It would appear that Heelgate and Ellgate are modern forms of the same name. The occurrence of f.ns. called Hell , north of Ellgate, however, suggest that association with a surn. can hardly be correct. OE  hell 'hell' seems to occur occasionally in p.ns. “as a term of contempt”, while Field, s.n. Hell Carr, accepts that hell may have a derogatory reference in some f.ns. There can be no connexion with an L-shaped field here, which is possible in some names, nor can hell be a form of OE  hyll in north L. We are left, therefore, with the possibility that the first el. of Ellgate Lane and Heelgate Fm is indeed hell , though it should be noted that today there is nothing in the topography of these fields to support a derogatory meaning.