Chilgrove
Early-attested site in the Parish of West Dean
Historical Forms
- Chelegrave 1200 FF 1279 1296 SR 1303 Ipm
- Chalegrave 1287 FF
- Chulegraue 1332 SR
- Chilgrave 1341 Ipm
- Chilgrove 1428 FA
Etymology
Chilgrove lies in a deep-cut valley and may well be a compound of OE ceole , 'throat,' here used in the sense of 'gulley' and graf, 'grove.' For this topographical use of ceole , v. Middendorff and B.T. Supplt. s. v. All the examples quoted there are however not free from ambiguity as they (and indeed Chilgrove also) may contain Cēolan as the gen. sg. of the weak pet-name Cēola rather than of the common noun cēole .