Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Tautop 1770 Bthm

Etymology

Towtop, Towtop Kirk, Tautop 1770 Bthm, 'Towtop Kirk , an early homestead' (NWm 245); in fact the name now refers to the spur of a hill on which exists an ancient circular enclosure, described in RCHM 33–4 (grid 83–494179). The circle is called a kirk (v. kirkja ), a term often used of ancient remains (cf. Kirk Stone ii, 223infra ); the hill itself is called Towtop, but the meaning of tow is obscure, unless it stands for t 'howe top 'the hill top' (v. haugr , topp ); a similar name occurs in Cartmell Fell (La), v. Addenda.