Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Aidesdale l.12 Lowth

Etymology

Aisdale (lost), 1777 NB 408 (from which it appears to be the valley leading up to Hayes Water), Aidesdale l. 12Lowth (Aiclesdale in Bart 337), 13 CW xviii, 151. 'Eith's valley', from the rare OIcel  pers.n. Eiðr (gen. Fiðs , Eiz -) and dalr. It is possible that this pers.n. is also found in Hayes Water (i, 16supra ), but if so it has been influenced by the common p.n. Hayes , etc. As the pers.n. is so rare, it might, as Dr Feilitzen suggests, be better to take the first el. as ON  eið 'neck of land, narrow strip of land, a deep hollow in a fell which provides a route between two settlements', etc. (cf. NGIndl 48), a common term in Norw and Swed p.ns. The precise feature is difficult to determine.