Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• the Coal-pitt Turnpike House 1786 PR(B)

Etymology

Coalgill Sike, v. col 1 'coal', gil , sīc ; there are many allusions to coal-mining on Stainmore, such as 'my owne Pitts [of coales ] on Stainemoor ' in 1673 CW v, 191, the Coal-pitt Turnpike House 1786 PR(B), and several coal-miners are reported as having perished, like 'Thomas Willmson, a colyer' in 1646 PR(B) 68, Simon Bulman 'killed in a Coal pitt' in 1786 ib 401, Thomas Bousfield 'killed by a fall of a Cragg upon him in Borrodale in a coal pit' in 1769 ib 388, and William Hodgson, collier, who 'perished in the snow coming from ye Coals' in 1774 ib 391; there are several old coal shafts in Borrowdale. Coalgill Sike is on the edge of the Coal Measures.Cf. also Coalgill Sike, Coal Gill (ii, 3, 29 supra ).