Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Kestw(h)ayte, Kestw(h)ait 1546 MaryP 1553 AOMB 1558 FF 1576 Kendii,318

• Kesthwaite, Kesthwayte 1547 MinAcct 1561 FF

• Kesthaite 1558 NB

• Kestthwaite 1611 Kendii,319

• le Keyshwhait Brigge 1552 ChantKL

• Kystwayte, Kessethwayte 1553 AOMB

• Keisthwaite 1640 Kendii,322

• Keis(t)wicke 1644 ib

• Keastwyck, Keastwick 1589 FF 1823 M

• Kestwick 1754 Kendiii,284

• Kears(t)wick 1777 M 1848 TA

Etymology

'Valley clearing', v. kjóss 'valley, recess', þveit . The place lies in a small valley north of Kirkby. As in Tearnside (infra ), the modern spelling -ear - attempts an orthographic representation of the diphthong [iə].