English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Cleeve Copse

Early-attested site in the Parish of Chilmark

Historical Forms

  • Cleves 1570 PembSurv
  • pasture called Cleeve 1632 Wilton
  • hoddes clif 860 BCS500 14th
  • Hoddesclyf juxta Wycheford 1381 Cor
  • hoddisclive 940 BCS752 15th

Etymology

Cleeve Copse (6″) is Cleves 1570 PembSurv, pasture called Cleeve 1632Wilton and is probably identical with hoddes clif 860 (14th) BCS 500. v. infra 426. 'Hodd 's clif or sloping place.'Curiously enough there are two other places of this name in Wiltshire, viz. Hoddesclyf juxta Wycheford (i.e. Wishford) 1381Cor , and yet another hoddisclive 940 (15th) BCS 752 in the bounds of Christian Malford.