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.

Gadsey Brook

Early-attested site in the Parish of Renhold

Historical Forms

  • Godeshoslade 1239 Newn 15th
  • Goteshoslade c.1300 Newn 15th

Etymology

'The slæd by God's hoh,' God being a pet form of one of the OE  pers. names in God - and not the name of the divinity.The change of vowel is probably due to the same unrounding process (combined with a shyness in using the name of God) which has given us 'by Gad.' Cf. Wyld, Colloquial English , 240.

Places in the same Parish