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.

Lockspit Hall Drove

Early-attested site in the Parish of Cottenham

Etymology

Lockspit Hall Drove (6″). Cf. Lockspit Hall 1883 AnctC. This, with Lock Spit Fm and Lock Spit Hall and Long Lockspits (infra 228, 235, 176), is named from the lockspits or small trenches dividing fen lands (1637 BedL ii, 270). v. NEDs. v. lockspit, from lock sb. or v. and spit , 'a turf.' First recorded in 1649–50, cf. Sutton Lockspittes 1654BLAcct , Lockspits in the Old Hawes (in Chatteris) 1678FenS .