Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Gatewell(e) c.1234,c.1273 Wymond

• Gatewell(e) viam 13th 1268 Ass

• Gatewell(e)wei, Gatewell(e)wey c.1280 CaiCh 1392 StJohn's

• Gatewell(e)ende 1504–20 StJohn's

• Gathewell c.1260 Wymond

• Gattewelle 1280 Ct

• Gatwell 1517 StJohn's

• Gattle End 1743 HardwickeA

• Gattle close 1828 Eg

• Gatley End c.1840 TA

• Catewell 1274 Cl

• Catewelleweye 1465 StJohn's

• Catdelowe 1275 RH

• Gatesden(e) c.1212,1273 Wymond

• Wymondone c.1273 ib

• Wymondune 13th CaiCh

Etymology

In the neighbourhood were also Catdelowe 1275 RH and Gatesden (e )c. 1212, 1273Wymond , Wymondone c. 1273 ib., Wymondune 13thCaiCh . We have also to take into account Gatleyway Fm in Kelshall (Catlou way 1638, v. PN Herts 160). Gatley End lies along the valley of Cheney Water (supra 4) on which are Upper and Lower Gatley Fms (6″). Gatewell is possibly an early name of this stream. Gatleyway Fm is situated on a track which runs to the Icknield Way, pointing directly to Gatley End, from which runs a track, less direct, past Upper Gatley Fm, through Morden Grange Plantation, to Ashwell station. It seems probable that, before the construction of the railway, these tracks were continuous from Gatley to Gatleyway Fm, passing close by a tumulus near the Icknield Way. This was probably the Catdelowe of 1275 and the Catlou of 1638. Any certain etymology is impossible, but most of our forms point to a first element gata , hence 'goats' stream, valley and hill,' v. wielle , denu , dūn , hlāw . The tumulus was apparently 'wild-cat hill' and we may note that there is still in Kelshall a stream called Cat Ditch. There may have been confusion between distinct names, Gatewellwey and Catlowwey . An interchange of C and G is not uncommon, cf. Cambridge supra 38.