Carwinley
Early-attested site in the Parish of Arthuret
Historical Forms
- Karwindelhou 1202 FF
- Car…delawe 1267 Ch
- Carwyndelaue early13th Laner
- Karwendelowe, Kaerwyndlo 1281 Ipm
- Carwendelowe, Karwendelowe 1282 ib
- Carwyndelawe 1292 Ass
- Carwyndelowe 1300 Ipm
- Carwendlow 1301 GDR
- Kerwandylawe 1398 Scotland
- Carwanolow 14th Fordun 15th
- Carwindlaw 1777 NB
- Karwindehow 1278 Ass
- Carwinley 1596 Border
Etymology
This is a difficult name. It is clear that the first element is the British equivalent of Welsh caer , 'fortified place.' Two possible inter- pretations of the second element have been suggested. Skene (Celtic Scotland i, 157) notes that Gwendolen (OWelsh Gwenddoleu ) was the name of a British leader in the battle of Arthuret (supra ). Skene suggests that the name Carwinley is British and means 'Gwenddoleu 's fort,' with later folk-etymologising of the name as though the final element were hou , how from hōh , or lawe , lowe from hlāw . Alternatively, Sedgefield (s. n .) and Ekwall (ScandCelts 107, DEPN) suggest that the name is a hybrid, with British cair , 'fort,' added to an English name which varied between Wendlan -hlāw and Wendlan -hōh , 'Wendla 's hill or spur,' v. hlāw , hōh . This latter suggestion seems unlikely.