Survey of English Place-Names

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.