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.

Gatesgarth

Early-attested site in the Parish of Buttermere

Historical Forms

  • Gatescarth(e) 1260 Rental 1562 Brayton
  • Gaitescarth 1318 MinAcct
  • Birknesfield or Gatescath p.1550 NB
  • Gascard 1268 MinAcct
  • Gascarth 1273 ib
  • Gaskarth 1567 PR(Crosth)
  • Gaskaith 1805 Brayton
  • Gadschard 1268 MinAcct
  • Gatscharth 1278 ib
  • Gasgarth 1273 MinAcct
  • Gasgath 1616 CWxxviii
  • Geyte garth 1570 ExchKR
  • Gascadale 1786 Gilpin
  • Gatescartheheved, Gatescardeheved c.1211 Scotland

Etymology

'skarð, or gap of the goats.' The original name seems to have contained the OE  gen. pl. gāta which in some forms is scandinavianised to geita . In the second element, garth (v. garðr ) was later substituted for skarð .