Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Halteclo 1208 FF 1394 IpmR

• Halteclove 1211 Cur

• Hauteclo 1252 Pipe

• Hauteclow, Hauteclou 1258 ib

• Hautecloch, Hauteclouch 1285 For

• Haldeclogh, Haldecloygh 1336 Ipm

• Hautteclo 1343 Cocker

• Alteclo 1236 Pipe 1260 Ipm

• Autoclou 1257 Pipe

• Haltclo 1332 Ipm

• Haltclogh 1340 GDR

• Haltclugh 1610 Denton

• Haldclo 1399 IpmR

• Hawtecliffe 1523 FF

• Hawtclyff 1535 LP

• Awtclife 1588 Cocker

• Halltlife 1711 PR(Matterdale)

• Hall Clyff 1540 AOMB

• Awcliffe, Aucliffe 1579 FF

• Hawcley 1569 FF

• Haltley Hall 1715 Devonshire

• Hautley 1717 Cocker

• Haltclobrig' 1363 GDR

• Haltclobrigge 1367 Ipm

• the bridge at Alteclo t.Hy7 CWv

• Haultley Bridge, Hautley Bridge 1565,1574 PR(Greystoke)

• Hautcliff Brigge 1589 LRMB

• Hautlife Bridge 1599 PR(Greystoke)

• Hotley Bridge 1700 ib

• Hoateley Bridge 1715 ib

Etymology

The forms ending in -cloch , -clugh , -clogh show that the second element of this difficult name is OE  clōh, 'clough, ravine.' The word has been reduced to -clo through lack of stress, and then replaced by -ley , and finally by -cliff . The first element is more doubtful. There is no parallel from any other name in the county to the long run of 13th-century forms in Halte -, Halt -, Haute -. It is on the whole most probable that the forms in Haute - come nearest to the original, and that the first element of the name is the OFr  haut , 'high.' If so, the forms in Halt (e )- will represent an inverted spelling such as is frequently found in similar sound-groups, e.g. Oldebi 1086 DB for Oadby (Lei), ON  Auða býr . Haut may form the first element of Haltwhistle (PN NbDu 99–100) in which the change to Halt - is not recorded before the later Middle Ages. The exact site to which the name Haltcliff Was first applied cannot be determined.