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.

Haltcliff Hall

Early-attested site in the Parish of Caldbeck

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.