Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• (to) coteleshed 944–6 BCS817(S513) 14

• (on) cheotoles heafde 955 14 ib

• Chetteslesheved 1278 QW

• Chetelesheved(e) 1280–1 ib

• Chetelesheued, Chetteslesheued 1280 Ass

• Chytelheved 1281,1289 ib

• chateshead woods 17 CecilMap

• Chettelhead 1618 PNW

• Chettlehed, Chettlehead Cops 1618 Map

• Hr Chittle Head Coppice & Lr Chittle Head Coppice 1838 TA

Etymology

Chettle Head Copse (SU 025210), (to ) coteleshed 944–6 (14) BCS 817(S 513), (on ) cheotoles heafde 955 (14) ib 917(S 582), Chetteslesheved 1278 QW, Chetelesheved (e )1280–1 ib, Chetelesheued , Chetteslesheued 1280Ass , Chytelheved 1281, 1289ib , chateshead woods 17CecilMap , Chettelhead 1618 PN W, Chettlehed , Chettlehead Cops 1618Map , Hr Chittle Head Coppice & Lr Chittle Head Coppice 1838TA , cf. (to ) cotelesburgh '944–6 (14) BCS 817(S 513), (to ) chetoles beorge 955 (14) ib 917(S 582), which is identified with the nearby Kitt's Grove on the county bdy in PN W 204. Tengstrand MN 98 is no doubt correct in taking the first el. of these two names to be an OE  ceotol, a variant of cetel , cytel 'a kettle', used topographically of 'a deep valley surrounded by hills', cf. Chettle par. infra ; the valley referred to was perhaps that now called Chickengrove Bottom (6″) lying E from Chettle Head Copse in Broad Chalke par. (Wiltshire). Chettle Head Copse is just below a 600′ ridge, v. hēafod 'head', either in the sense 'hill, ridge' or 'upper end of a valley'; at Kitt's Grove (1902 6″, called Kitt's Grave in PN W 204), on the site of cotelesburgh ', chetoles beorge , there is a barrow, v. beorg .