Burkitt's Lane, Bargate's Lane Fm
Early-attested site in the Parish of Dedham
Historical Forms
- atte, in ye Lane t.Ed3 Rental 1389–91 Ct
Etymology
Burkitt's Lane (6″), Bargate's Lane Fm (6″). Cf. le Birchet (te ), Birchet (te )1291, 1323For , Byrchet 1388–9Ct , le Berchet 1405Ct , Dedham Byrchet , Burchett 1454Deeds , Bargatlane 1530Ct . The lane was perhaps the home of Matilda, William and Matthew atte , in ye Lane t. Ed 3 (Rental ) and 1389–91 (Ct ). burchett is one of the collective nouns formed by the addition of an et (t )-suffix discussed in PN Sx 18 and PN Sr 358–9. 'Collection of birches,' v. bierce . It appears on a 15th-century map as Birchetum . The modern form is probably due to a popular association of the name with the surname Burkitt , that of a distinguished Dedham lecturer c. 1700. Similar et (t )-formations are noted infra 557.