Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• æt Enneglan (sic) 862 BCS535 late13th

• (loco…nuncupatur) Cungle 962 BCS1091 11th

• Colne 1086 DB

• Chulna c.1127 GlChvii,2

• Culna, Culn(e) Sancti Ailwyn(i), Culn(e) Sancti Aylwyn(i), Culn(e) Sancti Aylwin(i) 1154–1217 Glouc c.1243 GlChi,31 1287 Ass 1290 Episc 1291 Tax 1327 SR 1542 MinAcct

• Culn(e) S. Alwyny 1342 Heref

• Culn(e) Ailwyns 1535 VE

• Culn(e) Sancti Alwini 1559 FF

• Coln(e) Sancti Aylwyn(i), -y- 1276 Heref 1284 Episc 1287 Ass

• Colne Sancti Alwini 1316 FA

• Coln(e) aylewyns 1544 FF

• Coln(e) alyns 1577,1610 M

• Coln(e) Allwyns 1587 FF

• Coln(e) alins 1675 Ogilby

• Cowne Allens 1620 Rec

• Cowlne Sainte Alewynes 1628 FF

Etymology

Coln St Aldwyn, Coln Rogers, and Coln St Denis (165, 166infra ) all stand on the R. Coln (6supra ); it is not clear which of the three places the OE spellings refer to, nor is it certain which saint's name has provided the affix. The church was known as ecclesia Sancti Aylwini (12, 1191 Glouc i, 257, iii, 11) before the 13th century when it was dedicated to St John the Baptist (Glouc iii, 196). Baddeley and Ekwall suggest the saint was Ealdwine the hermit, but the regular spelling Ail -, Ayl - (which Feilitzen 104 has shown to be a normal development of Æþel -) makes it likely to be St Athelwine, the bishop of Lindsey from 679 (Bede iii, 27, iv, 12).