Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Bridleway Gate 1786,1803 RTH

Etymology

Bridleway Gate (SJ 543262). A perambulation of Besford, 1588SRO 322 box 2 , has “the ferme of Bradeley” at this point on the boundary between Preston Brockhurst and Besford, and Bradeley Gate is mentioned in the same source. PR(L) 1 has Bradeley Yate 1682, Bradeley Gat (e ) 1686, 1763, Breadley -Gate 1781, Bradley Gate 1808. In 1635 GT there is a reference to “Preston Brockhurst and Bradeley Gate”. The 1846 map of Preston Brockhurst names the house Bridleway Gate and shows fields called Bridleway and Big Bridleway , Little Bridleway , Lower Bridleway on either side of one of the two roads which cross the township boundary here. This is the road to Whitchurch for which bridleway is not an appropriate term, and the modern name may be considered a rationalisation of the earlier name Brad (e )ley , probably 'broad clearing' from brād and lēah . The currency of the two names overlapped, Bradley Gate 1808 in the parish register being balanced by Bridleway Gate 1786, 1803 RTH. These fields and the farm are on the western edge of Besford Wood.