Tilgate
Early-attested site in the Parish of Worth
Historical Forms
- Tylegate 1567 SRS3,43
- Yllegate 1296 SR
- Illegate 1340 NI
Etymology
Tilgate is Tylegate in 1567 (SRS 3, 43) and probably gave name to William Yllegate (1296 SR) and John de Illegate (1340 NI), the t of æt having been affixed to the earlier form of the name. The gate here is clearly one of the gates into the forest.The first element is probably a pers. name. It can hardly be Ylla (cf. PN Bk 125) for that should give ME forms Elle -, Ulle - in Sussex. On the other hand we have no definite evidence for OE Illa .