Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Cadreton(e), Cadretune 1086 DB 1230

• Cadartona, Cadartuna c.1140–8 YCh539 1156 LeonN35d

• Kaerton 13 Heal43d

• Kayrton 1255 YI

• Scaterton 1167 P

• Kathertuna, Cathertuna, Catherton 1173 YCh197 1209 Sawl167d 1230 P c.1250 Heal31 1251 Ass 1268 FF 1355 FF

• Oldecathirton 1323 MinAcct

• Katerton, Caterton, Catirton 1211 P c.1250 Heal31 1254 1256 Furn 1285 Heal171 1531 FF

• Catterton 1539 WillY 1613 FF

Etymology

'Farmstead at Cader ', v. tūn . The first el. Cader - may go back to an older Caðer -, which is clearly established in ME  by the spellings Cather - and Kaer - (the latter with AN  loss of intervocalic -th - as in Bolton i, 83supra from bōðl-tūn); -t - in Cater - is also best explained as an AN  spelling of -th -; later forms with -t - can be explained as a dialectal change of -th - to -t - noticed in Battersby vi, 204 and Beattrix vi, 211infra . But Cader - may well be original and the form Cather - a secondary one due to the common substitution of ON  -ð - for OE  -d - (cf. Clotherholme v, 163infra , Goathland YN 81, IPN 65). Cader is usually interpreted as of Brit origin, Brit  *cateira , a loan from Lat  cathedra 'chair, seat'; v. cadeir (which arose by Brit lenition, cf. Jackson 124 n. 2, 401–2, 554). The meaning of this word in English p.ns. like Caterham Sr 311, Catherington Ha, Cateringatune c. 1015 BM, Catterall La 162, Catterlen Cu 182, is not certain, but some of these places are in lofty situations and some such meaning as 'hill' would fit; but there is no evidence for a meaning 'hill-fort' which has been proposed (cf. EPN i, 75 s.v. cader ). There is a slight hill at Catterton which is about 1 mile from the York-Tadcaster road. Cf. Cadretone v, 14infra .