Chittoe
Major Settlement in the Parish of Chittoe
Historical Forms
- Chetewe 1167 P 1257 For 1259 1289,1305 Ass
- Cheteweie 1226 FF
- Chetwe 1232 Lacock
- Chetowe 1260 For t.Hy3 Dugdvi
- Cuttewe 1196 Cur
- Chitewe 1202 P 1257 For
- Chytewe 1249,1356 Ass
- Chitwe t.Ed3 For
- Chitue 1409 Ass
- Chitway 1773 AandD
- Chetuwe 1263 For
- Cheteye 1297 Pat
- Chutewe 1310 FF t.Ed3,1375 For 1409 Ct 1419 IpmR
- Chutuwe 1354 Ct 1390 ADiv
- Chuteweheye 1375 For
- Chittewe 1332 SR
- Chidewe 1374 FF
- Chittowe t.Eliz WMxxi
Etymology
Chittoe was within the old Pewsham Forest and is probably a British wood-name, the first element being the word for 'wood, forest,' discussed under Chute supra 12. Ekwall suggests for the second element either the British word for 'yew' corresponding to Welsh yw , or else an old derivative with the suffix -oviā . The persistent final e in the ME spellings of the name rather favour the latter alternative, as do also the occasional spellings with o or u . But the second element may have been early associated with the cognate English word 'yew.' Professor Salisbury notes that yews are most naturally found on the sides of a steep valley such as that in which Chittoe stands.