Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Golden Cap signal 1811 OS

• Gre, Golden Cup (sic) 1840 TA(StantonStG.) 1841 ib

Etymology

, Golden Cap signal 1811OS , Golden Cape Signal 1826 Gre , Golden Cup (sic)1840TA (StantonSt G.), 1841ib (Chideock) ; ModE  cap in the sense ' cap-like covering,top stratum or layer ' ( NED s.v. cap sb sense 10 ) is certainly appropriate in describing the distinctive triangular patch of yellow sandstone crowning this 618 ′ coastal peak , but the TA spellings may suggest that the second el . was originally cop ' top of a hill, summit, peak ' ( OE  cop(p) , NED s.v. cop sb sense 1 ) , cf. Tyneham Cap in Tyneham par . 1 105 – 6 .