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On the Derivation of the Name Coldingham. 

 By Robert Hood, M.D. 



The name of Coldingham is considered by Chalmers, in his 

 Caledonia, to signify Cold-dean, with the Saxon affix of ham, 

 a vill ; but this explanation to me, is not satisfactory. As 

 cold has not any meaning when applied to many, or indeed, 

 to almost any of the places to which it is given, I think the 

 root term cole or rather coile, as pronounced in Gaelic by a 

 native, is more likely to be the correct word. The straits 

 which separate Bute from Argyleshire are called by a Celt, 

 the Coiled of Bute. In the eastern counties of England (in 

 Mercia), where the Danes at one time predominated, ing is a 

 very common termination to names of places ; and the Saxon 

 ham being affixed, leads to the supposition, that it was a 

 later name joined to an earlier by a later people ; a Saxon 

 addition to a Cymro-Danish name. 



The name of Cold-dean is also very inappropriate to Cold- 

 ingham, Chambers in his " Picture of Scotland," says — 

 " Coldingham is a place where the Goddess of Pleasure 

 might delight to dwell;" and St. Andrew's Dene, which lies 

 immediately westward from the village, is perhaps the love- 

 liest dene in the lowlands of Scotland. 



The letter d in the name is put in for the sake of euphony, 

 to separate the two vowels ; a circumstance which frequently 

 occurs, as any one familiar with the Greek will easily com- 

 prehend. 



Cole may then be explained by the place being strait or 

 narrow ; the word in primitive languages has that meaning, 

 being given in mountainous countries to necks of land connect- 

 ing mountains, or stretching from them, as Cole de Trende, 

 &c. ; and also to the various coal harbours and cold creeks, 

 which are all narrow inlets of the sea or rivers. The mean- 

 ing and derivation of the name may be explained in this 

 way; cole (Cymric), narrow; ing (Danish), vale; and ?iam 

 (Saxon), vill ; or the village of the narrow vale. In corro- 

 boration of this, we find Colding a frequent name of places 

 in Denmark, but never with ham affixed. The streamlet 

 that runs from the village to the sea is named Cole-hum, 

 and the mill upon it Cole-mill, and likewise the bog, or what 

 was once a bog, in front of the Manse, Cole-bog. Probably, 

 as has been mentioned, the word cole was given to the place 

 before the Saxon word cold was introduced into the country. 



