| Allerdale |
The valley of the River Ellen. The first element is derived from a British river-name with the O.N. genitive ending -ar added. The O.N. dalr forms the final element as in all the dales. Alnerdale 1060. |
| Bannerdale |
The valley of the holly trees. The 13th century form of this name is the key to its origin and meaning. Baynewicdale = O.N. bein + O.N. vithr + O.N. dalr. The literal meaning of this is 'bone- wood dale', a reference to the white wood of the holly tree. |
| Bannisdale |
Bannandr's valley. Bannandr is a Norse nickname meaning one who is given to much cursing and swearing. O.N. banna, to swear + O.N. dalr. Banandesdal 1175. |
| Blengdale |
The valley of the dark river. O.N. blaeingr + O.N. dalr. Ekwall suggests that 'blaeingr' is an O.N. river-name. |
| Boardale |
The valley with the herdsman's hut or storehouse. O.E. bír or O.N. bur + O.N. dalr or O.E. dael. Burdal 1250. |
| Borrowdale |
The valley of the fort. O.N. borgar (of the fort) + O.N. dalr. Borgordale 1170. Castle Crag in the Derwentwater Borrowdale is thought to have been a hill-fort of the Romano British period; the eastern Borrowdale has a Roman fort. It is also possible, as some early forms seem to imply, that the O.N. word 'a', a river, may be part of this name. If so this would give borgar + a + dalr, the valley of the fort by the river. |
| Caudale |
The valley of the calves. O.E. calf (O.N. kalfr) + O.N. dalr (O.E. dael). Cawdell 1187. |
| Coledale |
The valley of the charcoal burners. O.N. kola + O.N. dalr. It is possible that the first element might be a Norse personal name, perhaps Kolli, in which case the meaning would be 'Kolli's valley'. |
| Deepdale |
The deep valley. O.N. djúp + O.N. dalr. Diupdal 1184. |
| Dovedale |
The valley of the doves. O.N. dufa + O.N. dalr. It is possible that this may be a modern name in which case the O.N. analysis is speculative. |
| Dunnerdale |
The valley of the River Duddon. O.N. duthnar (genitive of Dudda) + O.N. dalr. Dunerdal 1293. |
| Easedale |
Asi's valley. O.N. personal name, Asi + O.N. dalr. Asedale 1293. |
| Ennerdale |
The valley of the River Ehen. Ehen is probably a British river-name related to the Welsh 'iain' meaning 'cold' + O.N. dalr. Eghnerdale 1321. Before the 14th century the valley was known as Anenderdale (1135) or Anand's valley from an O.N. personal name. |
| Eskdale |
The valley of the River Esk. 'Esk' is probably a British river- name, Isca, related to the Welsh 'esk' = water + O.N. dalr. |
| Fusedale |
The valley with a cattle byre. O.N. fé-hús + O.N. dalr. Fehusdale 1278. |
| Grisedale Grizedale |
Both names are identical and have the same
derivation: 'the valley of the pigs' . O.N. gríss + O.N. dalr. Grisdal 1292 |
| Kentdale |
The valley of the River Kent. 'Kent' is thought to be an old British river-name indicating 'a sacred river' + O.N. dalr. |
| Keskadale |
The valley with Ketil's shieling. O.N. personal name, Ketil (common locally until the early Middle Ages) + O.N. skali + O.N. dalr. Ketelschaledal 1268. |
| Langdale |
The long valley. The original name was Langedene (1157) derived from O.E. lang + O.E. denu, a long wooded valley. The word 'dene' is uncommon in Lakeland and was later replaced by the more usual O.N. dalr, a dale. O.N. langr + O.N. dalr. Longdale 1597. |
| Langstrath |
The long marsh. O.E. lang + O.E. strod. Langestrothe 1190s. |
| Long Sleddale |
The long valley. The O.E. word 'slaed', a valley, forms the first element of Sleddale, and the O.N. dalr was added later, thus duplicating the word. The word 'long' does not appear in early forms of the name. ON. langr + O.E. slaed + ON. dalr. Sledale c.1200. |
| Mardale |
The valley with a lake. O.E. mere + O.N. dalr (O.E. dael). The mere referred to is the original and smaller Haweswater. Merdale 1278. |
| Martindale |
St. Martin's valley. Local legend asserts that the valley received its name from St. Martin, Bishop of Tours, renowned for his missionary work in remote rural areas in France, and greatly admired by St. Ninian, the Celtic missionary in north-west Britain. A cross dedicated to St. Martin stood in the valley before 1266. Martinedale 1184. |
| Matterdale |
The valley where the madder plant grows. O.N. mathra + O.N. dalr. Matherdale 1323. The root of the madder plant (Rubia tinctorum) was a source of natural dye for the early textile industry. |
| Miterdale |
The valley of the River Mite. 'Mite' is thought to be of British origin and related to a root such as 'meigh', to urinate or drizzle. |
| Mosedale |
The valley of the peat mosses or peat bogs. O.N. mosi + O.N. dalr. There are four Mosedales and six Mosedale Becks in the Lake District. |
| Mungrisedale |
The valley of the pigs with a church dedicated to St.
Mungo. The original name was O.N. gríss + dalr, and St. Mungo's name was added at a later date with the building of the valley church. St. Mungo, also known as St. Kentigern, was a 6th century missionary in north-west Britain. Mounge Grieesdell 1600. |
| Newlands |
The new lands. The lower area of Newlands first came under cultivation following the draining of Uzzicar Tarn in the 14th century. Neulandes 1318. |
| Patterdale |
Patrick's valley. Tradition holds that St. Patrick worked as a missionary here, baptising at the local well. It seems more likely that the Patrick who did give his name to this valley was a Norse-Irish settler of a much later date. Patrichesdale 1184. |
| Rannerdale |
The valley of the ravens. O.N. hrafnar (genitive - 'of the ravens') + O.N. dalr. Ravenerhals - 12th century. |
| Riggindale |
The valley below the ridge. M.E. rigging + O.N. dalr. Regendale 1522. |
| Rydale |
The valley where rye is grown. O.E. ryge (O.N. rugr) + O.N. dalr. Ridale 1180. |
| Scandale |
The short valley. O.N. skammr + O.N. dalr. Skamdal 1277. |
| Swindale |
The valley where the swine pasture. O.N. svin + O.N. dalr. Swindall 1200. |
| Troutdale | This name is little more than a century old. A trout hatchery was established here in the mid-l9th century. |
| Wasdale |
The valley with a lake. O.N. vatnsdalr. Wassedale 1279. The eastern Wasdale also had a lake, which was drained. |