LOCAL PLACE NAMES
Gillingham - a combination of the following make up our town’s name:
In the Codex Diplomaticus Aevi Saxonici of 993, which reproduces a Saxon charter of 684, it is spelt Gillingaham.
In the Domesday Book (1086) it is spelt Gelingham; Later spellings included Gellingeham in 1130, Gyllingeham in 1152 and Gilingeham in 1209;
In the King’s Roll of Richard and John in 1201 it is spelt as today.
Wyke - ‘Wic’ means dairy farm or camp and is almost certainly the derivation of Wyke, probably meaning a loose collection of huts at the centre of a large open field farm.
The 'Heronfields' of Wyke - ‘The Place Names of Dorset’ gives an explanation of this - heron meaning ‘angle, corner or projection of land’. Perhaps a triangular piece of land from the large field had been set aside for habitation, and this was the heron.
Langham - corruption of ‘long’ and ‘farmstead‘, common name meaning ‘the long hemmed in land’ or the long group of farmsteads.
Stock Farm - began life as ‘the secondary or outlying settlement’.
Culvers Lane - led to ‘the dove cote’
Slaughter Gate - ‘slander’s gate’ - surname which was influenced by the popular idea that this was site of the Battle of Penselwood in 1016, when many Danes were slaughtered.
Hutchin’s ‘History of Dorset’ connects Slaughter Gate with the battle fought at Penn. "The pursuit probably extended into this parish where is a gate still called Slaughter Gate." This may or may not be correct and perhaps a more considered interpretation is that the name in old English describes this particular road into Gillingham as the ‘slatter’ (meaning untidy, insecure or uncertain), gate (meaning a way or road) – in other words not the best road into Gillingham. Taken from "In and around Gillingham" leaflet. Date unknown, but quite recent
Source - Gylla’s Hometown by Charles Howe. Wikipedia Dorset Place Names by Anthony Poulton-Smith
