Coldharbour and other “Cold” names (AW)

Sir,—The meaning of this should be considered in conjunction with at least fifty other “cold” place names. When this is done, the usual surmise of a chilly meaning breaks down in many cases, as Cold Ash Cold Oak, Cold Elm, Cold Weston, Coldman’s Hill.

And in at least ten cases the same name occurs with and without the “d,” as in Coleridge and Coldridge. Cole Harbour is recorded in several instances. Cole is an abundant element in place names; there are Cole Hills and Cole Wells as well as Coldwells.

I am satisfied that the “d” is intruded for euphonic reasons, and that “Cold” place names were originally “Cole.”

The surnames Cole, Coleman, and Colman seem to indicate an occupation.

My own surmise, evolved when investigating pre-historic trackways, is that the coleman was a professional trackmaker, who used amongst other methods fire and smoke signals on the Cole Hills and Beacons, and handed on his name to many places on the straight tracks he planned.
ALFRED WATKINS.
Hereford.

[W. Aver (Manor House, Crayford), Alpha (Beaconsfield), J. Hamson (Bedford), and G. L. B. (Paignton) also reply to this query.]