The usual derivation of the village name Lidgate (7 miles SE of Newmarket)
in Suffolk is "Swing gate" (hlid- geat). The village appears as "Litagata"
in Domesday I believe. While incomers call it Lidgate the villagers born
there refer to the village as "Liggitt"
While swing gate" may be the correct origin I have thought that a water
related origin for the name Lidgate could be considered.
The village consists one long street following a deep cut (unnamed)
watercourse that becomes the River Kennett. Given the "Celtic" name of
Kennet in such close proximity is there no possibility that the first
element "Lid" of the name Lidgate could be derived from a word meaning
watercourse and the "gate" have a Scandinavian origin - ie street? Can
anyone advise?
Chris
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