From Chicklade And Pertwood, A Short Parish History by E.R. Barty, M.A., Chicklade, Old Rectory, first published December 1955:
THE NAME
In Domesday Chicklade is Chigelic. Several old forms of the name are given in “The Place Names Of Wiltshire” (English Place-Names Society, C.U.P. 1939).
CYTLID circa 912 A.D.
CHITLAD 1211 Bosco de Siclet 1232.
CITLET 1242.
CHICLED 1252.
BOSCUM DE CHIKLED 1279.
CHIKKELADE 1279.
CHICKLAD 1289.
CHICKLADE 1675 (Hoare).
“(Professor) Ekwall takes the first element to be the British “At’ (wood) and the second the Old English “klid’ (gate) but hybrid compounds are not very common in English place names. It may be that we have to do with the obscure British word found in Lydiard or with the second element in Crick lade – O.E. (ge)lad – passage.”
What could be a more suitable and appropriate meaning of the name “Chicklade” than “a gate or passage into the Wood”? Have we not still our paths or passages into the Wood?
(1) The chalk road leading of old to Croft Gate up Cratt (Croft) Hill and continued as the road to Warminster.
(2) Pauper of Plum Path along which Alfred Morrison planted the Merryweather plum trees that still bear flower and fruit so prolifically.
(3) Heytesbury Drive and
(4) The path to Pennings (the word means “an enclosure for cattle”) that leads towards the Earthworks.
These paths have doubtless been used down the centuries since our early ancestors with their herds or flocks moved up to their villages on the downland slopes or down to the shelter of the valley.
The Great Ridge appears as:
Chickladriggh 1348 A.D.
Chickladerigge 1367.
Chicklade Ridge Woods or Chicklade Ridge Coppices 1635.
Chicklade Ridge or Great Ridge 1773.
An early reference to the Ridge Wood is in “Lacock Abbey” (Bowles). The Abbey had a Close in the Wood of Chicklade in connection with their estate at Chitterne. In 1267 it wad agreed by certain persons that the Nuns should hold for ever their Close at Chicklade, whether old or new. The title was quitclaimed to them by Joan, daughter of William Archer.