In Surrey there is one in the parish of Bletchingley.
WILLIAM FIGG.
There is a farm called Cold Harbour, near St. Albans, Herts.
S.A.
After the numerous and almost tedious theories concerning Cold Harbours, particularly the “forlorn hope” of the Coal Depots in London and elsewhere, permit me to suggest one of almost universal application. Respecting here-burh, an inland station for an army, in the same sense as a “harbour” for ships on the sea-coast, a word still sufficiently familiar and intelligible, the question seems to be settled; and the French “auberge” for an inn has been used as an illustration, though the first syllable may be doubtful. The principal difficulty appears to consist in the prefix “Cold;” for why, it may be asked, should a bleak and “cold” situation be selected as a “harbour”? The fact probably is that this spelling, however common, is a corruption for “COL.”. Colerna, in Wiltshire, fortunately retains the original orthography, and in Anglo-Saxon literally signifies the habitation or settlement of a colony; though in some topographical works we are told that it was formerly written “Cold Horne,” and that it derives its name from its bleak situation. This, however, is a mere coincidence; for some of these harbours are in warm sheltered situations. Sir R.C. Hoare was right when he observed, that these “harbours” were generally near some Roman road or Roman settlement. It is therefore wonderful that it should not at once occur to every one conversant with the Roman occupation of this island, that all these “COL-harbours” mark the settlements, farms, outposts, or garrisons of the Roman colonies planted here.
J.I.
Oxford.
Cold Harbour.—Your correspondent asks whether there is a “Cold Harbour” in every county, &c. I think it probable, though it may take some time to catalogue them all. There are so many in some counties, that ten on an average for each would in all likelihood fall infinitely short of the number. The Roman colonists must have formed settlements in all directions during their long occupation of so favourite a spot as Britain. “Cold Harbour Farm” is a very frequent denomination of insulated spots cultivated from time immemorial. These are not always found in cold situations. Nothing is more common than to add a final d, unnecessarily, to a word or syllable, particularly in compound words. Instances will occur to every reader, which it would be tedious to enumerate.
J.I.
After reading the foregoing communications on the subject of the much-disputed etymology of COLD HARBOUR, our readers will probably agree with us in thinking the following note, from a very distinguished Saxon scholar, offers a most satisfactory solution of the question:—
With reference to the note of G.B.H. (Vol. i, p. 60.) as well as to the very elaborate letter in the “Proceedings