Welland - Kings Cliffe Etymology

In our ongoing research (which has been in operation since 2007) we have amassed a tremendous amount of research regarding Duddington and the surrounding area, much of which we are still assessing and contextualising before sharing in public. Below, we have shared two extracts given to us from two very informative books regarding the etymology of the name ‘Welland’ - as in the ‘River Welland – which flows right through the centre of Duddington (and which, in my opinion, is a candidate for the origin of the ‘Wyles’ surname) the ‘Willow Brook’ which flows by King's Cliffe and of course, the name of ‘Kings Cliffe’ itself. Kings Cliffe looks as if it was known simply as ‘Clive’ (or ‘Clyve’) in 1086, becoming known as ‘Clyvepark in 1301 and ‘Kyngesclive’ in 1305. In 1307 the place is recorded as ‘Clyve Regis’. There is also a much clearer and in-depth analysis of the name ‘Welland’ (or ‘Wyland’ - with ‘Weo’ perhaps being Old Irish for ‘fast flowing’ and ‘lud’ meaning an area of ‘mud’). The surname could have evolved ‘Wyl’ or ‘Wyle’ and refer to a person living near this ‘fast flowing’ river, with ‘Wyles’ referring to a group of related people living near this ‘fast flowing’ river.