Editing Coulsdon (section)

==Toponymy==
The town's spelling, pronunciation and location have changed. Coulsdon originally referred to the area now known as [[Old Coulsdon]].

The name derives from Cuðrædsdun via Cullesdone pre-1130, Culesdone pre-1190, Cullisdon 1242, Culesdene 1255, Colendone c1270, Kulisdon 1279, Collesdon 1288, Cullesdon 1323, Colleston 1324, Coulesdon 1346, Cullysdon 1377, Colynsdon 1428, Colysdon 1439, Collysdon 1563, Cowlesdon 1557, Coulsdon 1597, Cowisden 1604, Couldisdon 1610, Couldesdon 1675, Culsdon 1678, Colsdon 1724.<ref>The Bourne Society. Booklet "Bourne Society Records Volume 1".</ref><ref name="croydon.gov.uk">{{Cite web|url=http://www.croydon.gov.uk/contents/departments/planningandregeneration/pdf/spg20apps.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605124017/http://www.croydon.gov.uk/contents/departments/planningandregeneration/pdf/spg20apps.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Appendix 4 to L B Croydon's ''Improving Coulsdon Centre''|archivedate=5 June 2011}}</ref>

Additional variations include Curedesdone 675, Cudredesdone 675, Cudredesdune 967, Coulsdon 1083, Colesdone 1085, Culesdon 1234, Culisdon 1242, Cudredestreow 1251, Cullesdon 1266, Colesdene 1287, Colesdon 1290, Colesdun 1290, Culesdon 1291, Culesden 1292, Colieston 1324, Coulesden 1326, Coueleston 1332, Colisdon 1344, Culeston 1346, Cullysdon 1377, Cullisdoun 1403, Cullesdoun 1422, Culledon 1424, Colynsdon 1428, Collesdon 1439, Culsdon 1446, Cowlesdon 1539, Collesden 1544, Cowlesdowne 1553, Cullesdoy 1556, Colsdon 1558, Cowlesden 1558, Cullesden 1558, Cowllysdon 1567, Cowisden 1618, Coulsden 1619, Cowsdon 1620, Coolsden 1650, Coulesden 1650, Coilsoun 1655, Coulden 1655.<ref>1905 book. by S.J Madge - Index to the Source Book of Materials for Local History.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oldcoulsdon.co.uk/naming_.htm|title=The naming of Old Coulsdon|work=oldcoulsdon.co.uk|access-date=15 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116202613/http://www.oldcoulsdon.co.uk/naming_.htm|archive-date=16 January 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The widely accepted origin of the name is ‘hill of a man called Cūthrǣd’, (from OE pers. name + dūn, a hill).<ref name="flowers">http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/surreyac/ Surrey Archeological Society. Volume 6. Article "Notices of an Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Farthing Down, Coulsdon, Surrey "</ref> Alternatively the name originates from the Celtic or primitive Welsh "cull", meaning a leather bag, scrotum, bosom, womb or belly.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Surrey/Coulsdon|title=Key to English Place-names|author=University of Nottingham - Institute of Name Studies School of English|work=nottingham.ac.uk|access-date=18 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304090644/http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Surrey/Coulsdon|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spanglefish.com/coulsdonareahistory/index.asp?pageid=175925|title=Coulsdon Area History - PLACE NAME ORIGINS|work=spanglefish.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728221826/http://www.spanglefish.com/coulsdonareahistory/index.asp?pageid=175925 |archive-date=2020-07-28 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>Worcestershire Place Names by W H Duignan. Oxford university press. 1905. Page 45, reference to Coulsdon.</ref>

The current town centre appears as Leydown Cross (1738)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bournesociety.org.uk/bournesoc/bourne-society-maps.html|title=Bourne Society Maps, Plans and Sites of Interest|work=bournesociety.org.uk|access-date=15 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140504144204/http://www.bournesociety.org.uk/bournesoc/bourne-society-maps.html|archive-date=4 May 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> or Leaden Cross (1800)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.museumofcroydon.com/asset_arena/image/1s/a3_059p01s.jpg|title=Map of 1800|website=museumofcroydon.com|access-date=6 April 2018|archive-date=17 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517134018/http://www.museumofcroydon.com/asset_arena/image/1s/a3_059p01s.jpg|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Map Of The County Of Surrey From Trigonometrical Survey With The Roads, Parks & Railways 1874. |url=https://mapco.net/surrey1874/surrey28b.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170622184317/http://mapco.net/surrey1874/surrey28b.htm |archive-date=2017-06-22 |url-status=live}}</ref> and Smitham Bottom.<ref name="Hidden London">{{cite web|url=http://hidden-london.com/gazetteer/smitham/|title=Smitham - Hidden London|work=hidden-london.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022122133/https://hidden-london.com/gazetteer/smitham/ |archive-date=2021-10-22 |url-status=live}}</ref> In 1905, the parish council, and then the [[Post Office]] renamed "Smitham bottom" as "Coulsdon".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pikle.co.uk/londoncross/londoncross8.html|title=Pikle - London Cross - 8 - Upper Woodcote Village|website=pikle.co.uk |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331005417/http://www.pikle.co.uk/londoncross/londoncross8.html |archive-date=2022-03-31 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.st-aidans-parish.org.uk/history.htm|title=A short history of St Aidan's Parish|work=st-aidans-parish.org.uk|access-date=18 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827183306/http://www.st-aidans-parish.org.uk/history.htm|archive-date=27 August 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>
The name "Smitham Bottom" has also changed. Smetheden (1331), Smithdenbottom (1536), Smythedean(e)(1548), Smythden Bottom (1588), Smitham Bottom (1719)<ref name="Hidden London"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://placenames.org.uk/browse/mads/epns-deep-11-c-mappedname-000247|title=The Historical Gazetteer of England's Place-names|work=placenames.org.uk|access-date=8 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517152431/http://placenames.org.uk/browse/mads/epns-deep-11-c-mappedname-000247|archive-date=17 May 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>