agateward

1) To go agatewards with somebody was to accompany them part of their way home.

It was a custom that fell out of use in the West Riding after cars became commonplace. Adam Eyre’s use of the word demonstrates the development from ‘on gate’: in 1648 he accompanied his father in law to Sledbrooke Lane, saying I went with him on gateward with his beasts whereas in March that year he had ridden with Robert Eyre to Langsett bank agateward homewards . It is worth noting that 9 November he wrote I went on wayward towards Langset, for this is not the usual local expression but he was an educated man and the inference may be that he ‘translated’ it.

places Thurlstone
dates 1648

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