gutter

The word is found commonly in the York House Books from the early fifteenth century, descriptive of a drainage system that took rainwater and possibly household refuse into the Ouse and other waterways: 1418-9 gutters of lede ... and that the water be ledde downe of their bather coste, York

1420 that bathe the parteys make and uppehalde the gutter als ferre als yt reches : 1420 all the tymbre that sall ga un to the gutter, York. Both lead and wood were employed in making the gutters and they seem likely to have conveyed water from the eaves of houses to ground level and so into the dykes and rivers: 1476 thai deme a gutter that liggez in lengh frome the streit of Petirgate be fore doun thrugh a tenement ... to the Kyng’s dyke ... which said gutter and the leid ther of ... pertenyth evenly to ... John Gilyott & the said Ambrose. It was judged that Gilyott should have the said gutter all hole to hym self but make a payment to Ambrose of 3s 4d for cause of easement in watter fallyng owt of the forsaid gutter upon the ground. In 1501, an entry refers to a gutter whiche [Ric’ Thornton] hath laid and festened unto a tenement . There may have been a similar practice in Ripon: 1392-3 Et in salario Ricardi de Bettes facientis guturas cum spowtis super quamdam novam cameram. However, in rural locations the gutters were ditches, and the word was in use as a noun and verb: 1552 yt shalbe lawfull to the sayd John Romsden ... to diche or gotter the sayd water ... to his ... most profet and awuantage, Barkisland

1648 This morne Hadfeild came hither to scoure the gutter in the croft, Thurlstone

1785 spring never guttered till late ... always went into Meltham Dyke, Crosland. Note: 1446-7 tegularum vocatarum thaktyell et guttertyell, Beverley

c.1534 Item 2 gutterdels, Bridlington.