pightle

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Alternative spellings 1.2 Etymology 1.3 Noun 1.4 References

[edit] English

[edit] Alternative spellings

• pyghtle

[edit] Etymology

Derivation obscure; possibly dates from the nineteenth century; possibly from pigtails.

[edit] Noun

pightle (plural pightles)

1. (Norfolk, obsolete) a small enclosure of land.

[edit] References

• Speaking the Norfolk dialect - Basic level

(Encyclopedic -- should move to Wikipedia)

In Norfolk, arable farming is of major importance.Mechanical devices were introduced during the nineteenth century (e.g. for ploughing, harrowing,reaping, threshing and sowing). Such devices were still horse-drawn but required fairly large rectangular fields. Odd-shaped fields now caused problems which had not been encountered in the days before mechanization.

Thus, over several years, fields were reorganized to be acceptably rectangular.This was cleverly and thoughtfully arranged but,inevitably, there were remnants, leftovers,off-cuts or tailings. In most cases, these were small pieces of land,which were essentially triangular in shape. The locals probably referred to these pieces as "pigtails". In Norfolk dialect,this would quickly become pronounced as "pightle". In the 1920's through the 1940's,the word pightle was in fairly common usage but has fallen into disuse in recent years.

Pightles are also present close to Newbury in Berkshire, for example:

• Avery's Pightle - a site of Special Scentific Interest located west of the A34 Newbury Bypass;
• An area called Gravelly Pightles, located south-west of the village of Hermitage in West Berkshire (OS grid reference SU516718), which resides beside an ancient track called Fence Lane.