The meaning of 'Cleaca'

You may be wondering what the name 'Cleaca' means, how it is pronounced and what it has to do with consulting. Here are the origins of the name:

In England, James B. Davidson wrote in the August 1882 edition of The Western Antiquary, that the word 'cleaca' (pronounced clee-akka) was used to describe some stepping stones on the boundary of a parcel of land granted by King Cnut in AD 1031. King Cnut ruled England at that time. Out of curiosity, Mr Davidson researched the origins of the word and found that cleaca “appears to be a survival, through the Anglo-Saxon or old-English period, from a former age.” He references the Celtic words clach, clachran and clachan, which are explained as “a stone, pebble, rock”; “a pier, landing-place, stepping-stones in water, or on watery ground”; and “a ford, stepping stones” respectively.  Cleaca was also used to describe the larger ancient bridges with their large granite slabs spanning stone piers, found across rivers and streams in England's Dartmoor National Park. Over the years, the common name of these cleacas morphed into “clapper bridges."

So, imagine back in the days when horsepower meant exactly that!  Cleacas helped ancient travelers and traders to complete their journeys, reach new markets and achieve their goals in the most effective manner – making best possible use of existing or readily available resources.  They became well-worn paths that stood the test of time… in fact, a thousand years or more.

While today’s business world is infinitely more agile, complex and fast-paced, Cleaca Consulting works with the same spirit and tenacity as that of our ancestors... moving your business forward to reach new markets, customers and goals.

Colin Taylor, the founder and principal of Cleaca Consulting, grew up in an English seaside town close to Dartmoor.  He frequently rode his motorcycle “across the moors” and with his family, has enjoyed many of the beautiful walks, views and pubs (!) this park has to offer. Colin believes, “There is something very cool about the beauty of simple but effective solutions to complex challenges, as demonstrated by the cleacas of Dartmoor.”