Eakley Lanes
Early-attested site in the Parish of Stoke Goldington
Historical Forms
- Yckeleia c.1165 CartAntP37 12thcent.
- Ykelee 1212 RBE
- Ykele c.1215 WellsR
- Yckele 1229 FF
- Ikelegha 1236 Bract
- Ikelee 1241 Ass
- Iocle 1242 Fees873
- Ykkele 1262 Ipm
- Ykelei 1265 Misc
- Ekley al. Ikeley 1616 Ipm
- Eakly 1693 Terr
Etymology
This would seem to be from OE Iccan-leah , 'Icca's clearing,' with the same personal name as is found in Itchenor (Sx), Iccannore (BCS 64, a spurious charter), Ickworth (Sf) and in Ickford infra .
Alternatively the personal name might be Ica as in Icangæt (BCS 240, a spurious charter), Icancumb (ib.), but as the latter appears as Iccacumb in BCS 1135 one cannot lay much stress on it. Ick - for Itch - is to be accounted for by early syncope of the vowel between c and n .
The lengthening of the vowel is difficult to account for.Lanes is a feudal addition, one of the two manors in the old parish of Eakley having been long in the possession of a family named Lane (Lysons 634).