Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Burwardeslei 1086 DB

• Burewardesleia 1096–1101(1150),1150 Chest

• Burwardesleya 1186–94 ib

• Burwardesley 1216–72 Orm2 1819 Orm2

• Burwardsley 1653 Cre

• Burwardsley Hall 1831 Bry

• Ber(e)wardesleya 1096–1101 Chest 1280

• Berewardesleia 1096–1101 17 ib

• Berewardeslegh 1360 Orm2

• Borwardesleye 1249–65 Chest

• Borwardesleg 1290 Ipm

• Boruardesleye 1295 AddCh

• Borwardesley, Borwardeslegh 1320 Chol

• Borewardeslegh 1271 Sheaf 1580

• Borewardelegh 1289 Court

• Boardslegh 1396 Orm2

• Burwaresley 1456 Rich

• Borosley 1499 Eyre

• Borrowsley 1520 ChEx

• Bursley 1524,1534 Plea 1656 Orm2

• Bursley alias Burwardsley 1668–71 Sheaf

• Burseley 1530 Chol

• Burwardesley alias Burseley 1580 Orm2

• Burwaslegh 1541 Orm2

• Borsley 1550 MinAcct

• Boresley 1560 Sheaf 1561 Pat

• Bulwardley 1656 Cre

• Burwardley 1702 AddCh

Etymology

v. lēah 'a wood, a glade', hall , cf. Higher Burwardsley infra . In this p.n. and Burwardestone 1supra , and Brewer's Hall 336infra , the first el. is probably OE  burh-weard, byrh-weard, 'the guardian of a town or stronghold', but the derivative OE  pers.n. Burgweard is possible. Perhaps at some early date these places owed service in the defence of Chester or some fortification on the Welsh border.