Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Franley 1514 MinAcct

• Franley Stocks 1690 Sheaf

• Franley Croft & Franley Field, Long Franley 1844 TA16

• Frandley 1663 Sheaf

• Frandley Stocks 1831 Bry

• Frandly 1714 Sheaf

• Quaker Meeting House 1713 Sheaf

• Friends' Meeting at Frandley 1811 Sheaf

• Quakers Meeting 1831 Bry

Etymology

The second el. is lēah 'a wood, a glade'. The first el. may be an ON  pers.n. Fráni (Feilitzen 252) borne by the DB tenant of Chorlton 325infra , or the ODan  pers.n. Frændi , cf. DEPN s.n. Fransham Nf, Fellows Jensen 88. A popular etymology associates the p.n. with OE  frēond 'a friend', on account of a Quaker meeting-house here, Quaker Meeting House 1713 Sheaf, Friends ' Meeting at Frandley 1811 Sheaf, Quakers Meeting 1831 Bry, cf. Burial Field 126supra . The stocks were whipping stocks, v. stocc .