Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Muncheniswra 1276 Misc

• Munecheneswro 1277 Dugd 1277 VR 1350 Orm2 1299

• Munesche(ne)swro 1353 Pat 1430 BPR 1354

• Muneschenewro 1407–13 VR

• Munchenewy 1278 Misc

• Munechenwro 1279 Ch

• Munechen(e)wro 1338 VR

• Munchenwro 1311 Pat 1312 Cl 1330 VR

• Hweteyhales 1276 Misc

• Whetenehalewes 1277 Dugd 1277 VR 1350

• Whetenhalewes 1311 Pat 1312 Cl

• Wetenhalewes 1279 Ch

• Wetenhalewez 1338 VR

• Wetenhaleues 1724 NotCestr

• Whethenhalews 1330 VR

• Quettennehalewes 1338 ib

• Wethenchalewes 1353 Pat 1430

• Wethenehalewes 1354 BPR

• Wetegoshalewes 1278 Misc

• Witerehalwes boscum 1278 IpmR

• Worthenhalowes 1407–13 VR

• abbey of Vallis Regalis, abbot & convent of (St Mary's of) Vallis Regalis, Vallis Regalis 1277 et freq

• Vallis Regalis alias Dernhale 1279 CRC

• de Welle Regali 1331 City

• de Varl' Regal' 1513 ChEx

• boscus vocatus de Valle Regali 1276 CRC

• (abbas de) Loco Regali 1278 IpmR

• (abbey of) Vau Real 1300 ChancW

• Vaureal 1312 ib

• Vauriale 1348 Pap

• Vaurialle 1430 Cl

• Valeryall 1334 VR

• Vale Riall 1530 Sheaf

• Valerviall 1546 Dugd

• Wall-Riall 1649 ChetOSviii

• Vale Reall 1539–47 Dugd

• Valreale 1340 Sheaf

• Val Real 1351 BPR

• locus vocatus Vallis Regalis vel Anglice Kingesdale 1338 VR

• Vale Royall or King's Dale 1724 NotCestr

• (La) Vauroial(e) 1357etfreqto1360 BPR

• le Valroyal 1357 AddCh

• Vale Roiall 1407–13 VR 1418,1509–35 ib

• the Vale Roiall 1537 Sheaf

• Vale Roial 1538 Dugd

• Vale Royall 1407–13 VR 1538 Dugd 1724 NotCestr

• the Vale Royall 1537,1698 Chol

• Vale Royal c.1536 Leland

• Vale Royal Wood 1831 Bry

• Vale Royal Hall 1845 ChetOSviii

• Vayle Royall 1559 Pat

• Valle Royal 1430 c.1536 Leland

• Vale Roall 1446 Sheaf

Etymology

'The nun's, or nuns' corner', from mynecen and vrá . 'Nooks growing with wheat', v. hwǣten , halh . 'Royal valley', from val , vale and roial , real , with park . 'King's valley', from cyning and dæl 1 . The abbey of Darnhall was re-established in 'a precinct of the manor of Darnhall called Whetenehalewes and Munecheneswro ', which the founder, Edward I, 'caused to be named Vallis Regalis ', cf. Orm2 ii168. The first of the three names suggests that the place may have belonged to the nuns of Chester, who had estates hereabouts, cf. Orm2 ii161, para. xix, and cf. Nuns Grave infra . In 1338, VR 7, the earlier names of the site were so interpreted, 'it was called Munechenwro which means Monks' Wood…because munechene means monk or nun, while wro means wood…the place was also called Quettennehalewes , which means Holy Wheat or Wheat of the Saints…for quettene is wheat and halewes saints' (cf. halga , 'a saint').