Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Holes 13 Dugd 1288 ChFor 1375 Bark

• le Holes 1418 ChRR

• Hose 1270 Bark

• Howes, Howos 1346 JRC

• Hulse 1535 Brownbill

• le Holies 1420 Dav

• Hooles 1539 Plea

• Hoose 1629 ChetOSviii 1812 Sheaf

• the Hoose 1819 Orm2 1844 TA262

• Hoes 1636,1735 Brownbill

• Hoose or Oulse c.1850 Brownbill

• Hoose or Oulse, Hoose or Oulse usually called Hoylake 1860 White

Etymology

'The hollows', v. hol 1 , cf. Hulse 2185. Some of the forms suggest a confusion of hol 1 with hyll and hōh , perhaps due to the sand- dunes along this coast. Grants of land in Great Meols 296infra , in 1346 and 1348JRC 1280, 1284, 1712, specify appurtenant rights in woods, clearings, roads etc., marshes, waters, arable and non-arable lands, and in howes , howos , i.e. 'in the Hoose'. Cf. the f.n. Far Water Hooses & Near Water Hooses 1844TA , The Water Hoose 1812 Sheaf, 'the Hoose which floods', v. wæter . For Hoylake, originally a hamlet in Little Meols and Hoose townships, v. 299infra .