English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Woolley

Early-attested site in the Parish of Bovey Tracy

Historical Forms

  • Olueleia 1086 DB(Exon)
  • Ulvelei
  • Wlueleia 1195 FF 1196 P
  • Wlueleg 1219 Ass
  • Wolvelegh 1303 FA
  • Wolflegh 1242 Fees774
  • Wlveleyheye 1326 Ipm

Etymology

'Wolves' wood or clearing,' v. leah . The final form shows addition of (ge)hæg.