Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Wulsieslande 13 Forde 15

• Wulsislonde 13 Forde 15

• Wolsielound(e) 1241 Forde 15 Forde 1241 15

• Wlsilande 1271 Forde 15

• Wilsieslonde 13 Forde 15

• Wilsisland 1241 Forde 15

• Wil(l)esselond(e) 13 Forde 15 Forde 1274 15

• Willeshelond(e) 13 Forde 15

• Willislond 1241 Forde 15

• Willyslond, Willesland, Wilsland 15 Forde

• Wilselond', Wylselond' 1442,1443 Strode

• Wilshelond' 1463 Pole

• Wilsheland' 1505 Pole

• Wylleslond 1485 Pole

• Welsielond 1241 Forde 15

• Weleslond 1275 RH, Hutch3

Etymology

'Wulfsige's or Wilsige's estate', from the OE  pers.n. Wulfsige , alternating with Wilsige , and land. The location is uncertain but it probably lay in the extreme W of the par., cf. the following description in 1241 (15) Forde (f. 100): terre …vocatur Willis lond in manerio de Windesor ' a semita que est in summitate montis usque ad aquam que est in fundo vallis que dividit Dors ' et Devon ' infra duos rivulos de p 'd 'to monte descendentes (the references may be to Blackdown Hill supra and R. Synderford named from Synderford in Thorncombe par. infra which was formerly in Devon).