Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Blays Bayly, Bleys Bayly 1633 SPDom 1641 Comm

• de Bleith 1204 P

• de Bleyt 1278 Inq 1282 For

• Bleytheswik 1307 Inq

Etymology

Blaize Bailey, balliua de Bleyt (h )c. 1270, 1282, Blesebayll '1305, 1437MinAcct , Blays Bayly , Bleys Bayly 1633SPDom 19, 1641Comm , cf. also Bleyse 1256 Pat, la Blache 1291 Tax, Blethes 1438 Pat, Bleythes 1492 GlR, and Bleytheshulle 1282For , Bleytheswik 1307 Ipm, Blyetheslond 1437 For. Named from the family of Bleith (Walter de Bleith 1204 P, Johannes de Bleyt 1278 Inq, 1282For ) who held this bailiwick in the Forest (cf. Blaize Court 198 supra ); it was originally held 'from the first Conquest' by Alexander Bleyt (cf. 1278 Inq 107). v. baillie 'the jurisdiction of a bailiff'. The bailiwick was also called Bleytheswik 1307 Inq. The Forest of Dean was divided in 1282For into 10 baili- wicks (Abenhall, Bearse, Bicknor, Blaize, Blakeney, Lea, Little Dean, Mitcheldean, Ruardean and Staunton).