Stokesley
Major Settlement in the Parish of Stokesley
Historical Forms
- Stocheslag(e) 1086 DB
- Stokesle(i), Stokesle(y) 1112–22 YCh
- Stokelega 1181 P
- Stocheslei 1189–1204 YCh
- Stokelay 1254 Ebor
- Stokeslay 1319 Guis 1359 FF 1399 YI 1461 Test
- Stoxelay 1481 Test
- Stoxley 1530 NCyWills
Etymology
This is a very difficult name. The forms suggest that the first element is OE stoc rather than stocc , but no local compounds in which stoc forms the first element have hitherto been identified. Further, the element stoc is otherwise unknown in this area and a certain difficulty always attaches to genitival compounds of the kind involved in suggesting that Stokesley might mean the leah belonging to some lost stoc .