Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Beauval 1344 Ch

• Bevale 1396 Cl

• Beauvalle 1415 Pat

• Bevall 1451 Wills 1510 LP 1550 Pat

• Bevall 1505 Ipm

• Bewoll 1523 Wollaton

• Bevevalld 1535 LP

• Bevall al. de Bella Valle 1540 ib

• Beavall 1570 Recov

Etymology

Beauvale [bjuˑveil]. In the Cartulary the place is referred to as (domus de )Bello Valle in 1331 and as Pulcra Vallis in 1340. Other spellings are Beauval 1344 Ch, Bevale 1396 Cl, Beauvalle 1415 Pat, Bevall 1451 Wills, 1510 LP, 1550 Pat, Bevall 1505 Ipm, Bewoll 1523 Wollaton, Bevevalld 1535 LP, Bevall al. de Bella Valle 1540 ib., Beavall 1570Recov . A name of French origin, 'beautiful valley.' For the phonology cf. Belvoir supra 12. The forms Bevall and Bewoll represent the normal developments of OFr  names beginning with beau -, bel -. On the old 1″ map we have, to the south-east of Beauvale Abbey, places called Beverlee Mill and Beverlee Engine which, according to Henry Bradley (EHR xxix, 595–6) preserve in a corrupt form the old name of Beauvale.According to Bradley, Beverlee is often further corrupted to Beggarlee and this form is found on Bartholomew's ½″ map (ed. 1903) at the place which is marked Beverlee Engine on the old 1″ map and Beauvale on the Popular 1″ map, one mile east of Eastwood.