Gringley on the Hill
Major Settlement in the Parish of Gringley on the Hill
Historical Forms
- Gringeleia 1086 DB
- Gringaleia t.Hy1 Dugdvi
- Gringelai ib.
- Gringelay 1183 P 1208 PatR 1380 FF
- Gringgeleg' 1242 Fees
- Gringgeley 1318 Ipm
- Grengel' 1276 RH
- Grengeley 1296 Ipm 1297 Rental
- Grengeleye 1330 Misc
- Grynley t.Ed1,1375 BM
- Grinley 1539 LP
- Grenley(e) 1303 Ebor 1316 FA
- Grenlay 1324 Ipm
- Grenele(y) super Montem 1517 DBE 1541 Dugdvi
- Grenly of the Hill 1535 VE
- Greyngeley 1330 Misc
Etymology
It is natural at first sight to associate this name with Little Gringley infra 59, but closer examination of the forms shows that while the names now resemble one another, they were originally quite distinct. Gringley on the Hill has persistent initial Gringe -, Grenge - till the end of the 13th century and no Gren -, Grene - forms before the 14th, while Little Gringley has persistent Gren (e )- forms to the end of the 13th century, Gren (e )- and Grin (e )- forms in the 14th and no Gring - forms till the 16th century. The names of two places not more than six miles apart have clearly influenced one another in their ultimate development, Gringley on the Hill showing forms Gren (e )leye under the influence of Little Gringley, and Little Gringley owing its present form to the influence of Gringley on the Hill, but etymologically they are entirely independent.
Gringley on the Hill presents great difficulties. Gringe -, Gringa - is clearly a reduction of some earlier fuller name.Ekwall suggests (DEPN) the possibility of OE Grǣginga , 'clearing of the people of Grǣg ,' but uniform development of Grǣginga to Gringe , Grenge does not seem very likely. Cf. Grayingham (L), Gra (i )ngeham 1086 DB, Graingham 1202 Ass, Grengham 1212 Fees. Alternatively he suggests derivation from Grēningaleah , 'leah of the dwellers on a green hill' or the like, or 'leah of the Grēningas ,' this being a secondary settlement from Little Gringley. The drawback to the first interpretation is that there is little or no evidence for such an early substantival use of grene , and to the second that it is difficult to see how a folk- name Greningas could thus have arisen, and that the important settlement at Gringley on the Hill is very unlikely to have been due to a migration from the hamlet of Little Gringley. No certain interpretation is possible. super Montem with reference to the commanding situation of the village on a high hill above the carrs.