Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Giðslepe c.1050 KCD862 late13th

• Gihtslepe 1057–65 EHRli 14th

• Gyhteslepe 1204 Ch

• Githeslape c.1215 Os

• Letelape 1086 DB

• Isteslape 1165 P

• Ysteslapa, Isteslap, Isteslep', Isteslep(e), Ysteslape, Ysteslep(e) 1278–9 RH

• Istislep' 1242 P

• Histesleapa 1167,8 P

• Hicthteslapa 1169 P

• Hicteslep c.1190 Thame c.1200 Eynsh 1213–28

• Hicteslap 1223–8 Eynsh

• Hiteslape a.1173 Os c.1220 Bodl 1268 Ass

• Ystlapa 1186 P

• Istlape 1204 FF

• Ystelapa 1188 P

• Istelep 1237 Fees c.1300 Ch 1245 Cl 1331

• Ictlap' c.1190 Thame c.1200

• Yslape 1192 P

• Islappe 1204 P

• Ysslop 1284–5 FA

• Islape 1285 Ass 1428 FA

• Yslepe 1366 Eynsh

• Islippe 1526 LS

• Ycteslepe 1203 Cur 1213–28 Eynsh

• Igteslap' 1204 Fine

• Ichtestlap' 1204 Cur

• Ighteslepe 1220–1 WellsR

• Ictheslepe 1221–6 Os

• Ichteslepe 1222 Eynsh 1242–3 Fees

• Ichtteslepe 1221–9 Os

• Yhteslep' 1222 Os

• Ychteslep c.1230 Os 1253 Thame

• Icteslep 1233 Cl

• Ygteslepe 1247 FF

• Istlesap' 1205 Cl

• Itteslap 1212 Fees

• Itlesp 1326 Cl

• Hislepe 1246–7 Ass

• Thiccheslepp' c.1250 Thame

• Ythslep (p), Witslepe, Yistlep 1278–9 RH

• Ythslep, Yshlep (bis) 1285 Ass

Etymology

'slǣpat the river Giht .' Giht is the old name of the river Ray, v. supra 9. The meaning of the word slǣp is discussed by Ekwall, Studies 184–9. It is related to OE  slipor , 'slippery,' and to OHG sleifen , 'to drag.' Its only definite occurrence in OE  as a common noun is in KCD 1279—of þan ealdan slæpe up andlang Giht —and the place referred to is in the neighbourhood of Islip, though it cannot be identified with it. In some occurrences in place-names, the meaning 'slippery, miry place' is suitable, but this does not give unexceptionable sense in the charter passage or in the case of the place-names where the word is obviously used in connection with a river—Islip O, Slepe Hu and probably Islip Nth. The adjective 'old' in the charter suggests the meaning disused: there may have been a disused slǣp at Arncot, in the boundaries of which the phrase occurs, and a new one at Islip. Ekwall suggests as a possible meaning besides that of 'slippery place' some contrivance for dragging goods across a river at a place where a cart could not be taken over, perhaps even 'ferry.'

For a possible earlier reference to the place cf. F. M. Stenton in Oxoniensia i, St Frideswide and her Times : “Two 7th century charters preserved in a register of Bath Abbey record grants of land by the Cherwell, and at a place called Slæpi , which may well be Islip, to an abbess named Berngyth for the benefit of her monastery.” The charters are BCS 28 and 57.