English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Plealey

Major Settlement in the Parish of Pontesbury

Historical Forms

  • Pleyle 1255-6 Ass 1756 PR(H)
  • Pleynlegh' 1271-2 Ass
  • Plalegh 1490 Ipm
  • Plailey 1672 HTR
  • Playley 1749 PR(H)
  • Pleleye 1542 PR(H) 1601 SBL12706
  • Plelye 1564 PR(H)
  • Plealey 1615 PR(H)

Etymology

'Play clearing', v. plega , lēah . The reference could be to human sports or to animal mating rituals. Playley represents the modern pronunciation. The same compound has become Playley in Wo, PN Wo 158.

Places in the same Parish