Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• St Olaves Street 1598 Stow

• St Tooley's St 1606 SACxii

• Towles Street 1608 ib

• St Tulies Streete c.1665 OrigLettersiv,61

• St Olaves alias Tooly Street 1682 Morgan

• eccl. Si Olavi c.1170 AD

• Seynt Olowis 1501 ADi

• Saint Towluff 1531 LP

• Saynte Owlyffe in Southwerke, Saynte Awlyffe 1543 SACi

• Parochia Si Olavi al. St Toolyes 1594 FF

• S. Olave al. St Tooliffe 1597 SrWills

• Saincte Olife al. Towley 1603 SACii

• St Toolyes Churchyarde 1608 SACxiii

• St Olave, commonly called Saynte Towleys 1544 LP

Etymology

Tooley Street is St Olaves Street 1598 Stow, St Tooley 's St 1606 SAC xii, Towles Street 1608 ib., St Tulies Streete c. 1665 OrigLetters iv, 61, St Olaves alias Tooly Street 1682 Morgan, taking its name from the church here dedicated to St Olave .The parish-name appears as eccl. S  i Olavi c. 1170AD , Seynt Olowis 1501 AD i, Saint Towluff 1531 LP, Saynte Owlyffe in Southwerke , Saynte Awlyffe 1543 SAC i, St Towle 1556, Sant Towlys 1556, 1559 Machyn, Parochia S  i Olavi al. St Toolyes 1594FF , S. Olave al. St Tooliffe 1597 SrWills, Saincte Olife al. Towley 1603 SAC ii, St Toolyes Churchyarde 1608 SAC xiii.Cf. also St Toolyes Watergate 1656Rental , Toolies Gate , Tulies Watergate 1682 Morgan, referring to a riverside landing-place, perhaps identical with la Watergate 1324 Ipm. From early times the final t of the word Saint tended to become attached to the personal name, as in the word tawdry from Saint Audrey (NED s. v .). The parish of St Olaves in Silver Street (Wood Street, City) was similarly referred to as St Olave , commonly called Saynte Towleys in 1544 (LP). (A. B.)