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.

Gleadless

Early-attested site in the Parish of Handsworth

Historical Forms

  • le Gladeleys 13 Hlm
  • (le) Gledeleys 13 Hlm
  • (le) Gledele(e)s 1512 BM 1515 Star 1549 FF
  • Gleddeleys l.13 Hlm
  • Gledlegh(e)s 1441 SheffMan 1492,1549 BM
  • Gledles 1561 FF 1577 Holinshed
  • Gledleys 1602 FF
  • Gleydl(e)ys 1473 BM 1563 Hlm
  • Gleadleys 1584 FF 1692 Hall
  • Gleadles 1692 ib
  • Gleadless 1822 Langd

Etymology

It is difficult to decide whether this means 'forest clearings haunted by a kite' (OE  gleoda), 'clearings in a glade' (OE  glæd2), or simply 'bright clearings' (OE  glǣd3); if the single spelling Glade - is to be trusted it would support either of the last two. v. lēah .