Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Dadeslei(a) 1086 DB

• Dadisle 1232 Ch

• Dadewall 1379 PT

• Dadesley Well Close 1643 Hnt

• Dadsley Well 1841 O.S. 1849 TA

Etymology

Dadsley Well, Dadeslei (a )1086 DB, Dadisle 1232 Ch, Dadewall 1379 PT (p), Dadesley Well Close 1643 Hnt, Dadsley Well 1841 O.S., 1849TA , v. lēah 'forest glade, clearing'. The first el. appears to be an OE  pers.n. Dæddi , which is not recorded; it is, however, an established name theme (as in Dedhaeth , -uini LVD). A pers.n. Dǣd , which has a weak form Dēda as in Deddington O 256, is unlikely as it should normally have given Dede - in YW, but the treatment of ǣ in p.ns. is by no means consistent: Deddington itself has mostly Dad - spellings in ME. As also with the development of OE  strǣt to ME  strat - in names like Strafforth (78), we have to assume a very early (probably OE) shortening of OE ǣ to  (giving ME a ) in p.n. compounds. Cf. Phonol. § 2. v. Addenda.