Riseley
Major Settlement in the Parish of Riseley
Historical Forms
- Riselai 1086 DB 1156 P
- Rislie 1198 P
- Risle(e) 1202 Ass 1209 FF 1227,1240 Ass 1247 Ass 1253 Ch 1283 Ipm 1287 Ass 1326,1352 Ipm
- Rissle 1202 Ass
- Risele 1202,1203 FF 1227 Ass 1247,1276 Ass
- Riseleg(a) 1219 FF 1227 Ass 1255 KS
- Risley 1219 FF
- Rissele 1255 KS 1276 Ass
- Rysle E1 SR 1280 Ch 1316 FA Eliz ChancP
- Rys(e)legh 1276 Ass
- Rissele al. Rysle 1319 Ipm
- Rysele(y) 1351 Cl 1489 Ipm
- Riesle 1490,1504 Ipm
- Riseley or Risley c.1750 Bowen
- Risley 1785,1798,1820 Jury
Etymology
This is probably OE hris-leah, 'brushwood-clearing' (as suggested by Skeat, cf. Riseley (Berks, Db)) with later hesitation between shortening of the vowel before the consonant group and retention of the long vowel of the independent ME word rise , 'brushwood.' Risan-leah from a personal-name Risa is just possible, as suggested by Ekwall for Rising (Nf). In that case the original short vowel must have been lengthened in the open syllable and, later, after the loss of inflexional e , have been occasionally shortened before the consonant group.
Places in the same Parish
None