Thurleigh
Major Settlement in the Parish of Thurleigh
Historical Forms
- (La) Lega 1086 DB 1202 FF
- (La) Leye 1220 LS
- (La) Legh 1227 Ass
- Lega 1471 Linc
- Leighe c.1350 Linc
- de la Releye 1287 Ass
- de la Reyleye 1287 Ass
- Relye 1309 CorReg 1394 IpmR 1402 ADiv 1427 BHRSii.44
- Thurleigh c.1500 Linc
- Lega al. Thyrlye c.1490 Linc
- Lega al. Thirley c.1500 Linc
- Thyrleye 1372 IpmR
- Relegh 1387 Cl
- Reliegh 1393 Cl
- Rely c.1400 Harrold
- Thurle 1461 IpmR
- Thyrlee 1483 ADiv
- Thurley al. Relegh 1518 LP
- Thurly(e) 1526 LS 1576 Saxton
- Thurlighe 1528 LP
- Thyrlye 1535 VE
- Thirlegh 1535 VE
- Thirlye 1549 BM
- Thyrlegh, Thurly, Thirleigh, Thurleigh 1514–70 Linc
- Thurleigh al. Raleigh al. Laleigh 1641 BHRSviii.174
Etymology
The etymology of this interesting name has already been given in BHRS viii. 174. It goes back to the dat. sg. leage of OE leah, 'clearing,' and would normally have developed to Lee or Leigh . From the common use of this word with the feminine of the definite article in such forms as OE æt þære leage , ME at there lege fresh forms arose. By a common process of colloquial misdivision of words, which is further illustrated in EPN s. v. æt , æsc , ac , we get forms at the releye and at therleye which yield the independent forms Releye and Therleye . This last has survived in the form Thurleigh and has preserved a trace of its earlier history in its unusual stressing of the last syllable.That is where the stress would normally fall in the expression at there leye from which it comes. The pronunciation of the final syllable shows the normal development stressed leage to Mod Eng [lai], found also in Leigh (Wo), Asthall Leigh (O) and in Sussex names such as Ardingly which also, though for some other reason, show the same stressing of the final syllable.