Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Aukelay, Aukeley 1220 Fees

• Accle 1224–5 Ass

• Acle 1241 ib

• Ocle 1352 Pat 1370 Fine

• Oclee, Okele 1381 Pat

• Estocle 1416 Windsor

• Okelemede 1439 PubLib(Bray)

• Ocley Grove 1498–9 Bodl

• Okeley Fielde 1573 SpecCom

• East Ocleye 1586 RentSur

• Okeley Greene 1607 Norden

• East Okeley Greene 1641 SP

• Oakley Green 1790 Pride 1800 Eden

Etymology

Oakley Court, Oakley Green, Aukelay , Aukeley 1220 Fees (p), Accle 1224–5Ass (p), Acle 1241ib (p), Ocle 1352 Pat, 1370 Fine, Oclee , Okele 1381 Pat, Estocle 1416Windsor , Okelemede 1439PubLib (Bray ), Ocley Grove 1498–9Bodl , Okeley Fielde 1573SpecCom , East Ocleye 1586RentSur , Okeley Greene 1607Norden , East Okeley Greene 1641SP , Oakley Green 1790 Pride, 1800 Eden. The forms are not very early, and the 13th-cent. ones are all from pers.ns., but it seems probable that this was originally OE  *āc-lēah 'oak wood or clearing', which is a common p.n. There is another reference to oaks in Ockwells infra . This would be a possible location for the battle æt Aclea described in ASC s.a. 851, when Æðelwulf defeated the Danes. The Chronicle account might be held to imply that the battle was in Sr, but Oakley is less than 5 miles from the Sr border. v. infra 49 for early spellings of Water Oakley.