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.

Woolley Ho

Early-attested site in the Parish of Chaddleworth

Historical Forms

  • Olvelei 1086 DB
  • Wulvelye 1205 RotNorm
  • Wluelye 1220 Fees
  • Wlueleg', Wulfeie, Wulfele, Wuluele, Woluele 1224–5 Ass
  • Wluelegh', Wuluele 1241 ib
  • Wulueleye 1284 ib
  • Wolley 1517 DInc
  • Wolleigh 1556 Moulton
  • Wollye 1587 ib
  • Woolley (Down) 1761 Rocque

Etymology

'Wolves' wood', v. wulf , lēah . There is another example of this name in White Waltham (Pt 173), and it occurs also in Hu (BdHu 251) and YW (YW 1, 286). Cf. also Woolvers Barn about 3½ miles E. (503).