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.

Theale

Major Settlement in the Parish of Theale

Historical Forms

  • Teile 1208 RSO 13th
  • Thele 1220 Fees 1248–52 FF
  • la þele 13th ReadingC
  • La Thele 1272 ReadingC(2) 14th
  • la Thel' 1284 Ass
  • Theale vulgo Dheal 1675 Ogilby
  • Theale 1763 PubLib

Etymology

v. þel 'plank', of which this is probably the pl. þelu . The same name occurs in So. The reference may be to a plank bridge across the Kennet, but Anderson (205) suggests that it could be to a structure used for the meetings of the Hundred. Dill Hundred Sx 435 appears to be named from such an erection.