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.

Fenny Bentley

Major Settlement in the Parish of Fenny Bentley

Historical Forms

  • Benedlege 1086 DB
  • Benedleg' c.1220 RegAnt
  • Benetlea, Benetlegh, Benetley 1175 P 1241 RegLich 1241 RegAnt 1260 DbAxiii
  • Benethlega 1245 BurtCh
  • Bent(e)leg(h), Bent(e)le, Bent(e)ley(e) 1251 ChR 1265 FF 1279 CartDec 1291 Tax
  • Beintleg 1251 Ch
  • Fennibent(e)ley(e), Fennybent(e)ley(e), Fennybent(e)lee 1271 Ass 1281 FF 1294 DbAxiii 1304,1307,1310 FF
  • Fennibenetlegh 1272 FF
  • Fynny Benteley 1439 Bemrose

Etymology

'Bent-grass clearing', v. beonet , lēah . The later affix Fenny is from fennig 'marshy'. Cf. Hungry Bentley infra 530.

Places in the same Parish