Pilsley
Major Settlement in the Parish of Pilsley
Historical Forms
- (æt) Pilleslege c.1002 ASWills c.1100
- Pillesleage 1004 Peniarth 13th
- Pillesleia c.1200,c.1220 Thurgarton
- Pillesleg(h) 1226 FF 1236 Fees
- Pyllesleg(h),Pyllesley(e) 1272 FF 1328 Thurgarton 1535 Val
- Pinneslei(g) 1086 DB
- Pileslea 1170 P
- Pileslege 1253 FF
- Pilsley 1577 Saxton
Etymology
The forms are somewhat similar to those of Pilsley supra 161, and perhaps it is 'Pīl's wood or clearing', v. lēah . The -ll - spellings occurring so early, however, are troublesome, and, taken with the DB spellings in Pinnes -, they perhaps point to the correctness of Ekwall's suggestion (DEPN) that the pers.n. is Pinnel (gen.sg. Pin (n )les -); assimilation of -nl - to -ll - is evidenced often and early, as in Swillington WRY (olim Swinlinton ).