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.

Naplease Goyle

Early-attested site in the Parish of Venn Ottery

Historical Forms

  • Knapdoune 1307 Ipm

Etymology

Naplease Goyle (6″) must be near the spot referred to as Knapdoune in 1307 (Ipm), v. cnæpp . 'Goyle' must be the dialect word goyle , 'a deep trench or ravine' (v. NED s. v .). It is a fairly common element in south-east Devon place-names, though no example has been met with in early records. This is probably the same as the words gole , gool , gull , 'stream, gully, chasm,' referred by the NED to OFr  gole , goule , 'throat,' found in Goole (PN SWY 148) and in la Goule (1347 Ipm) in Mudford Tracy (So).

Places in the same Parish

Early-attested site

Other OS name

Major Settlement