Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Childehegh(') e13 Pole 1288 Ass 1327 SR 15 Forde

• Chyldeheye 13 15 ib

• Chyldehegh' 1271 15 SR 1332

• Childehey(e) 1244 Ass 1250 Fees 1268 Ass 1281 Ipm 1437 Pat

• Childehegha 1244 Ass

• Childehaye 1256 FF 1340 NI

• Childeheg' lHy3 CottCh 1288 Ass

• Childehegg(e) (sic) 1288 ib

• Childehagh 1331 Pat

• Childehee 1367 Forde 15

• Childehye, Childehygh' 1451 Pole

• Childeheys (sic) 1463 Pat

• Chillehegh' e13 Pole

• Chilleheha 1241 Forde 15

• Chylehay 1344 15 ib

• Chilehay 1485,1494 Pole

• Childheya 1234 Pat

• Chyldheye, Childheye 1244 Ass 1250 Fees 1254 FF 1412 Fine 1455 Pat

• Childhay 1412 FA

• Childhaygh, Childhey(e) 1416,1419 Fine

• the farme of Childhay 1646 SC

• Cheyldeheye 1268 Ass

• Chieldehegh' 1344 Forde 15

• Chilhay 1463,1505 Pole

• Chilhay Farme c.1676 Pole

• Chylley 1530 Pole

• Chel(l)ey, Chelye 1530 Pole

• Chelhay(e) 1581,1613 Pole

• Cheyley 1613 Pole

Etymology

Possibly 'enclosure of the younger sons or of the young men or retainers', from OE  cild (gen. pl. cilda ) and (ge)hæg; the name may indicate an estate given to the younger sons of a family as a joint possession. However some of the early spellings suggest that the first el. may rather be OE  celde, WSax  *cielde 'spring', perhaps alternating with the possibly related and synonymous term *cille 'spring' (for both els. now v. VEPN 3 11, 58). There are several springs and small streams in the vicinity, all feeding into Temple Brook, a tributary of R. Axe.