Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Hr Earnley Wood, Lr Earnley Wood & Upr Earnley Wood, Earnley Wood Flint Pce, Earnley Wood Furze Brake & Earnley Wood Md 1838 TA

Etymology

Earnley (lost, the earlier name for Benville supra , v. DoNHAS 7184–7), Ærnelai 1129 CartAnt, Arnelai 1190 (1332) Ch, Ernele 1237 FF, 1256 (15) Forde , boscum de Ernele 1280Ass , 1330 FF, 1436 Drew, Erneleg 1252 Ch, Ernelegh 1312 Drew, 1333 Ipm, Ernle 1244Ass , Ernlegh 1360 Ipm, Ernlee 1376 Misc, Ernly Wood 1776 DCMDeed, 'the wood or clearing frequented by eagles', from earn (gen.pl. earna ) and lēah , cf. also on earna lea weʒe 1014 (12) SherC (S 933), a boundary clause in one of the Saxon charters for Corscombe referring to a route just to the W of Benville, v. weg . The name survives in a group of 19th-cent. f.ns., viz. Hr Earnley Wood , Lr Earnley Wood & Upr Earnley Wood , Earnley Wood Flint Pce , Earnley Wood Furze Brake & Earnley Wood Md 1838TA (located about ST 535033).Three of the early forms cited above were wrongly included among the lost f.ns. of Bincombe par. 1198: Bincombe, like Earnley /Benville, was in Frampton liberty, v. note under Tollerford hundred supra .