Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Holewala 1188 P

• Holewal(e) 1194,1195 P 1196 ChancR 1197,1200,1201 P 1201 ChancR

• Holewal(e) in Blakemor 1207 PatR 1210 P 1210–12 RBE 1212 Fees 1216 ClR Hy3 Cerne 14 FF 1225 P 1230

• Holewal(e) in Blakemore 1251 Misc 1282–4 Ipm 1288 Ass 1291 Tax 1305 FF 1323,1329 Pat 1336 Ch 1340 NI 1368 Hastings 1399 Pat 1412 FA 1425 Weld1 1428,1431 FA

• Holwayle 1557 Val

• Holewil 1258 For

• Holwell(e) 1378 Cl 1709 WRO

• Holewall(e) 1198,1202–5 P

• Holewall(e) in Blakamor 1208 PatR

• Holewall(e) Roberti de Bikel' 1212 P 1244,1268 Ass 1316 FA

• Hollwalle 1569–74 Map

• Holwall 1623 DCMRent

• Holeweia (sic) 1207 P

• de Bikeleia 1208 P

Etymology

'Ridge or bank (of earth or stone) in a hollow', from hol2 (wk.obl. holan ) and walu ; Ekwall DEPN suggests 'sunk hedge, ha-ha', pointing out that walu may also have been used of a fence or enclosure. There are several instances of the el. walu in medieval Do f.ns., note particularly the analogous 13th cent. f.n. Holewal in Motcombe par. supra .The spellings for the second el. show confusion with w(i)ell(a) 'spring, stream', w(e)all 'wall' and (probably a palaeographical error) weg 'road'. The 13th century forms Blakemor (e ), Blakamor (e ) refer to Blackmoor Forest supra . The family of de Bikele (i )a held lands here between 1194 and 1230 P, e.g. William de Bikelea 1194, Huard de Bikeleia 1208 P.