Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Wilceswde 1086 DB

• Wilceswda Exon

• Wilchesode 1086 DB

• Wilchesoda Exon

• Wilcheswode 1304 1376,1379 Pat

• Wilcheswode in Purbyk 1383 1774 Hutch1

• Wilcheswoode 1384 Pat

• Wilcheswood or Wilkswood 1795 Boswell

• Wilchuswode c.1190 Midd

• Wylcheswod(e) 1305 Cl

• 'Wylcheswod(e) by Corfe Castle in Purbyk' 1348 Pat 1423 Midd

• Wylcheswodde 1535 HarlCh

• Whylcheswode 1373 Douce

• Wylkesworthe 1546 Ct

• Wilkeswood 1585 Hutch3

• Wilshewode 1550 Midd

• Willis Wood 1811 OS

Etymology

The second el. is wudu 'wood': there were 4 furlongs of woodland here in 1086 DB, and Hutch3 1 638 observes 'its situation is still woody'. The first el. is probably an unrecorded OE  pers.n. Willic , a diminutive of Willa . The modern form and the two 16th cent. forms with [k] may show influence from the ME  pers.n. and surname Wilk (s ) (probably < OE  Willoc ), and the other late forms from welisc (WSax  wilisc) 'Welsh' and from the surname Willis respectively. For the affixes, v. Isle of Purbeck and Corfe C. par. supra .

There was a priory here, with a chantry or free chapel in St George's Church infra , referred to as Domus Beati Leonardi de Wilchuswode c. 1190Midd (R.J.S.), 'St Leonard 's chapel '1305 Cl, capell ' de Wylcheswode , canteriam …de Whylcheswode (Henry atte Chapele , chaplain, presented to —)1373Douce , libera capella de Wylcheswodde 1535HarlCh , cf. 'prior of Wylcheswode by Corfe Castle in Purbyk '1348 Pat, prior ' de Wylcheswode 1423Midd , v. chapel(e), atte , cf. Priory Cl infra . On this priory, probably founded c. 1154 by Cluniac Benedictines, v. R. J. Saville, A History of the Church in Langton Matravers , pp. 4–5, cf. VCHDo 247, 98.