Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Brocheshale (sic) 1086 DB

• Brochessala (sic) Exon

• Wrokesase (sic) 1189 CartAnt

• Wrokeshal(') 1196 Cur 1206 RC 1210 P 1212 Fees 1218 FF 1270 Hutch1 1280 Ass

• Wrokeshale 1242–3 Fees 1269 Misc 1280 Ass 1285 FF 1288 Ass

• Wrokisal' 1244 Ass

• Wrockeshal(e) 1196–7 FF 1219 FF 1285 FA 1288 Ass 1291 Tax 1303,1428 FA

• Wrockeshall(') 1244 Ass 1323 FF

• Wrockesale 1285 FA

• Wrokkeshal 1316 Ipm

• Wrochehall 1204 Ch 1313

• Wroxhale 1253 Ch 1268 Ass 1275 RH 1285 FA 1288 Ass 1303 FA 1462 Pat

• Wroxele 1285 FA

• Wroxale 1288 Ass 1310 Inqaqd 1474 Pat

• Wroxalle 1321 Inqaqd

• Wroxhall 1465 Pat

• Wrokeshale Deneys 1285 FF 1311 Drew

• Wroxhale Deneys 1370 AddCh 1371 Ch

• Workeshal' 1288 Ass

• Wraxhale 1483 IpmR 1505 Ipm

• Wraxall(') 1510 DCM 1650 ParlSurv

Etymology

'Nook of land or secluded hollow frequented by the buzzard or other bird of prey', from OE  *wrocc (gen.sg. *wrocces ) and h(e)alh (dat.sg. h (e )ale ). The same name occurs in several other counties as Wraxall So, W (× 2) and as Wroxall Wa, Wt, cf. Ekwall Studies2 96–9. The manorial affix Deneys evidenced in a very few 13th- and 14th-cent. forms is from the Dacus or le Deneys family for which v. Hutch1 1306, Hutch3 2201: in 1189 CartAnttenemento de Wrokesase (sic) is held by the Abbey of Forde ex dono Osberti Daci , cf. also Osbert(us) Dacus 1204 (1313) Ch, 1206 RC, 1212 Fees, Adam Dacus 1206 RC, Osbert le Deneys 1269 Misc, 1270 Hutch1, Adam, John Le Deneys 1285 FF. The surname means 'the Dane' (ME  daneys , deneys alternating with Lat  Dacus , literally 'a Dacian' but commonly used of Danes from the 12th cent, onwards).There was a mill at Wraxhall in 1086 DB (VCHDo 398).