Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• belasis c.1162×89,1323(p) Spec

• Belasis early13th,c.1250to1359 1305×6 1345 Halm 1346 Ct

• Belas' 1296 Halm 1327 Ct

• Belasise c.1320,1345,1370(p) Spec 1348 GT 1368 Halm

• Belasiis 1370 Spec

• Bellasis 1218×34,mid13th(p) 1433 ChancH 1469 Spec

• Bellasise c.1315,1323(p) Spec

• Bellasyes c.1315,1316,c.1320(p) ib

• Bellasys 1330,1379,1410,1447 ib

• Bellasys' 1346 Ct

• Belasyse 1304,1371(p) Spec

• Belasys 1305×6 c.1310,c.1320to1441 Spec 1382 Lond

• Belasyes 1333 Spec

• Belasize c.1340 ib

• Belassis' 1305×6 Ct

• Belassis 1333 ManAccts 1372 Halm

• Belassys 1336×7 ManAccts 1451 Pont

• Bellasyis 1346 Halm

• Bellassyis 1365,1366,1368(p) ib

• Bellassiis 1365,1377 ib

• Bellassyse, Bellassis 1380 Spec

• Bellasiis 1395,1398 ib

• Belassise 1361 Spec

• Belassiis 1372,1378 Halm

• Bellassys 1363,1379(p) Spec 1702,1710 Man

• Bealassise 1386 GD

• Beleseys 1417 ib

• Bellosyse 1576 Map

• Bellasise 1763,1768 Map

• Bellasyse c.1710 Map 1779 Halm

• Belsys' 1343×4 ManAccts

• Belsys 1345 Ct 1544 IPM 1577 GD 1698,1725,1730,1739 Man

• Belses 1576 1584 Wills

• Bellcys 1580 Surv

• Belsis 1588 Wills 1610etfreqto1776 Man 1644×5 GD 1775 CCPlan 1838 TA

• Belsisse 1592 Wills

• Bellsis 1607,1611,1669 Man

• Bellsys 1715 ib

• Belsy's 1761 ib

Etymology

'Beautiful place, seat, site', OFr  bel + assise. The use of a French name for an estate of Durham Priory is characteristic and may be compared with Bearpark (Witton Gilbert NZ 2443), Beaurepeyr 1267, a vaccary on the banks of the river Browney near Durham subsequently emparked, and Bewley in Newton Bewley infra .