English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Sourley Wood

Early-attested site in the Parish of Earls Colne

Historical Forms

  • Seldresea 1199 Cur
  • Serdeleshe(i)e 1199 CurR 1201 Cur
  • Serdeleshey 1278 Misc
  • Serdre(e)ie 1200 Cur
  • Serdreish' ib.
  • Serdredesee 1201 ib
  • Sardesleya 1223 Bracton

Etymology

Sourley Wood (6″) is Seldresea 1199 Cur, Serdeleshe (i )e 1199 CurR, 1201 Cur, Serdeleshey 1278 Misc, Serdre (e )ie 1200 Cur, Serdreish 'ib., Serdredesee 1201 ib., Sardesleya 1223 Bracton. The second element in the name is probably (ge)hæg, 'enclosure.' The first must be a pers. name in the genitive case, but the variant forms make it difficult to determine what the name is.