Berkeley
Major Settlement in the Parish of Berkeley
Historical Forms
- Berclinga 804 BCS313,314 11th
- æt Berclea 824 BCS379 11th
- on Beorc lea 1121 ASC
- Berchelai(a), Berchele, Berchel', Berchelay, Bercheley(a) 1086 DB 1100 Ch 1300 Pat 1100–35 P 1496 BM 1130 P 1157 1159,1190
- Berchalai 1154 Berk
- Berkelai, Berkelay(a), Berkelei(a), Berkeley(a), Berkeleye, Berkele 1080,12 Glouc 1153 Berk Hy2 Ch 1318 RBE 1166,1161–1197 P 1195 Abbr 1202 Comp 1512
- -mercatorum 1199 ChR
- Burgus de- 1285,1316 FA
- -Vetus 1439 IpmR
- Berc(k)el(ay), Berc(k)elai 1100–35 Tewk71d c.1153 Berk 1166 RBE
- Berquelee 1360 Berk
- Bercley(a), Berkley(a) J Ch 1227 Pat 1497,1504 Comm 1590
- Bark(e)ley 1492 Pat Hy8 Rent 1512 Ch 1521 FF 1675 Ogilby
Etymology
'The birch clearing', v. beorc , lēah . The form Berclinga , gen.pl. of Beorclingas 'the men of Berkeley', refers to the monks of Berkeley Monastery; on this use of -ingas to form a folk-name from a p.n. v. EPN i, 300. It was an ancient borough (hence burgus ), with a market in DB (hence mercatorum 'merchants'). It gave its name to Berkeley Hundred (206supra ).