Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Lalega in foresta de Dena 1175,1195 P

• bailiwick de Lay(e), balliua (foreste) de Lay(e), Ley(e) 1194 P 1274 Ipm c.1275 For 1275 Fine 1295 Orig 1444 IpmR

• balliva de la Lee 1250 Misc 1270 For 1338 Glouc 1431 Pat

• balliua de Lacu 1270,1282 For

• balliua sive Lea 1635 For

• (the) Le(a) Bayly 1574 Comm 1633 SPDom 1650 Comm

Etymology

As with Blaize Bailey (216supra ) and Badcock's Bailey (220infra ), the first el. is probably a surname Lea (Lat  Lacus ), which may have originated locally (v. lēah 'clearing') or be from Lea (He 112), which adjoins this parish on the north and was within the bailiwick; cf. the local surnames de Lacu 1221Ass 11d, John de la Lee 1274 Ipm, Nicholas de Lacu who held the bailiwick in 1282For . v. baillie 'jurisdiction of a bailiff', here one of the bailiwicks of the Forest of Dean.