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.

Saul

Major Settlement in the Parish of Fretherne & Saul

Historical Forms

  • Salle 12 Glouc 1221 1245 Glouc 1287 Ass 1584 FF
  • Sal(l)eg' 1221 Ass
  • Sall 1501 Ipm 1535 VE 1675 Ogilby
  • Sawle, Saul(l) 1557–1600 FF 1744 PR
  • Sawe 1624 FF

Etymology

Probably 'willow-trees clearing', v. salh (gen.pl. sala ), lēah , with loss of the unstressed -ley , which sometimes occurs (cf. LMS i, 51–2); it cannot be a simplex name from the normal paradigm, as the nom. salh would give Saugh (cf. dial. saugh ) and the dat. sale would give Sale , as in Sale (Ch), whilst the late OE  salig would have given a modern form like dial. sally .

Places in the same Parish