Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Svdlege 1086 DB

• Sudlei(e), Sudleg(a), Sudley(e), Sudle(e) 1168 RBE 1190 P 1191–7 RBE l.12 WinchLB 1211–13 Fees 1590 Camd

• Sulleia, Sullie, Sulleye 1130 P 1191–1305 WinchLB c.1230 GlR 1276 RH 1284 Cl 1291 Tax

• Sule(g), Suleye 1201–12 RBE 1248 Ass 1285 FA 1287 QW

• Suteleia, Suteleg', Suteley 1166 RBE 1211–13 Fees 1280 Ipm

• Sudelegh, Sudeley(a) 1175 WinchLB 1303,1316 FA 1329 WinchLB 1683 PR

• Sudeley Mannor, Sudeley Manner 1699,1713 ib

• Suthleia, Suthleg, Suthley 1175 WinchLB 1185 Templar 13 WinchLB 1267 Ch 1286 Episc

• Sutheley 1372 Monast

• Suhtleg', Suhtley 1248 Ass 1280 Ipm

• Siudle(ye) 1354 Ipm

• Seudeley, Sewdley 1468 Pat 1473,1576 FF 1695 M 1712 PR

• Suydele(y) 1367 Ipm 1421 Pat 1535 VE

• Sydeley Hy6 AddCh

• Shudley 1637 FF

Etymology

Sudeley is usually taken to mean 'south glade or clearing' (v. sūð , lēah ), and was so called because it lies to the south of Winchcomb.Whilst many of the early spellings (Sud (e )-, Sul -, Sute - Suth -) can be taken as AN variants of OE  sūð (Sudeley had an important castle, and French  influence is to be expected in the form of the name), the forms Siud -, Seude -, Suyde -, Shud - and the modern pronunciation cannot be explained as variants of sūð ; it is probable therefore that the first el. is OE  scydd 'shed' (modern dial. ʃjəd), which would account for the later spellings as well as the early AN variants, with AN s - for sh - (IPN 113, 7) and ME  spellings -u -, -iu -, -uy -, -y - for OE y . Sidbury (W 343), with spellings like Shid -, Syd -, Shud -, is also from scydd . 'Clearing with a shed.' In many spellings the first el. has been confused with sūð , as in some spellings of Sodbury (iii, 53).