Willersey
Major Settlement in the Parish of Willersey
Historical Forms
- Willersey(e), Willersei(a) 709,714 BCS125,130
- Willersei 1086 DB 1386 Ipm
- Wyllersei 1445 Pat
- Long Willersey 1662 Harrowby
- æt Willereseie, into Wyllerese(i)ge, on Wyllerese(i)ge, of þere ege 840–52 BCS482 c.1200
- Willerese 1195 P
- Willeresheye c.1220 GlR
- on Wyllersege, of Wylleresegge
- Wylardeseye c.1220 GlR 1286 Episc 1287 Ass
- Wylardesheye 1248 Ass
- Willardeseye, Wyllardeseye 1274 RH 1291 Tax 1303 FA
- Willarsey(e), Wyllarsey(e) 1269 FF 1274 RH 1291 Tax 1577 FF
- Wilarsey(e), Wylarsey(e) 1327 SR 1342 Heref
Etymology
The first el. is probably a reduced form of the OE pers.n. Wilheard ; the OE forms are from documents of too late a time to carry much weight against the many Wyl (l )ard - spellings; it is hardly likely to be from OE willere , wyllere 'salt-boiler' as that is a WSax form (corresponding to Angl wellere ). 'Wilheard's water-meadow or island', v. ēg , probably a piece of higher and drier ground above marshland.