Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Poteslepe 1086 DB 1220–1284 WinchLB 1221 1236 Fees 1327 SR

• Potteslep(e) 12 WinchLB 1220 1287 Ass Hy6 AddCh

• Potteslap' 1221 Ass

• Pottislipp(e), Potteslipp(e), Potteslypp 1507 Pat 1535 VE 1543 AOMB 1564 Dep

• Pottislipp(e) als. Postelippe 1626 FF

• Postlep(a) c.1150,1175,1257 WinchLB

• Posteslap' 1221 Ass

• Podeslep 1282–1314 WinchLB 1303 FA

• Postlip(pe) 1595 PR 1611 ib

Etymology

The f.n. Potesmores forlong (39 infra ) suggests that the medieval Pot (t )eslepe should be analysed as Pottes-lepe , rather than Potte-slepe , as Ekwall proposes, from potte 'poor and slǣp 'slippery or miry place', which is not appropriate topographically in any case. It probably therefore means 'Pott's chasm or steep declivity' or 'declivity near a pit or deep hollow', v. pott(e) (possibly, as Löfvenberg 156 suggests, from OE  pott 'pot' in a topographical sense), hlēp 'leap, declivity' as in Birdlip (i, 156supra ). An OE  pers.n. Pott is not on record, but may be found in Potsgrove (Bd 131) and Potesmore (59infra )- There are many old quarries and gravel pits above Postlip. The Post - forms arise from metathesis.