Blakesley
Major Settlement in the Parish of Blakesley
Historical Forms
- Blaculveslei, Blaculveslea, Baculveslea (sic), Blachesleuue 1086 DB
- Blacculfeslea 1175 P
- Blaculfeslea 1190,1191 P
- Blaculfesle 1242 Fees
- Blaculueslea, Blaculuesley, Blaculueslee 1185 P 1352 Cl
- Magna Blacculueslee 1197 FF
- Blachuluesley 1219 FF
- Brodeblaculueslee 1262 FF
- Blacolvesle 12th Survey 1428 FA
- Blacovisle 1277 Ipm
- Blacovesle 1284 FA
- Blacouvesle 1305 Ipm
- Blacoslegh 1330 QW
- Blakeslee 1386 Cl
- Blakesley 1468 ADiv
- Blakesley al. Blackolvesly 1566 FF
- Blaxley 1702 Poll 1776 Recov
Etymology
'Blæcwulf 's clearing,' v. leah . This pers. name is not on record but would be a regular formation. The little stream on which Blakesley stands is known locally as Black Ouse (LG 74). This is doubtless a back-formation made at the time when the name was still pronounced as a trisyllable. 'Brode' to distinguish from Little or Wood Blakesley, now Woodend infra 46. Cf. Bradbury (PN D 338).