Brackley
Major Settlement in the Parish of Brackley
Historical Forms
- Brachelai 1086 DB
- Brachele 1192 P 1208 Fees
- Brachal c.1154 BM
- Braccalea c.1170 Harl
- Brachkelea 1172 P(CR)
- Bracchelea 1181 P
- Brakele 1156 Ch 1318 ADiii 1415
- Brakele Nova 1316 FA
- Brakleye 1292–1301 Ch
- Brackleye 1316 Ch
- Olde Brakley 1549 SR
Etymology
Perhaps 'Bracca 's clearing' or 'woodland,' v. leah . For this pers. name cf. s. n. Bragenham (PN Bk 83) and note also OGer names Brachio and Brachila (Förstemann, PN 1638). The traditional etymology first noted by Camden (505), 'a place full of Brake or Ferne ' does not suit the forms very well, but certainty is impossible to attain in view of our ignorance of the history of the word brake itself. That word may well go back to OE times. Toller (BT Supplt s. n. fearn-bracu ) suggests that in the phrase on fearn-braca (BCS 624) we have an example of the word ferne-brake , not otherwise recorded before the Promptorium .