Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Wateleia, Wateleie, Watelaie 1086 DB

• Wateleia 1088 Dugdiv

• Watelega 1130 P

• Watelay 1212 Fees

• Watelegh 1220 ClR

• Watele 1231 Ebor 1234 Bracton

• Hwetele t.Hy2 RBE 1237 Fees

• Whetelay 1232 Cl

• Wheteley 1297 Ipm 1331 Pat

• Whetley in the Cley 1504–15 ECP

• Wathelay 1192 France

• Wathel' 1208 P

• Wethelay 1219 Fees

• Watteleia Radulfi Taisun 1208 P

• Watteleya 1212 Fees

• Wattelegh 1227–45 Ch

• Wettely 1206–16 CartAnt

• Wetteley 1279 Ebor

• Wetelle 1208–13 Fees

• Wetele 1227 1233 Cl

• Weteleg' 1232 FF 1242 Fees

• Wetelegsudbeck' ib.

• Suthbek Wheteleye 1314 FF

• Northbekwetelay 1327 Banco

• Whetley Suthbek 1330 Ass

• Northbekwhetelay 1340 ib

• Northwetley, Suthwetley 1280 Ass

• Suthwhetelay 1330 FF

• South Wheatley al. South Beck Wheatley 1686 Recov

• Qwet(e)ley 1280 Ass

• Whettlee 1303 Ipm

• Whytelay 1320 Fine

• Whiteley 1342 NI

• Whittelay 1324 Fine

Etymology

'Wheat clearing,' v. leah . Northbeck and Southbeck must refer to the position of the two villages here on either side of a stream, v. bekkr . In 1280 (Ass ) the places are referred to simply as Northbek , Suthbek , Suthebeck ; cf. also Southbek 1348 Ipm. It is clear that these compounds are to be translated 'north of the beck,' 'south of the beck' and not 'north beck,' 'south beck.'Cf. the history of similar formations in PN D xxxvii. The lands of Ralf Taxon , i.e. Taisun , which included North Wheatley, were forfeited to the crown in 1208 (Fees 32).