Bescar Lane
Early-attested site in the Parish of Ollerton
Historical Forms
- Beskhale t.John Ch 1316 PatR 1207
- boscum de Beschal 1210 Cur
- Beschale, Beskehale 1335 For
- Bescall 1453 Pat
- Beskalle t.Hy8 MinAcct
- Basskehal' 1227 DukRec
- Beyskehal 1288 Ipm
- Bysscale wood t.Ed1 Ipm
- Beyskale 1335 For
- Balscale 1330 Ipm
- Bayskhale 1340 Ass
- Beskhawe 1609 LRMB 1618 For
- Best Cow Close, Lane c.1840 TA
Etymology
It may well be that we have here, as in Bestwood infra 115, a lost OE *bēosuc denoting 'bent-grass,' hence 'nook overgrown with bents,' v. healh . The only difficulty is the forms in Beysk -, Baysk -. If we take them seriously the first element would seem rather to be OScand beiskr , 'bitter,' applied perhaps to the herbage which grew in the hale .