English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Wardley

Major Settlement in the Parish of Wardley

Historical Forms

  • Werlea 1067 BM
  • Werleia(m) 1080–7 Reg Wm1 Dugd
  • Vuerlia Stephen Ch 1340
  • Warleie c1125 Dugd
  • Warleia c1160 BM 1199 GildR
  • Warlea(m) Hy1 Dugd 1157 WDB
  • Warle 1205 P 1209–34 AllS 1263 RGrav
  • Warlee 1202 Ass
  • Warleg' Hy2 Dugd 1202 Ass 1235,1238,1243 RGros
  • Warlei 1199 GildR
  • Warleye 1249 Cl 1286 Ass 1311 Rut
  • Warleya 1223,1224 RHug 1254 Val
  • Wardel' 1241 RGros
  • Wardeley(e) 1263 Ass 1265 Misc 1535 VE
  • Wardele 1266 For c1291 Tax 1428 FA
  • Wardelegh 1284 Cl
  • Wardl' 1239,1243 RGros
  • Wardleyh 1235 ib
  • Wardle 1286 Ass
  • Wardley 1535 VE 1610 Speed

Etymology

The second el. is OE  lēah 'a woodland glade, a clearing in woodland'. The first is obscure. It is uncertain whether the d is intrusive. If it is organic, the first el. may be OE  weard 'watch' in some sense. Wardley stands on a hillside above Eye Brook with fine westerly views across the Rutland frontier. The hillside would have made a notable vantage point to look out for threatened incursions from the west, v. weard , lēah .

Places in the same Parish