Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Plesc, Plæsc 963 S

• Plesham 1086 DB

• Plesse 1255-6 Ass 1274 RH

• Plese 1261-2 ForProc 1284-5 FA

• Plesshe 1294-5 Ass

• Plehssh 1301 SAC

• Playsse 1255 RH 1508 SBL4425

• Plaishe 1590 SBL4006

• Plessye 1291-2 Ass

• Plasse 1291-2 Ass

• Plashe 1304 Pat 1577 Saxton 1602 PRCardington

• Plasshe 1306-7 Ass 1316 FA 1322 Cl

• Plash 1695 Morden 1740 PRCardington

Etymology

OE  plæsc is only recorded in the 963 reference for this name, but it occurs in a few other place-names which have post-Conquest spellings, and the word plash is recorded in literary sources from 1400 onwards. The accepted translation is 'shallow piece of standing water'.