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.

Cheslyn Hay

Major Settlement in the Parish of Cannock

Historical Forms

  • Haya de Chist(e)ling, Haya de Chyst(e)ling 1252,1257 Cl 1290 MRA 1290 Ch
  • haya de Chestling 1308 Banco
  • Chesling Haye 1644 StComm
  • Chizling Hey 1679 PenkridgeParReg
  • Haya de Chist(e)lyn, Haya de Chyst(e)lyn, Haya de Chyst(e)lin 1236 Fees 1251,1255 Cl 1256 Misc 1271,1286 For 1296etfreq.to1375 Ipm 1370etfreq.to1461 Fine 1339etfreq.to1563 Pat 1538 StarCh
  • Haya de Chest(e)lyn, Haya de Chest(e)lin 1256etfreq.to1505 Ipm 1380etpassimto1570 Pat 1439etfreq.to1482 et freq
  • Cheslinhay 1695 Morden 1755 Bowen 1834 O

Etymology

'Coffin hill (perhaps where one was found)', v. cest , cist , hlinc .The first el. occurs in Chestham Sx 216 and in Chessell Down Wt 209 where there was an important OE burial ground, the second el. being hyll. Here the second el. is clearly hlinc meaning 'hill or ridge'. In the St dialect final ing and inc became alike both in sound and in orthography. The subsequent loss of the final consonant is also found in several other names, v. EPN 1 252. The village was formerly known as Wyrley Bank , v. Great Wyrley .

Places in the same Parish

Early-attested site

Other OS name