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.

Cranleigh

Major Settlement in the Parish of Cranleigh

Historical Forms

  • Cranelega 1166 P
  • Cranelegh 1235 Ass
  • Cranele 1241 Ass 1553 SACiv
  • Cranlea 1167 P
  • Cranleghe 1241,1261 Ass 1871 O.S.
  • Crannelegh 1488 Ipm
  • Crandley 1657 AbingerParReg

Etymology

'Crane or heron clearing,' v. cran , leah . The usual spelling until quite recent times was Cranley , the present spelling being adopted for postal convenience to avoid confusion with Crawley (Sx) (VCH iii, 86).