Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• (to) weo léage 909 BCS627 c.1150

• mill of Weoly 1479 Rental

• les forches de Weleye c.1200 Winton 1285

• Welegh 1290 SACxviii

• Welyghe 1303 Ass

• molend de Wely 1412 Rental

• la Wylye 1258 Pat

• la Wyly 1277 Rental

• Wylyghe 1278 ib

• Wiligh 1305 Ass

• atte Wile 1307 Ass

• ate Wyle 1332 SR

• Wyllymyll 1520 MinAcct

• Willey 1749 B

• Wolihe 1270 Ass

• Wulygh 1298 Rental

• mill of Whelye 1382 Rental

Etymology

This is a compound of OE  wig , weoh , 'idol, temple,' and leah, 'wood or clearing. See further Introd. xii, Weoley (PN Wo 350), Whyly (PN Sx 401), and cf. Wheely Fm in Warnford (Ha)on weoleage KCD 780 and Weyhill (Ha)atte Wee 1327 SR (p), la Woe 1341 NI, Weye 1412, Wee 1431 FA, Wehill 1579 Saxton.In BCS 72 there is mention of a place in connection with Farnham and Churt called Cusanweoh . This may be the temple which gave name to Willey, les forches must have reference to some ancient gallows in Willey; cf. Gallows Wood in Barton (Gl), which is called boscus de Furches in 1241 (Ch).