Chailey
Major Settlement in the Parish of Chailey
Historical Forms
- Cheagele, Chaglegh 1087–1100 Lewes
- Cheggelyg' 13th AD15516
- Chageleye, Chagelegh 1255 FF 1284 FA 1303 Ipm 1348 Cl
- Chaggele(ye), Chaggelegh, Chaggelye 1268 Ipm 1442 IpmR
- Jaggelee 1279 Ass
- Jaggeley(e) 1317 Pat 1358 Cl
- Chag(g)leghe 1403,1439 IpmR
- Chegheley 1411 Pat
- Chaghlegh 1476 IpmR
- Shaglegh, Shagleye 1438–9 Cicestr
- Chayly 1588 MarL
- Cheylygh 1678 MarL
- Chayligh 1693 MarL
- Chelye 1602 SRS14,106
- Chagley al. Chayley 1609 Recov
Etymology
The modern form [tʃeili] would seem to be an irrational development in the 16th cent, of the more correct [tʃægli].The first element in Chagley is clearly the same as that found in Chagford (D), DB Cagefort , and the unidentified Devon ceaggan cumb , ceacga broc (BCS 723, 726), the Berkshire ceaggan heale (BCS 762) and the Hampshire ceacgan seað (BCS 787).Middendorff (s. v .) would take these to contain a lost OE ceacge , the ancestor of Eng. dial, chag (Y, Sa), 'branch of broom or gorse.' This is accepted in BT Supplt. (s. v. ceacga ) and may be correct, but it is to be noted that in three out of four of the OE examples the form is definitely genitival and this looks much more like a pers. name than a plant-name. A pers. name Ceagga would however be difficult of explanation, unless it was originally a nickname immediately derived from the significant word.