Survey of English Place-Names

Etymology

Crackley and Crackley Wood. Cf. Crattele 13th, 14thLegerBk , Creteley 14th ib., Crattheley 1318AD , Cratteleyhulle 1356Stowe , Crackeley heathe 1581LRMB . This may be a compound of OE  cræt , 'cart, waggon,' etc., and leah in the old sense of woodland, the name referring to a wood which provided timber for carts.Cf. Mounterley (PN Nth 160), Fellow Green (PN Sr 115) and Ekwall, Studies 95 ff. There is the possibility, however, that the first element is identical with the pers. name Cretta , which may be a dialectal variant of Crætta . For the name v. Redin 90.