Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Besacla, Besacle(m) 1155–66 YCh812 a.1160 Kirkst c.1170–82 YCh814 1175–90 YCh815,816 818,1187 Kirkst 1190–1210 YCh823 l.12 Kirkst 1202 1646 PRCnt

• Besecla 1155–66 YCh813

• Besacra 1183–1200 YCh817

• Besachre 1195–1205 ib

• Besacre 1202 FF 1210 Kirkst 1221 FF 1605 PRCnt

• Besacre graunge 1500 Testiv

• Besakre 1281 YI

• Besaker 1325 Kirkst 1659 PRCnt

• Beseacra 1182 P

• Besakell' 1379 PT

• Besakyll 1533 WillY

• Bassakell 1558 ib

• Besucle 1560 PRCnt

• Bezacle 1573 WillY

• Bascar 1603 PRCnt

• Besacle alias Besacre (grange) 1557 Surv 1606 FF

• Bessacre 1731 PRCnt

• Bessacle 1771 M

Etymology

'Plot of cultivated ground amongst the bent', v. bēos , æcer . The persistent forms with -acle , -ecla , etc. arise from AN  interchange of unstressed -re , -le (cf. IPN 107). The shortening of the original long diphthong of bēos is likely in a polysyllabic p.n.