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.

Cley Hill

Early-attested site in the Parish of Corsley

Historical Forms

  • Cly 1316 Longleat 1321 AD
  • Cley hill 1540 WMxii
  • Cley 1560 FF
  • Clye, Clyhill c.1560 Longleat
  • Clee or Clay Hill 1812 RCH

Etymology

Cley Hill is Cly 1316Longleat , 1321AD , Cley hill 1540 WM xii, Cley 1560FF , Clye , Clyhill c. 1560Longleat , Clee or Clay Hill 1812 RCH. Cf. Clycombe 1581Corpus . The etymology of this name is obscure. The hill is a prominent one, the soil is chalk and it is impossible from the point of view of either topography or form, at least in the case of the two really early forms, to associate the name with clæg , 'clay.'