Zeals
Major Settlement in the Parish of Zeals
Historical Forms
- at Seale 956 BCS968 12th
- Netherseales 1495 Ct
- both Sealles 1571 SR
- Sele, Sela 1086 DB
- Seles 1176 P 1203 FF 1377 FF
- Celes 1264 Ipm
- Ovre Seles juxta Mere 1289 Ass
- Seeles 1302 Ipm
- Sceles 1302 Pat 1303 Ipm 1332 SR
- Netherseles c.1415 ECP
- Selesaylesbury 1428 FA
- Selyscleverdon 1502 Ipm
- Sayles 1629 SR
- Zailes 1637 Sess
- Zeales 1665 FF 1719 Recov
Etymology
This is OE sealh (dat. sēale ), 'willow, sally.' Most of the forms point to the plural sēalas . “It contains two manors, which are distinguished by the titles of Seals Ailesbury or Over Zeals and Seals Clevedon, or Nether Zeals. The former of these manors derives its name from a grant in 1292 to Walter de Ailesbury …Zeal Clevedon I imagine is so called from a family of that name, whose arms are depicted in the parish church of Mere” (Hoare 31). See Addenda supra xl.