Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Romesle(ye) 1270 Ct 1291 Tax 1293 Ct

• Rummesleye 1355 Pat

• Romisley 1500 Nash 18th

• Rameley 1538 LP

• Ramsselie 1604 WillsP

Etymology

It is possible that the first element in this name may be OE  hramsa , 'wild garlic,' rams or ramson (dial.). This would appear in West Country dialect as roms , hence 'wild garlic clearing.'If this is the history, the form Rummesleye , if not an error of transcription for Rammesleye must be a bad spelling, with u for o due to the frequent spelling of u as o in other words. Cf. ramesleigh (BCS 438), in a late copy hrameslea (BCS 801).

Another possibility is that it is OE  ramm, as in Ramsden supra 188.