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.

Warley Salop

Major Settlement in the Parish of Halesowen

Historical Forms

  • Werueslea 1185,1186 P
  • Weruesley 1212 Fees140
  • Worveleg, Worveleye 1235–6 Fees527 1275 SR 1340 NI
  • Whernelege (sic) 1255 Ass
  • Weruele(ye) 1255 Ass 1270 Ct 1292 Cl 1316 FF 1327 SR 1336 FF
  • Worneleigh, Wernelegh 1291 Ipm
  • Worley 1500 Nash 18th Deeds 1521
  • Wareley 1763 Bowen

Etymology

There can be little doubt that Werv - or Worv - is the correct form rather than Wern -. The clearing (v. leah ) probably took its name from a lost stream-name, cf. Worsley supra 74. For Salop v. infra 303.