Martley
Major Settlement in the Parish of Martley
Historical Forms
- Mertlega 11th Heming
- Merlie, Mertelai 1086 DB
- Merlega 1155–1192 P
- Mardelega 1155 RBE
- Mertlega 1178 P
- Martelea 1184 P
- Markleghe 1234 Cl
- Marthley 1274 Ipm
- Mertelee 1275 SR 1300 Ch
- Martleye 1327 SR
- Mark(e)ley 16th Wills 17th FF
- Marteleye 1583 BM
Etymology
This is probably a compound of OE mearð , 'marten-weasel,' and leah, the first part of the compound being either the nom. sg. or the gen. pl., hence 'weasel-clearing' or 'weasels' clearing'; cf. further Martley (Sf), DBMertlega , Martele and Mardleybury (Herts), DBMerdelai , and we may note mearðeshrycg (BCS 455) in a Worcestershire charter. The change from th to t which is very common under Anglo-Norman influence may have been helped in this case by the existence of the common martre , the French name for the same animal. It should be added that there is some evidence for an OE pers. name derived from this animal name. See on this point PN NbDu (s. n. Mason) and add references to Marlingford (Nf), earlier Marðingford (Thorpe 592) which seems to contain a patronymic formation from this name and probably also the Germanic parallel of certain names set forth by Förstemann (PN 1098–9) though he is inclined to explain them otherwise.