Yardley
Major Settlement in the Parish of Yardley
Historical Forms
- Gyrdleah 972 BCS1282 c.1050
- Gerlei 1086 DB
- Gardelegia c.1086 EveA 1190
- Ierdele 1220 Bracton 1275 SR 1305 Wigorn
- Yerdel' c.1237 Bodl43,44,45
- Jordele 1255 FF 1259 Pat
- Zerdeleye, Gerdeley 1291 Tax
- Yerdeleye c.1300 BM 1478 Pat
- Erdeley 1478 Pat
- Yardeley 1541 BM
Etymology
This name must be a compound of OE gyrd , 'yard, rod, twig' and leah. It is difficult to say in what sense gyrd can be used in this compound, perhaps that of 'twig, stick' is the likeliest, hence 'twig-clearing.' Cf. Yardley (So), KCD 816 Gyrdley , Yardley (Ess, Nth). It might however refer to some boundary- mark, cf. Stalybridge (Ch), Staveley (La) and Staveley (Db).Ekwall (PN La 29) suggests that here we have a compound of OE stæf , 'staff, stave,' used in the sense suggested. In gyrdweg (BCS 955) and gyrdford (BCS 778) it perhaps refers to a road or a ford marked out by stakes or something of that kind.