Survey of English Place-Names

Etymology

, cf. Oakley Fd 1841TA ; the lane follows the Handley - Farnham par . bdy , crossing a hill at ST 961158 which is probably the ' (field called) Oak Hill ' mentioned by Hutch 3 3 547 ; the latter is thus almost certainly a survival of on ac hylle 956(14) ShaftR (S 630) in the Handley charter , v. āc , hyll ; Oakley may be a distinct name ( ' oak wood ' , from āc and lēah ) or it may be an alternative development of ac hylle , with -ley from -hill as in Sandley in Gillingham par . supra ( cf. EPN 1275 ) , with some possible influence from OakleyDown & Oakley Fm 2266 , a genuine lēah name some 3 ½ miles ENE at the other end of this large par .