Guiseley, West Yorkshire

Situated in the heart of Yorkshire, Guiseley (pop 21,000)
Census 2001 -  Census 1991
has everything going for it.
 Nestling close to the Yorkshire dales
yet minutes from England's second city...Leeds.
Guiseley is steeped in history - but ..........

How did Guiseley get its name?

After the collapse of Roman rule here in the fourth century, wave after wave of Germanic invaders made their way up the river valleys. They were led by petty chieftains who selected promising locations for settlement. These new comers associated Roman culture in general, and city life in particular, with decadance. They took pride in a hard life. To pursue manliness they cleared areas of forest, lived in wooden huts, kept sheep and cattle, ploughed the soil, planted grain crops and and hunted. These forest clearings were called "leahs" and the word still survives as a suffix to many local places including Otley, Ilkley, Burley and Shipley.

The precise date, during the seven hundred years of barbarian invasion, when Gislic created his new settlement here cannot be determined. He sited it a mile or two from the nearest river and might have been drawn to the spot after noticing the abundant supply of fresh water provided by the spring which for centuries in the future will feed the village well. "Gislic" is a diminutive, a pet name, which the Saxon chief who came here continued to use adult life. The survival of the new community was problematic, rather than guaranteed, but Gislic's leadership was efficient enough to ensure its continuance after his death. The pioneering efforts of this blond - haired Angle are commemorated in the name given to his village, Gislic's leah, or Gislic's glade.

W ell that's one theory.....here is another......

Gislic Schmislic

I grew up in Guiseley and at Green Bottom school they told me the name of the town was from an animal: (the name is probably earlier than Norman (Guy))

Lots of local place names are named after animals:
Bat ley Batley
Otter ley Otley
Beaver ley Beverley
Sheep ley Shipley
Etc etc

It is obvious that Guiseley was Geese ley especially as old spellings of geese are similar to guise

I don't go for Gislic at all –

Its important chaps so making up stories of blond haired hunters is bad for the kids ok… keep it factual..

Alan in Wisconsin USA

What about this theory from Colin........?

I too grew up in Guiseley, and was told, at the same school (Guiseley C of E school) that the name was derived in the manner described in the first piece with the exception that the man's name was Gyselric, hence Gyselrics ley. I think the teacher in question was a Mr Ramsden who left to take up a headship in about 1949 or 50.

Incidentally I thought that Ilkley was derived from Olicana ley.

I hope this leads to further discussion.

Colin Stanforth

What do you think? Any other theories...? Let me know peter@guiseley.co.uk