Lea
Lea is an Old English word meaning a "clearing", an "open piece of grassland" or a "grove", and is reflected in most of the English town or village names ending in "-ley" or "-leigh".Examples are:
- Wembley - Wembla's Clearing (Gt. London)
- Purley - Peartree Grove (Gt. London)
- Hadleigh - Heather Clearing (Essex)
- Beverley - Beaver Stream (East Riding of Yorkshire)
- Bewdley - Beautiful Place (beau lieu) (Hereford and Worcester)
