ALSOP AND OTHER CHARTERS. 99 



of Ranulph de Alsop, granted land to his brother Thomas, who 

 in return was to deliver once a year to the grantor one pair of 

 white gloves. Again, in return for the grant of the Manor of 

 Lee (near Matlock) by William de Kynardesey to William de 

 Dethek (Dethick), the latter was to present to the grantor 

 annually, for a term of six years, a rose in flower, and after 

 that term the grantee was to pay a certain annual rent in 

 money. 



The ancient mode of spelling the place-names to be found in 

 old deeds may occasionally afford some clue to their correct 

 etymology and original form. It is observable that the name 

 Alsop is spelt throughout these charters either Alsop or Alshop. 

 The original form was Ellashope or Elleshope, i.e., the hope, or 

 valley, belonging to Ella. Hope, in the Midland district, means 

 a hollow or valley, generally without water ; examples : — Hope, 

 Hopton, Alsop, Hope Dale ( Alstonfield ), Stanshope, Bradnop 

 i.e. (Bradenhope), etc. It is curious that on the back of almost 

 every one of the Alsop charters, there is found the word Allsopp 

 in a peculiar style of writing (of which an example is here given), 



dlwft 



much later than that of the documents themselves, and believed 

 to be of the period 1600 to 1700. In Title Deeds of the 18th 

 century relating to lands in this hamlet, the name thereof was 

 frequently spelt Allsopp. 



In the Chartulary of Burton Abbey, the names Henry de Alsop, 

 Ranulph de Alleshope, and Ranulph de Alsop, occur among the 

 witnesses to various charters dated in or belonging to the 

 thirteenth century. (Vol. VII. of this Journal, pp. 127, 128, 145, 

 146, and 147.) 



The original form of the family name Kynnersley appears to 

 have been Kynardeseye. Eye means an island; and Ryot (as 

 Chiswick Eyot), a small one. This territorial name seems to 

 have been corrupted into Kynardesley, and then Kynnersley. 

 There can be no doubt of the identify of the one form with the 



