morley is first mentioned in the domesday book in 1086 as "morelege", "morelei" and "moreleia". morley means "open ground by a moor", from old english "mōr" "moor, clearing, pasture" + "lēah" "open ground, clearing". it also gave its name to "morelei wapentac", a wapentake which probably met at tingley.