I have two burials both in Huntley, surname Drinkwater. Elizabeth wife of Thomas of the Ley in Westbury in 1750, and then Thomas of the Lea in 1757.

Can anyone tell me where or what the Lea/Ley was?

Thanks.

I would suspect :-

Lea (or The Lea) is a village and civil parish in the south east of Herefordshire. It lies south-east of Ross-on-Wye and adjoins the boundary of Gloucestershire.Amenities include a school, church, village hall, shop, public house, garage and a twice-weekly mobile Post Office, all of which lie on the A40 road which passes through the village and links Ross and Gloucester.

The Church of St John the Baptist is a Grade II* listed building. The church consists of tower, with spire, three bells, nave, chancel and north aisle. The north aisle is terminated by a chapel, probably erected by the Grey family of Wilton, whose arms are placed there. The church was restored in 1854, and fitted with open seats. The marble baptismal font, of c. 1200, is south Italian, given to the church in 1909 in memory of Sarah Decima Bradney (died 1907). The knotted shaft stands on an elephant and the bowl has a band of Cosmati work.

The Church of England parish is in the united Ariconium benefice of six parishes: Aston Ingham, Hope Mansell, Lea, Linton, Upton Bishop and Weston under Penyard.

and

Ley

A small area south of Huntley north of Northwood Green

https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7851232

https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101186532-ley-court-westbury-on-severn Ley Court https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7650016

- a modern address Ley Mill Farm
Huntley
Gloucestershire
England
GL14 1PR

Thank you very much for your helpful reply. Do you think your second option fits best with the church being Huntley?

The Ley is certainly closer to Huntley Church , so unless there are other family links that would favour The Lea then I would opt for The Ley.

( cross checking with Victoria County History - Westbury on Severn --Ley Mill on the Ley brook where it was crossed by the Huntley road was owned by Richard Young at his death in 1635, and it passed with the adjoining farms to the Probyns. Between 1805 and 1879 the Coleman family worked the mill; it apparently ceased working c. 1908, and only a ruined stone wall remained in 1969.