Bearley is a village and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England. The village is about five miles (8 km) north of Stratford-upon-Avon, bounded on the north by Wootton Wawen, on the east by Snitterfield, and on the south and west by Aston Cantlow. The western boundary is formed by a stream running out of Edstone Lake; it would seem that the land, now part of Edstone in Wootton Wawen, between the stream where it flows west from the lake and the road running east from Bearley Cross, was originally included in Bearley. The land within the parish rises gradually from a height of , in the north-west at Bearley Cross, to about , at the south-east corner of the parish, and is open except along its eastern boundary, where part of the extensive wood known as Snitterfield Bushes is included in Bearley. At Bearley Cross the road running west to Alcester and east to Warwick is crossed by the main road running north-west from Stratford-upon-Avon to Henley-in-Arden. To the south of the Cross and the station a road runs south-east from the Stratford road, passing the Grange and the Manor House, to the church. This seems to be the Saltereswey which in 1249 formed one of the limits of the demesnes of Bearley, the others being the high road from Stratford to Henley and the Lochamwey, which may be identified with the road, passing the Methodist chapel, connecting the other two roads. At the 2001 Census the population was 758, falling to 724 at the 2011 Census. History The name is first recorded as Burlei in 1086 and is from Old English burh + leah 'woodland clearing near a fortified place.' Bearley is recorded in the Domesday Book where its 5 hides were split, 4 being held by William son of Courbucion who holds "in Bearley 4 hides. Land for 4 ploughs. In Lordship 1; 2 slaves; 9 villagers and 6 smallholders with 5 ploughs. Meadow, 4 acres; in Warwick 1 house which pays 8d. The value was 60s; now 40s. Ernwin and his mother held it freely." and 1 hide as part of the lands of Robert of Stafford " Alric holds 1 hide in Bearley. Land for 1 plough. 1 villager and 1 slave. Meadow 1 acre. The value was 20s; now 10s. He also held it (before 1066)." About 1175 this 1 hide was