What is "exelby"

Exelby is a village in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated south-east from Bedale and west from the A1 road, and is part of the civil parish of Exelby, Leeming and Newton. In the 1086 Domesday Book Exelby is noted as "Aschilebi", with only 1 man, but 20 ploughlands, and in the North Riding's Land of Count Alan. In 1066 Merleswein the Sheriff was Lord of the Manor, which by 1086 had been transferred to Robert of Moutiers, with Count Alan of Brittany as Tenant-in-chief.