Lude (Fm)
Early-attested site in the Parish of Wooburn
Historical Forms
- Lede 1086 DB
- la Lude 1227 Ass 1234 Bract 1242 Fees879 1262 Ass c.1251 ADi 1330 Cl 1337 ib
- Lude 1340 NI
- Luda 1374 ADii
- Luyde 1393 Pat
- Lide al. Lewd 1680 FF
- Lyde al. Lowd 1694 FF
- Lyde or Lewd 1736 FF
- Lewd Fm c.1825 O
- Lue Fm 1826 B
Etymology
There is an OE hlȳde , used frequently of a noisy stream (cf. hlūd , 'loud'), but there is no stream now nor any likelihood of one, though there is an ancient trackway by the side, of a deep sunken character (Harman). Derivation from this word does not therefore seem very probable. BT also gives an OE hlēde , hlȳde , denoting 'seat, bench.' This is just possible as a farm-name. Cf. the use of setl in Settle (Y) and further ex- amples of the use of the term in the charters as given by Middendorff s.v., though it should be noted that the word may here denote 'place where one settles' rather than 'place where one sits.' It should be added however that we have no knowledge as to whether e , y in this word go back to OE ȳ or, alternatively, if y is for earlier ē or ī , in which case it could not be brought in evidence.