Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• le Fyre bombe 1416 LMR

• le firebeacon 1556 Anc

• Firebeaconhill 1595 FMap

• Fier beacon hill by Warholme waie 1595 FSurv

• Fire Beacon hill 1653 Foster

Etymology

BEACON HILL, le Fyre bombe 1416 LMR, le firebeacon 1556Anc , Firebeaconhill 1595FMap , Fier beacon hill by Warholme waie 1595FSurv , Fire Beacon hill 1653Foster , from ME  fir-bome , for which v. MED s.v. fir n. 7 (b). There, a reference Beekne or fyrebome , dated 1440 is given. The present form predates this and perhaps we ought to consider a ME  spelling fir-bombe . The history of bomb itself is uncertain and is not recorded in NED before 1588. In the present name, bombe has been replaced by beacon (OE  (ge)bēacon ) and the meaning is the same. Cf. Fire Beacon on the boundary of Marsh Chapel and Fulstow, supra .Firebeacon has been noted in Devon, v. PN D 78 and 545, to which Mr John Field adds Higher Firebeacon, Lower Firebeacon in Beaford.Beacon Hill is recorded from the West Riding of Yorkshire, v. PN YW 1127, 359, 90, 4205.