English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

The Lyde

Early-attested site in the Parish of Bledlow

Historical Forms

  • la Lithe c.1250 Rec.xi.344
  • atte Lithe 1287 Misc
  • la Lithe 1290 ADiii
  • ate Lythe 1346 FA

Etymology

The Lyde is the name of a steep wooded combe with which is associated the rhyme

They that live and do abide

Shall see the church fall in the Lyde.

This is clearly OE  hliþ,'slope.' The word long survived in the form lithe and NED quotes from White's Selborne the use of lithe to denote 'steep pastures.' The vowel has been length- ened in the open syllable of the oblique case form hliþe .

Places in the same Parish