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.

Ledburn

Early-attested site in the Parish of Mentmore

Historical Forms

  • Leteburn 1288 Orig 1299,1382 Ipm
  • Ledburn 1416 IpmR 1447 ADvi
  • Ledbourn 1488 Ipm
  • Leborne 1626 Vern
  • Leburne 1641 HMN
  • Lyburne Green 1766 J

Etymology

Professor Zachrisson suggests that the first element in this name may be OE  (ge )lǣt (e ). As the little stream on which Ledburn stands flows past cross-roads at the village we may take it that (ge )læt (e ) here has its recognised sense of 'crossroads.' For this use of the word, cf. Radlett, Herts < rād -(ge )lǣte .t is later voiced to d before b and db assimilated to bb .

Places in the same Parish

Early-attested site

Major Settlement