Luscott
Early-attested site in the Parish of Braunton
Historical Forms
- Luscote 1238 Ass 1380 Exon
- Lustecote 1244 Ass
Etymology
Blomé (16) suggests that this may be elliptical for earlier lūsþorncote , 'cottages by the spindletree.' This may be so, but the occurrence of forms like lusdun (BCS 1023), lusa pull (BCS 1107), lusebeorg (BCS 748) and the curious lusan þorne (BCS 473), side by side with lusðorn (KCD 612), offers difficulties. The first three of these cannot be elliptical compounds of lusþorn , while lusan in the last form but one is inexplicable. lūs , 'louse' (cf. Wallenberg in StudNP 2, 85), is possible with cot(e), but will hardly suit the other compounds. Professor Ekwall would lay stress on the 1244 form and take the first element to be the same as in Lustleigh infra 480.