Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Lewesdone Hill 1863 Hutch3

• Lewsdown 1495 CarP 1496 Pole

• Lesdown 1495 CarP

• Lewson-Hill 1774 Hutch1

• Lewston Hill 1811 OS

• Loosden Hill 1839 TA

• Lewsdon Hill Wood 1839 TA

• Leweston 1323 Ipm

Etymology

Lewesdon Hill (ST 436014), Lewesdone Hill 1863 Hutch3, Lewsdown 1495 CarP, 1496Pole , Lesdown 1495 CarP, Lewson -Hill 1774 Hutch1, Lewston Hill 1811 OS, Loosden Hill 1839TA (Stoke A. par.), Lewsdon Hill Wood 1839TA ; the form Leweston 1323 Ipm may also belong here, but the second el. is no doubt ME  doun, OE  dūn 'hill' (rather than OE  tūn) since this hill reaches 900′ like its mighty companion Pilsdon Pen (q. v. under Pilsdon par. infra ) just 1½ miles to the W. The first el. is problematical without earlier spellings, but if the name is an old one it may be the OE  pers.n. Lēofwīg proposed for Leweston par. 3 342 (the forms in -ton for Lewesdon Hill may have been influenced by this name). However the name may not be old (note the earliest forms have -down rather than -don ), in which case the first el. may rather be the ME  surname Lewe , cf. Walter Lewe 1327, William Lewe 1332 SR (both Leigh). Hutch1 writes: 'Lewson -Hill , in this parish, and Pillesdon -Hill , part in this parish, and part in Pillesdon , surmount all the hills, though very high, between them and the sea. Mariners call them the Cow and Calf , in which forms they are fancied to appear, being eminent sea-marks to those who sail on the coast' (1 366).