Leconfield
Major Settlement in the Parish of Leconfield
Historical Forms
- Lachinfeld, Lachinfelt 1086 DB
- Lakyngfeld 1349 Test
- Lecingfeld, Lekingfeld, Lekyngfeld 1130–8 YCh 13th Malton 1305 BevAct 1530 Test
- Leq(u)enfeld 1176–1308 Percy
- Leq(u)enfeud 1325 ib
- Lekenfeld 1199 Percy 1290 Ebor 1504 Bev
- Lekenfeud 1251 Percy
- Leuchefeld 1204 ChR
- Lekingefeld, Lecingefeld 1218 ClR, FF
- Legenfeld c.1230 Percy
- Lekinfeud 1251 FF 1259 YI
- Lekynfeud, Lekynfeld 1305 BevAct 1329 Deod 1461 Pat
Etymology
It seems likely that the first element of Leconfield is connected with OE leccan 'to wet, water, irrigate'. An OE lecc may well have existed (cf. ME, early English letch , dial. lache , “a stream flowing through boggy land, a muddy ditch,” NED s.v.) and it may signify 'stretch of land with a muddy ditch or stream' with ing as a connective, or it may be 'stretch of land belonging to the lec (c )ingas or those dwelling by the stream,' v. feld . It may also be a compound of the rare OE noun leccing 'watering, irrigation' and feld and mean 'stretch of land where irrigation was carried out,' though on topographical grounds either of the former seems more likely.