Lexden
Early-attested site in the Parish of Colchester
Historical Forms
- (æt) Læxadyne c.1000 ASWills 11th
- Lessendena, lex sendena 1086 DB
- Lexeden(e) 1119 Colch 1234–57 FF
- Lexedenn 1328 Cl
- Lexden 1373 IpmR 1594 N
- Lexten 1586 WigboroughPR
- Lexenden(e) 1233 Bracton 1243–8 ADi 1303 FA 1323 For
- Lexendon 1234 FF
- Lexonden 1273 Ipm
- Lexinden 13th WalthamA
- Laxden 1412 FA
- Laxden otherwise Lexden 1527 Lancs
Etymology
For further forms v. Lexden Hundred supra 359. The later forms show that the spelling dyne can only be an inverted one for dene , in a district where OE y regularly appears in LOE and EModE as e , and the second element must be denu .
The first element is difficult. For Laxton (PN Nth 168), as for Laxton (Nt, ERY), a pers. name Lax of Scandinavian origin has been suggested, but the locality is against a Scandinavian pers. name in Lexden. It may be that OE leax itself gave rise to a pers. name Leaxa . Cf. to leaxanoc BCS 775.