Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Lvvestorp 1086 DB

• Luvestorp' 1214 Cur

• Luuestorp' 1258 Abbr

• Lucerthorp c.1130 LeicSurv

• Lichestorp 1243 Fees

• Leuestorp' e.13 Laz 1404

• Levestorp' 1276 RH

• Leuesthorp' e.13,c.1240 Berkeley 1347 Cl 1392 Pat

• Leuesthorpe p.1250 Laz 1404 WoCart 1321 1449

• Levesthorp(e) 1294 Coram 1361 Ipm 1428 FA

• Leuisthorp(e) p.1250 Laz 1404 RTemple c.1270 Nichols 1337 Laz 1404

• Livestorp' 1213 Abbr 1214 Cur m.13 Laz 1404

• Liuesthorp' 1235(1404),m.13(1404) ib

• Livesthorp 1240 Fine 1295 OSut

• Lyvestorp 1276 RH

• Lyvesthorp 1273 Fine 1279,1304 Banco

• Lyuesthorp(e) 1326 Cl 1391 Pat 1404 Laz

• Liuistorp Hy3 Crox

• Lyuisthorpe 1326 Ipm

• Lyvysthorp 1318 Inqaqd

• Lifesthorp c.1235 Laz 1404

• Liuethorp c.1225 AAS 1200×40 Rental

• Leuithorp c.1275 RTemple 1299 Ipm

• Levithorp 1301 Cl

• Lyestorp 1276 RH

• Lysthorpe 1534 RTemple 1537 Cl

• Leisthorp(e) 1366 Banco 1535 VE 1555 Pat 1557 Cl

• Leysthorp(e) 1498 Banco 1499 Brase 1535 VE 1557 Pat

• Lesthorp(e) 1381 SR 1415 Cl 1535 VE 1537 MinAccts

• Lesethorpe 1492 Cl 1606 Terrier

• Lesethorpp' 1536 Braye

• Leesthorp(e) 1422 Cl 1506 Banco 1610 Speed

• pastura voc' Lesethorpe 1492 Cl

• pastura voc' Lysthorpe 1537 ib

• pastura voc' Leisthorpe 1552 Pat

• Leisthorpe Pasture 1557 Nichols

Etymology

'Lēof's outlying farmstead', v. þorp . According to Redin (14), there is no absolutely certain instance of the OE  pers.n. Lēof on independent record. It does occur, however, in the p.n. Lewsey (v. BdHu 155) and is a strong variant of the recorded Lēofa . In this Leics. instance, it may have been used as a short form of OE  Lēofhēah , as the spellings Lucerthorp and Lichestorp ' suggest (cf. Leofus who is alternatively recorded with the dithematic pers.n. Leofhēah , v. Redin 15).

Pickwell and Leesthorpe are assessed together in DB and the two places are juxtaposed in this order in a range of medieval records. This indicates that originally Leesthorpe was an outlying dependent of Pickwell.

From the late 15th century, Leesthorpe is recorded only as pasture, following the depopulation of the township for sheep-farming: pastura voc ' Lesethorpe 1492 Cl, pastura voc ' Lysthorpe 1537 ib, pastura voc ' Leisthorpe 1552Pat , Leisthorpe Pasture 1557 Nichols, v. pasture .