Deighton
Major Settlement in the Parish of Northallerton
Historical Forms
- Dictune, Dicton 1086 DB 1088 LVD50d 1285 KI
- Dichton 1198 Guis 1231 FF
- Dighton, Dyghton 1316 Vill 1536 YChant
Etymology
'Farm surrounded by a ditch' v. dic , tun . A large moat is marked on the map by the side of the village; probably this is the dic . The name is of common appearance (e.g. Deighton YER, Nf, YWR), and is found as OE Dictun (KCD, index). The development of -ct - in this name is similar to that in Broughton (passim ): OE c became χ before t and [iχ ] then followed the normal development of OE ih , as in dialect leet from OE liht . Cf. Dinsdale 279infra .