English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Lapscombe Fm

Early-attested site in the Parish of Albury

Historical Forms

  • Lappecumbe 1241,1294 Ass
  • Lappecombe 1332 SR
  • Lapecombe 1279 Ass
  • Leppecumbe, Leppecombe 1279,1294 Ass
  • Lapcom(e) 1544 SR 1564 Ct
  • sl

Etymology

Lapscombe Fm (6″) is Lappecumbe 1241, 1294Ass (p), Lappecombe 1332 SR (p), Lapecombe 1279Ass (p), Leppecumbe , Leppecombe 1279, 1294Ass (p), Lapcom (e )1544SR , 1564Ct . Lap - names in English present a difficult problem. In addition to the present name we have so far observed Lapworth (Wa), Hlappawurþin BCS 356, Lapley (St), DBLepelie , 12th cent.Lapelie , Lapley in Coaley (Gl), 1231 GCR Lappelei , Lapford (PN D 369), DB Eslapaforda , Slapeforde , later Lap (p )eford , Lapland (ib. 300), Laployd (ib. 423) and possibly Lapal (PN Wo 298). We have no evidence from the OE charters of OE  læppe being used in a topographical sense, but it glosses the Latin ora and is used as an alternative to OE  ende , so that it might perhaps denote 'a detached portion, a district.' It is possible that in Lapscombe and one or two other of the Lap - names we have this word.Lapscombe is on the border of Wonersh parish where the latter makes a curious projection into Albury. This may be the lap .Hence 'valley by the lap of ground.' From the formal point of view such an element is likely in Lapley but impossible in Lapworth, with initial hl , and improbable in Lapford, Lapal and Lapland, where we have persistent a and no forms in e , though this may, in Lapal and Lapland, be due to the lateness of the forms. All these names may have hlappa - as their first element, and such a word is probable in Lapford, with initial sl in DB, but its significance is unknown.