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.

Hornbrook Fm

Early-attested site in the Parish of Horsham

Historical Forms

  • Hornyngebrok 1288 Ass

Etymology

Hornbrook Fm (6″) gave name to William le Fullere de Hornyngebrok (1288Ass ). It is curious to find an inga-formation (v. ing ) in a small name of this type. The interesting thing is to note that we have a similar compound horninga dene in the bounds of Washington (BCS 1125). As Horsham was a swine-pasture of Washington (ib.) it is clear that the names must be connected.Presumably some of the Horningas of Washington had land up in Horsham. As we have no certain evidence for any OE  pers. name Horn earlier than the Anglo-Scandinavian period, perhaps we should interpret Horningas as meaning 'dwellers in the horn or corner of land,' though the application to the site of horninga dene (v. infra 240 note) is not clear.