Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Horne Castle, Hornecastle 13,1302 DodsN 1557 WillY

• Hornecast' 1208–37 Nost65d

• Hornecastell 1316 DodsN

• Horncastel(l) 1379 PT 1532 WillY

• Horncastle 1615 YAS

Etymology

Horncastle, Horne Castle , Hornecastle 13, 1302 DodsN, 1557 WillY, Hornecast '1208–37Nost 65d, Hornecastell 1316 DodsN, Horncastel (l )1379 PT (p), 1532 WillY, Horncastle 1615YAS 78, 1. There is nothing in the situation of this farmstead to connect its name with OE  horn in its topographical sense of 'a headland, a horn-shaped piece of land' (as it does in Horncastle L); horn is therefore doubtless used in this p.n. of 'a horn-like projection on a building, a gable end, a pinnacle', and the name denotes 'high-gabled house' or the like (cf. EPN i, 261).v. castel . Horn Castle (Cowling) pt. vi infra has a different origin.