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.

Horbury

Major Settlement in the Parish of Wakefield

Historical Forms

  • Horberie, Orberie 1086 DB
  • Horebir', Horebiri, Horebyri 12 Fount 1164–85,1196–1202 YChviii 13 1233–40 YChviii 1238–54 ADi
  • Horbir', Horbyr' 1147 YChviii l.12 Lewes300d 1206 FF 1208 P 1243 Fees 1297 LS
  • Horberia 1176 P
  • Horbiri, Horbiry, Horbyry 12 Riev 1189 Pont 13 YDviii a.1218 YChviii 1251 Ass 1269 FF 1275 WCR 1577 Holinshed
  • Horbery 1301 DodsN
  • Horbero 1379 PT
  • Orib'a 1164–96 YChviii
  • Hordbir' 1204 Ass
  • Horbury 1329 ADi 1366 FF 1416–1479 DodsN 1510 Testv
  • Horubury 1316 Vill

Etymology

'Fortification on the dirty land', v. horu , burh . The present town stands on a hill, but the name may have described some fortification nearer the river Calder; there is a Castle Hill on the lower ground near an old ford which crosses the Calder. This is one of the few YW examples of burh used in the dat.sg. byrig , as in Dewsbury 184, Stanbury iii, 269infra ; it is a use more characteristic of the midlands than the north (cf. EPN i, 58, Introd.).

Places in the same Parish

Other OS name

Early-attested site