Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• (æt) Lidgerd, Lidgeard, Lidegæard 901 BCS590 c.1150

• Lidgeard 901–24 ib

• Lidgard Milisent, Lidgard Tregos' 1257 For

• Lediar (sic), Lidiarde 1086 DB

• Lidiard 1166,1169 P 1567 FF

• Lidiard Milisent 1275 Abbr

• Lidiard Milicente 1289 Ass

• South Lidiard 1305 ib

• Lidiard Treigos 1323 Pat

• Lydierd 1228 Ch

• Lydyerd Mylisent, Lydyerd Tregoz 1268 Ass

• Northlydyerd 1279 ib

• Northlideyerd 1283 Pat

• Lydeyerd 1285 Ch

• Lydyherd 1308 Ipm

• Lydyerd 1316 FA

• Lydyerd Mulcent 1379 WMxxxvi

• Northlydyerd al. Lydyerd Milsent 1412 Pat

• Lidiart, Lidewarte 1228 Cl

• Lydiert 1249 Ass

• North Lydiert 1252 FF

• Lidyert Milsent 1357 Pat

• Lydeyert Tregoz, Lydeyert Mulsent t.Ed3 For

• Ledyerd 1316 FA

• Northledeyerd 1346 Pat

• Ledeyerd Milcent 1412 FA

• Lyderd 1376 Ch

• Southlydeard 1426 Ass

• Luydeyard Mylcent 1473 WMxxxvi

• Ludyerd Milcent 1502 ECP

• Luddyard 1615 FF

• Traigoz in 1242 (Fees)

• Tregos in 1275 (RH)

Etymology

The name is identical in origin with Lydeard (So), Lidegeard 854 (c. 1150) BCS 476, Lidgeard 904 (13th) ib. 610, Lidegeard 1065 (13th) Wells, Lidigerd 11th (c. 1150) KCD 897, and is also found in lidgeardes beorge (BCS 834, 1125) in Washington (PN Sx 240 n. 1). Ekwall (DEPN) takes the second element to be the equivalent of Welsh  garth , 'hill.' A Welsh  parallel is Litgart , Litgarth c. 1150 Liber Landavensis (possibly to be identified with Lydard in Mitchell Troy (Mo)), while a possible Cornish parallel is Liggars in St Pinnock, Lodegard 1280 Journ. Royal Inst, of Cornwall iv, Lutegard 1327SR , Lugger 1663FF .The first element in all these names is obscure.

In 1199 (FF) Hugh gave Richard the vill of Lydiard to hold by the service of one knight after the death of Millisent , mother of Richard. Lydiard Tregoose was held by Robert Traigoz in 1242 (Fees) and by John Tregos in 1275 (RH). This family name, which appears in the Pipe Rolls as Tresgoz , Trezgos , etc. is no doubt of French, probably Breton, origin. It cannot, as suggested by Ekwall (DEPN s. n. Eaton Tregoze) be derived from the Cornish Tregoose. That is Tregois , earlier Tregoyt , Tregoid , meaning 'farm by the wood.' See Addenda supra xxxix.