Lighthorne Origin

1.	The first reference that I can find that the name "Lighthorne" originates "from the place of the light thorn" was in "Warwickshire Place Names" by a Mr. Duignan, often an unreliable source, during the last century. He made no attempt to justify this choice of meaning and unfortunately it has been repeated on into a number of later publications. The Anglo Saxon word for "Light" is "Leorht".
2.	The earliest known explanation of the village name is in the famous work "The Antiquities of Warwickshire" by the 17th century historian Sir William Dugdale, published in 1656. His explanation of the name is as follows. "I am confident that the last Syllable should be ‘hirne’, which in our old English signifies a corner; and by which I guess at the former Syllable, Viz. Lich, which is the same with cadaver, I suppose that it had originally its name from some sepultre of dead bodies there". Bearing in mind that this was written some time before 1656, Dugdales recognition of the old English is probably quite accurate, but latest theories do not support his total explanation.
3.	According to "Midland place names - 1992", the name "Lighthorne" is typical of a first phase Anglian or Saxon settlement in that it refers to geographical features in its description, providing an immediate means of identification for discussion and agreement, rather than reflecting ownership.
4.	Later phase settlements usually refer to a personal connection in relationship to the nature of the lands use. i.e. Bil-ton Hase-ley etc.
5.	The necessity for the conquering occupier to produce food quickly is obvious. Time is not available to clear the land and bring a crop to harvest. First phase settlements were generally directly adjacent to the land cleared and planted by the defeated, and in the case of the Anglo Saxon Invasions, dead or displaced original occupants.
6.	As such, the first phase settlement assumed an importance in the social and military structure of the occupying clan. This often led to the first phase settlement being the centre of the Hundred, the administrative, legal and defensive unit of the Anglo Saxons, which Lighthorne is believed to have been.
7.	There are four possible Anglian ( the first settlers of this period were Anglians) origins for the prefix "Light" which could fit. Luut(umlaut), Laet, Lic or Leachy. From the Old English Dictionary we have hidden, small stream, a corpse or ‘seeping’ or ‘weepy ground’.
8.	There is a possible Celtic origin, the Welsh word for a flat stone is lech, as in Cromlech. This could have given a hybrid name of stone corner, which would also describe Lighthorne.
9.	Now to consider the second syllable.
10.	In 1656 Dugdale recognised "hirne" as an old English word, which survives today in some dialects. The Old English dictionary gives "hyrne" as a fold in the land or a small valley rather than a corner, the confusion of the two through time is quite possible and either description could be applied to the topography of Lighthorne. The word "Horn" also appears in other parts of Warwickshire as a field name, including the old name for Piper’s bath. (Horne Close)
11.	To consider the possibilities, Hidden Valley or Hidden Corner?, Small Stream Valley? Corpse Corner? or Seeping Valley?
12.	As a first phase settlement, where the name is intended to describe the place to a newcomer, Hidden Valley is Most likely, with Stream Valley and Seeping valley as possible topographical alternatives. However, the idea that we are living in "Corpse Corner" should not be totally disregarded, Lighthorne was certainly a significant middle iron age settlement and the valley may have survived as a sacred grove site, but I think it unlikely that such a location would have been chosen as a site for new settlement.