A common name, ‘(place at) the wood or woodland clearing’, OE
lēah; examples include:
Leigh Kent.
Lega (
c.1100).
Leigh Surrey.
Leghe late 12th cent.
Leigh Wigan.
Legh (1276).
Leigh Worcestershire
Beornothesleah (972),
Lege (1086) (DB). ‘Belonging to a man called Beornnōth’ in the 10th cent. spelling.
Leigh, Abbots North Somerset
Lege (1086) (DB). Affix from its early possession by the Abbot of St Augustine's Bristol.
Leigh, Bessels Oxfordshire
Leie (1086) (DB),
Bessilles Lee (1538). Manorial affix from the
Besyles family, here in the 15th cent.
Leigh, North &
Leigh, South Oxfordshire
Lege (1086) (DB),
Northleg (1225),
Suthleye early 13th cent.
Leigh-on-Sea Southend-on-Sea
Legra [
sic] (1086) (DB),
Legha (1226).
Leigh Sinton Worcestershire, see
Sinton.
Leigh-upon-Mendip Somerset.
Leage (
c.1100). See
Mendip Hills.