History

The town's origins remain unclear. Some have identified it with the ancient settlement of Anarelos or with Celtis, the latter of which appears in Antoninus' Itinerary and is mentioned by Pliny.

Existing remains place its most recent origins in the 11th century, and its reconquest by Ferdinand III 1240 and subsequent adherence to the Council of Cordoba on the orders of Alfonso X are both documented.

In 1637, don Lope de Hoces was given jurisdiction and lordly control over the town by Philip IV, while in 1640, don Alonso Antonio de Hoces was awarded the title of First Count of Hornachuelos and second Lord of the village.

Hornacho means "a hollow made in the mountain to extract minerals", a name which bears witness to its mining origins. This would explain why al-Idrisi (12th century) and Ibn al-Abbar (13th century) wrote "furnayulush" in reference to a place close to the town where silver and gold were mined.

Part of the play "Don Alvaro o la Fuerza del Sino" ("Don Alvaro or the Power of Fate"), by the Duke of Rivas, takes place in Hornachuelos, specifically in the kitchen of Señor Monipodio and Señora Colasa's restaurant.