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Place-names of Somerset.

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THE PLACE-NAMES OF
SOMERSET.

KixG Alfred.

THE PLACE-NAMES OF
SOMERSET.

JAMES S. HILL, B.D.,

Rector of Stowey, Vicar of Bishop Sutton,

Translator of Haering's Ethics of the Christian Life ,

Wrede, The Origin of the New Testament, with

Prefaces, etc.

WITH MAP AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

Utinam tarn facile vera invenire possem quam falsa convincere. —

Cicero.

BRISTOL -.
ST. Stephen's printing works.

1914.

111.

PREFACE.

The following pages appeared originally in the form of
articles in the Bristol Times and Mirror. The author tenders
his thanks to the Editors of that journal for their unvarying
courtesy. The articles have undergone considerable revision
and re-arrangement. It is too much to hope that nothing is
left, which, while suitable for their original purpose, is less so
when thrown into book form. Obviously, the articles were
not intended to be mere collections of etymological details,
but to give such account of the names of places in the county
of Somerset as might excite the interest, not merely of the
archeologist, but of that baffling and mysterious person, " the
general reader." The examination need not on that account
be unscientific.

I am not so optimistic as to suppose that I have escaped
error or said the last word. Nor do I claim to have made no
omissions, or subjected every name found in the county to
examination. There are doubtless many local names of which
I have never heard, and many more obsolete, the examination
of which would require another book of the same size. I may
claim that there is no book on Somerset Place Names yet pub-
lished that contains so many. The two or three books and
articles that do exist may be found mentioned in the foot-notes.
The work has occupied my attention,while other work has been
passed through the press, for some years, since the first of the
articles, appeared in the journal mentioned on August 22nd,
1905, and I can only say : " The labour we delight in physics
pain," for the trouble involved has not been inconsiderable.

IV,

The method pursued will be best realised by reading the
book. I am reminded of the kind words of one of many cor-
respondents — to all whom I hereby tender my thanks — who
says : " I have found your articles of great interest from the
light they throw on the origins of personal names." Indeed,
personal names have often enough been treated in the slight,
haphazard way from which place-names have suffered.
Another interested and valued correspondent is mentioned in
the foot-notes, the Rev. L. Wilkinson, of Westbury-on-
Severn, whom I thank. It has been my object to discuss the
names, especially the more doubtful ones, and to give the
various interpretations that have been suggested. It will be
found that Saxon personal names play a great part, and that
compound Saxon names afford the clue to place-names that
are otherwise bafifling. I refer the severe critic, if one arises,
to the motto on the title page. Fortunately the interest in
such studies is increasing.

JAMES S. HILL.

Stowey juxta Glutton,

Christmas, 1913.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTEE. PAGE,

I. Place-Names derived from some River Names 1

II. Place-Names from Religious Associations ... 14

III. Place-Names from Religious Associations —

S. White and other Whites not Saints ... 28

IV, Place-Names from Local Characteristics ... 36

V. Local Characteristics — Coombes ... ... 44

VI. Local Characteristics — Marsh and Moor

Names ... ... ... ... ... 59

VII. Local Characteristics — Fords ... ... 67

VIII. Local Characteristics — Lea, Leys, Leighs and

Leazcs ... ... ... ... ... 73

IX. Wicks 79

X. Hays 85

XI, Ways and Oaks 89

XII, Mount and Hill Names — Polden, Mendip and

Quantock 95

XIII. Hams and Ings 103

XIV. Names in Ington 110

XV. Racial Names 136

XVI. Racial Names (continued) 148

XVII. Racial Names — Saxon and Norse 153

XVIII. Racial Names (continued) 159

XIX. Racial Names (continued) — Blacks and

Browns, Goths and Huns 165

VI.

CHAPTBR.

PAQE.

XX.

Racial Names (continued) — In Gordones-

Land

173

XXI.

Racial Names (con ti nued)

177

XXII.

Doubled Names

185

XXIII.

Doubled Names (continued)

203

XXIV.

Doubled Names (continued)

211

XXV.

Doubled Names (continued)

227

XXVI.

Doubled Names (continued)

243

XXVII.

Doubled Names (continued)

259

XXVIII.

Doubled Names (continued) — Stones and

Stokes and other Names

268

XXIX.

Some Obsolete Doubled Names

281

XXX.

Curiosities of Nomenclature

289

XXXI.

Curiosities of Nomenclature (continued)

304

XXXII.

Curiosities of Nomenclature (continued)

323

XXXIII.

Silver Street

341

XXXIV.

Miscellaneous Names

348

Addenda

360

Index of Place-Names

362

I ndex of Personal-Names

368

List of Subscribers

371

Vll.

ILLUSTRATIONS

The Illustrations are from pen and ink illustrations of
Somerset, by THOMAS Sampson, Esq., an old Somerset
man, now of London, who most kindly placed them at the
Author's disposal.

Facing page

King Alfred : from Oil Painting in the possession
of Thomas Sampson, Esq. — Frontispiece.

Abbey of Athelney. ..

First Church in Britain

Window in the Knights Templars' Chapel, Tem
plecombe

Brympton d'Evercy — West Front

Monument of Sir John de Dummer

The Pyramids, Glastonbury

Athelney — site of Abbey

el, Tem-

188

198

211

261

293

The Place-Names of Somerset.

CHAPTER I.
Place-Names Derived from some River Names.

Whyte Melville in one of his novels calls the county
" Sweet Somerset." It deserves the adjective. It is appro-
priately descriptive of most of the quiet pastoral scenery of
the county. It is also a suitable epithet to apply to much
else that belongs to it, and is not altogether inapt when
dealing with a subject which is to many repulsive, and only
dry philological, while it is to many others interesting as
opening up unexpected vistas of history. Much that is attrac-
tive lies among words and phrases of forgotten origin until
the wand of the philogogist, or the touch of the archseologist
wakes up the slumberer.

When glancing over a list of the names of the towns,
villages, hamlets, and tythings of the county, a novelist in
search of a romantic name for his story, or one suggestive of
an idyll, or even a name for a love story of the simple and
non-problematic sort, ending in the most approved fashion
in a happy sound of marriage bells, could not do better than
examine this list of names, and choose according to fancy
and requirement. The numerous double names, of which
I have counted something like one hundred and thirty-four,
and which are usually taken as family names, added to the
original appellation, or in some cases doubled, seem to have
a halo of story almost naturally clinging to them. A reader
of English history will easily recall to his memory scenes in
English history associated with some of those names, and
picture to himself the belted knights and brocaded dames
whose glory has passed away —

" The knight's bones are dust,
And his g-ood sword rust ;
His soul is with the saints I trust."!

^Coleridge : The Knight's Tomb.

The geologist discovers in a fossil bone a creature (which
his deft pencil can draw) typical of a whole fauna of a bygone
period of terrestrial history; and the etymologist, by the
examination of a solitary word, calls up a whole epoch of
busy life that has long passed away. The characteristic
history of a county is embedded in its names. In many
counties, as that of Worcestershire, the place-names would
appear to have been predominantly Saxon; in Somerset, on
the other hand, there are many traceable to Celtic elements,
with nevertheless a far larger number than might have been
initially expected of Saxon and other racial names, as will
appear in subsequent chapters. The Celtic names reveal
the historic fact that the original British inhabitants of
this land of England were driven westward by the
ruthless horde of invading Saxons, whose descendants are
found in the names of persons whose cognomina are as
common in Saxony to-day as in England. An interested
observer may find Celtic personal types as well as Celtic
names in this land of summer pastures.

It is curious that the name of the county itself presents a
problem on which, as in many other names, it is not possible
to speak with absolute certainty. The late Professor Freeman
says Somerset is just Regia Aestiva, and so it is translated in
Latin documents. Professor Rhys, the well-known Celtic
scholar, of Jesus College, Oxford, asserts that the present-
day Welsh name for the county is Gwylad yr Haf, the land
of summer. Somerset is, according to this, just a translation
of the poetical Belgic-Britons' (it is said) name, and means
"The land of summer."^ Others prefer other deriva-
tions; Somer-saetas, the seat of the tribal Somers. This is
the solution we prefer. " Sumer " is an ancient name, going
back to the 8th Century. It is found in compounds spread
through all the county, as Sumerlida. Sumarlith is a name
on an old dial. The name as a personal name survives in
Somers, and in such place-names as Sumer-ton. It has also
been contended that " hav " is a contraction of havren, the
Celtic form of Severn; " tu " is the root of Avon, a river;
and consequently the- translation of gwlad-yr-hav (that is, of

'Musgrave's Antiquities of the Belgic-Britons.

gwlad-yr-havren) is " the land of the Severn. "^ This is only
an example of the difficulties which surround the subject of
place-names. And this obviously gives room for such variety
of fancy on doubtful cases in which it is possible for everyone
to have " a doctrine " and everyone " a psalm."

The subject, as a whole, has never received the attention
it merits. A thorough examination of the various names of
towns, villages, and hamlets collected into one volume may
well afford much food for reflection, and be a useful source of
historical material. In carrying out such a work, the various
spellings of the names in ancient documents, parish registers,
wills, and law suits of the past are not without significance,
and sometimes convey useful hints of the direction in which
search is to be made for the origin of the name. Not without
importance, as, indeed, is generally recognised by the
archsologist, is the pronunciation of the name by the natives,
as it has been handed down from sire to son, through gener-
ations of unsophisticated rustics. The persons who have,
unfortunately for this purpose, learnt to read and write are
of no use in this curious quest. Many local pronunciations
esteemed vulgar are in reality survivals of the more correct
etymological origin of the word. The name Stowey is an
example. It is called Sta-wy, and this goes back to an original
Stal-wei, as will hereafter be mentioned.

Some of those place-names which, as above indicated,
history would teach us to expect have their origin in Celtic
elements, have undergone extraordinary transformations,
appearing in extremely-disguised forms. Especially may the
student expect to find remains of Celtic history in regard to
river names and the appellations of towns and villages on
their banks, in the notices of which it may be a useful caution
to say no infallibility is here claimed.

A common name, for example, contains the element
" camel." The Welsh Dictionary tells us that modern
Welsh for trench, ditch, or canal is camlas. In Glamorgan-
shire is Aber-Camlas. " Cam " is in numerous river names
in England, Scotland, and the Continent, an element meaning

^Proceedings of Somerset Archaologital Society, vol. v., 1854.

bent or crooked.^ And so we have " the Cam " and the
" Camel." Accordingly, we have the names Abbot's Camel,
Queen's Camel, Cameley, Camerton, which is found in
ancient documents spelt Camelarton, and has thus undergone
shortening, as men in all ages have been afraid of words which
were too great a mouthful. The name serves to illustrate the
importance of going back in the quest to the earliest spellings,
and tracking the name down through successive centuries. At
least as far as the sixteenth, when there are many vagaries.
It is tempting to class Camer-ton with those originating in
Cam and Camel. In reality it is a personal name, Gamal-
here. We read, "The Church itself holds Camalar." It
has been suggested that camel is derived from cymle, a
common field for cattle; or from cinmael, a retreat; but
remembering the influence which streams and rivers have on
names of places, the one assigned appears the most likely .2

Chew is well known. The various names with this prefix .
can easily be recalled by the lover of Somerset in such well-
known places as Chewton-Mendip, Chew Magna, and Chew
Stoke. Chew Magna is a double name, but the appelative is
not ancient. In Domesday Book it is called simply Chiu.
In many documents we find that the Bishops of Wells signed
them at Chiu, and this spelling is frequent in subsequent
centuries, as here was an Episcopal palace. " At Chiu, April,
1230," is a specimen, where the Bishop published " An indul-
gence " of thirty days. The stream rises at Chewton Mendip,
and falls into the Avon at Chewton Keynsham, and Chew
Stoke and Chew Magna are on its banks. Chew is the name
of the river. There is a Chew on a river bank in Brittany.
In Hampshire is Chewton Glen,^ down which goes a forest
stream, and up which rushes the sea. Clearly it is a river
name, whatever its derivation. A Celtic derivation is given
"Tiau," a river. This we cannot track. We are inclined

'There are two Camels, one rising at Camely and joining the Avon near
Freshford, another rising near Maperton and joining the Yeo on which
are East and West Camel. Camerton is in a deep valley 2J miles
from Radstock.

^For other examples of the occurrence of Cam, see Blackie's Dictionary of
Place Names, Murray, 1887, and on the name Cammel compare what is
further said — see Index.

'The New Forest : Its History and its Scenery, by J. R. Wise (Gibbings and
Co., 1895).

to regard it as Scandinavian : " Tiw " was the god of war.
Rivers were deified. The name Magna as a distinction first
appears in documents towards the end of the 16th century.
The first we have noted is in a will in 1581. Before that it
was invariably Chew only. A little earlier than this we find
the name Chew Stoke, which previously is Stoke-in-Chew.
Chew Magna was, however, known as Bishop's Chew. The
name Chew Bishops occurs in a map dated 1680. " Following
right over Dundry, we come to Chew Bishop " is in a collec-
tion of maps of itineraries by the " cosmographer " to Charles
11.^ The name was left to the hamlet of Chew Sutton, called
Bishop's Sutton, to distinguish it from another hamlet of
some acreage Knight-Sutton, now called Knighton Sutton or
Sutton Militis. Chew Stoke also was known as Chew Militis.
Chew Magna was episcopal property in Saxon times, held by
Gisa, the last Saxon bishop. Thus it reminds us, as part of
the civil parish. Bishop Sutton, still does, as well as other
names with the addition of Bishop or Episcopi, of the period
when the Bishop of Bath and Wells held very many manors
and estates in the county, and was a great magnate and land-
lord. Chew Stoke exhibits a double appellation. The well-
known Saxon word " stoke," a stockaded place, is added to
the original name of the stream.

Of river names giving their appellation to places, Bruton
is another clear example. Briweton is the spelling of the
Domesday Book. In the Lincoln's Inn Bath Chartulary, it
is in 1299 Briytonia. The Prior of Bath apportioned the
Church of Westbury to the Monastery of the Blessed Mary
of Brytonia. It is Briyeton in the early 14th century. This
seems to be the "Town on the Brue." The persistent
spellings, and the modern form, are in favour of this. The
town has a street, Quaverlake Street, which is an indication
of the physical characteristics of the place as it once was. It
is derived from Brw, swift. Yr ajon Briw means " The swift
river." North and South Briweton are on its banks.

Ean is often said to be a Celtic root connected with water.
It is this root that some discover in Win-ford, Winsford,
Winscombe, Wincanton, and Winsham. Win-ford,

Winsford, and Winscombe are, as we shall see later, forms

^Xoads o/England, by John Ogilbie, 1698.

of common personal names. It is true that we have the
etymological Saxon compound " winsome," which means,
when applied to a damsel, pretty much the same as Sidney's
" O, most kiss-worthy face," in one of his poems. Win-some,
having or exhibiting qualities worthy to be won ; thus Wins-
ham would be the "pretty village." This derivation, given
by some, seems somewhat too fanciful, especially as it is an
element appearing in several names of places, all of which
may not be divinely fair. In Domesday Book, Wincanton is
spelt Win-cale-tone. Now, Gale is a river name. In Domes-
day Book the name is spelt Wincalle-ton. In 1374 it is
Wyngcaultone, and in the early 14th century we have
Wynghalton. Under these names, the Rectory is connected
with the Priory of Stavordale. It is built on the declivity of
a hill. An interpretation given is that it was anciently
Wyndcal-ton, that is, " the town on the bend of the stream "
called the Gale. In Kemble's Codex Diplomaticus^ two
streams are mentioned describing boundaries of an estate
granted in A.D. 965 to Shaftesbury Abbey, called the Win-
cawel and the Gawel. In Bishop Drokinford's Register^ we
read of the Vicar de Wyncaulton. Gawell, Gale, as a river
name, is not easily derivable. There is a river Gale in Dorset,
and this, with the two Lyddons, or Liddons, are tributaries
of the Stur. Stur is recognised as a tribal name. The earliest
Icelandic author is named Snorri Sturluson.^ The rivers
receive their names often enough from the tribes along their
banks. Gale may thus be a tribal name. The words Gaol and
Gael are Gadhelic, meaning a strait, and as an adjective,
narrow. If win is for ean, water, the meaning of Wincawel
would be the " narrow stream." It is very possible, however,
that this place-name is Saxon, and is the personal name
Wincild. The modern modern name would be Winchild ;
but we have not met with any owner of such a cognomen.
It is far from likely that " win " is connected with water,
stream, or river. And here it may be observed that " ton "
must not be hastily concluded to be invariably the Saxon ton,
a town, as sometimes it is clearly a softening of the word dun,
dune, which is dwn, a hill or down.

>Vol iii. p. 455. Tage 289. ^Origin of the Anglo-Saxon Race, T. W. Shore,
London : Elliot Stock.

There are other names that have their etymological roots
in the numerous words for stream, brook, dike, river. Every-
body knows that " afon " is Welsh for a river, but it does
not stand alone. Descriptive words of this sort abound in
all languages.

How deep the influence of the Celt was in more than one
country may be seen by observing that the people of this
nationality or race who lived upon German soil left their
impress upon the names of its rivers and streams, as we have
seen they did to some extent in the arcadia of the west of
England. It is a misfortune that our knowledge of Celtic is
extremely deficient. Our German cousins have a journal
devoted to this pursuit, " Archiv fiir Celtische Lexi-
cographie," in which the subject is (to translate a favourite
word) " belaboured," and we may hope in time to feel more
secure in the derivation of words, especially names of places
clearly Celtic. The Celt was not a husbandman so much
as his Saxon successor. He is therefore less strongly repre-
sented in the topographical indication of mountains and hills
by affixing names, and less still on farms and lands. In Ger-
many are such well-known river names as that of the Danube
(Donau), Rhine — which has its analogue in a Somerset and
West Country term for a dividing stream (rhin, rine) — the
Main, and the Isar. We are searching for the like characteris-
tic Celtic stamp in the Somerset rivers and stream names,
some examples of which have already been given.

The Tone, on which stands Taunton, is clearly a river
name and is widespread. Tain is Celtic, as found in Tyneham
in Dorset, Tynmouth in the North, and Teignmouth in the
South. It appears also in the shape Tham-es, in which the
final syllable is derived from Celtic " uis-ge," water. Tam
is in Tamar (Devon), Tamer, Teane, and the cognate Taw,
in Taw, Devon and Glamorganshire, Tawey, Tavey, Tay,
Tees. The Ta is a loch in Wexford, and the Tay in Perth
and Waterford. There are the Tavy in Devon, and the Taf
in Wales. In Domesday Book, and long after, Taunton is
spelt Tantona. We have not found Tflm-tona. The root
meaning is said to be " quiet." With the " m " sound it
is taken over into Anglo-Saxon. There seems no adequate

reason and no evidence for deriving the town name from
Tangwn-ton, a British hermit, who, according to Rees^ once
lived there. If so, then the Tone derives its name from a
saint. It is just as likely that Thane-ton is its origin, or Tan,
Dana, an owner's name. Remembering the widespread
occurrence of the river-name, this origin will appear to most
readers the most likely. Both Tayn-ton in Gloucestershire
and Teign in Teignton have been derived from Celtic tan,
" the sacred fire." Don in the river name, the Don in
England and Russia, the Danube, and Doon in Scotland are
river names — said to mean " dark," and the Tone would
mean the dark river .^

The Isle is a river name, and has on its banks Ilton, He
Brewers, He Abbots, and Ilminster. Ilton, as we may see,
is a name which has another origin. It is by no means to be
taken for granted, without further search, that the derivation
which seems the most likely at the first blush is the actual
derivation. He Brewers, as a double name, will receive
further notice. Il-minster is clearly the Church on the He.
It must be remembered that a " minster " was not necessarily
that which we understand by the name. Isel is the name
of a river in the Tyrol, and Iselen, Isla, are names of
meadows, low-lying and damp, on the Rhine. The name
occurs in Switzerland. The Ise is a tributary of the Aller,
near Liineberg. Isental is a valley on the Winer , See.
Iser is a tributory of the Elbe. The name is thus very
widespread as a name for streams and water-meadows.'
Isaac Taylor*" gives some mixed-up illustrations of the force
of "Is." The Ivel, for instance, is of different origin, and when
he states that Ischalis was the ancient name of the Ivel, he is
relying upon a conjecture of Arch^ologists that this place
Ivelchester, called Ilchester, is the Iscalis of Antoninus and a
Roman station. This name is ancient, however, and there is
an Ichl by Innsbruck which is probably the same name. All
we can safely say is that is, ess, perhaps Esk and asc, or Ax as
in Axbridge and Axminster, is a most ancient root with cog-

^Lives ofCambro-British Saints. ^Quantocis and its Places and Names, S. A. S. P. ,
vol. xlvi. ^Ortsnamen and Sprachwissenschafi, Ursprache and Begriffs-
entwicklung — Tauber. * Words and Places,

nates differently spelt and variously shaped in different
languages of Great Britain and on the Continent. What is
the Usk but the Uis-ge or Wisge?

The river name Ivel has a different origin, as the names
of the towns Yeovil and Yeovilton indicate. The Ivel is
called also the Yeo. So, then, it has been said Yeo-vil is the
ville on the Yeo. Yeovil, it is declared^ is simply a form of
the British name of the river itself. In fact, it is a combination
of the two names Yeo-Ivel, easily shortened to its present
form. This is ingenious. It is clear that Ivel is the name of
the river anciently, and not Yeo. Ivel is probably the Celtic
and Yeo the Anglo-Saxon name. What we do find is that
Ivel is in fact a form of the name Gifla, spelt Givela in Domes-
day Book. There is a manor " In Givela." It is clear enough
that as this is pronounced Yifla and Yivella the difficulty here
is that Gifla is not, or barely, known as a personal name.^ Ivel
is spelt Evil, and Gefla is just as good a spelling. The
vowel ending is a Norman trick, and so the name is Gevl,
which might be a scarcely recognisable form of Gefwulf, which
is a known name. Yeovil is thus Gevl or Yevl, and Yeovil-
ton is the town of Gevl, or Gifwulf if the conjecture is correct.

The spellings vary but preserve a type. Domesday Book :
Givela, Ivel or Ivla, Yevill, Evill, Evyll, Yeavill, Yeull, Ivele,
and others.^

The meaning of the river name " Yeo " is not doubtful.
Ea and yea and yeo are clearly cognate with wy, wye, water.
From this are derived Yea-don in Yorkshire, and other wide-
spread names. Ea is the old high German Auua, Gothic
Ahva, and in the Latin form Aqua, and denotes a running
body of water in particular. Proper names present a form of
the word which is at once more ancient and more closely

'Pulman on Local Nomenclature. 'Leo, Anglo-Saxon Names, quotes Kemble's
Codex Diplomaticus ii. 114, for the form Gifla, and Leo gives Gif-
heal as the name of the " hall of the nobles," p. 80. "Skeat,
Cambridge Antiquarian Society, No. xxxvi., has precisely the same
difficulty with the Bedfordshire Place-Name Yielden or Yelden. Now
this was anciently spelt Giveldene. This is from A.-S. Gifel, and this
Skeat considers to be a river name, the same as the form (Celtic) Ivel.
This is the solution at which I arrived, and there are Northill and
Southill in the same county in which 111 is the old name of the stream
Ivel. These are spelt Norgivel. Ilchester is Yevel (Gifel)-chestre in
Monastic Annals. Gifla is thus the Saxon form of the river-name Ivel.

approximating to the Gothic and Latin, such as ao, oea,
oeia, aeg, and eah, as e.g., the Medway is the Meodowaeg.
The names of a whole series of rivers have this one element.
Ea, too, signifies the bed of a river. Limin-ea is a small
river in Kent. Shep-ea, called the Sheppey, is the Somerset
stream that runs in the Shepton Mallet district through
Binder. If Shep-ton means the Sheep-town, then Sheppey
ought to mean the Sheep-river. It is more likely the tribal
or personal name Sceaf-ea. Scipe-ea is a dialectical form.
And as Yatton is spelt in Domesday Book Ya-tuna or Ea-tona,
in spite of the usual derivation, elsewhere given, and as
a Yeo is in the marsh hard by, Yatton may be Yeo-ton.
We cannot think that it is the origin of Yatton in Somerset
to derive it from Eata, a Saxon Bishop of Lindisfarne, of
the seventh century, though this is given for Yatton in
Herefordshire, Yates-burh in Wiltshire, Yatten-den in
Berkshire. Yatton is mentioned again later on.

It is hard to say that a unique river name is never found.
A name of a river may be unique, and then we must look
to the locality for solution. Yr afon Ffrwm is said to mean
the river of rank vegetation, which the angler soon discovers.
Ffram is also said to mean fair, but the meaning given below
seems most likely. The town-name is a form of " Ffram."
There is a Herefordshire Frome, and the place-name of
Canon Frome arises, situate a few miles from Ledbury. The
resemblance of some place-names in this county to those of
Somerset is, perhaps, worth noting. It has a Burrington. The
Herefordshire Frome flows through Bishops Frome, and
there is also Halmond Frome. Its Ea-ton on the Wye is much
like Ya-ton in one of the earlier spellings. Frome is on the
river which now bears that name. It, too, has a Celtic origin.
A Welsh dictionary of to-day has the word ff raw and ffreuan,
frua, torrent, gush. Ffrau is rippling. To this root is traced
the name of the river Frome, on which the town stands.
Analogy is sometimes a safe guide, and by this principle it is
said that by the analogy of Axminster and Ilminster, Frome
should be Frominster. From this to Fromster, and then to
Frome, by the well-known process of word-clipping, presents
nothing startling. The conjecture is needless.

The Alum, or Alham, rising in West Cranmore, is usually
said to give its name to Alham, Alhampton, Alford. This
latter name is spelt in Domesday, Aldedeford. Alhampton
is in Domesday Alentona, i.e., Alwine-ton. The river name
must be called from the locality rather than the reverse.
There is a word " aim " which means mountain pasture. It
is not easy to find any explanation of alum or alham as a
known river name. The mere shortening is not surprising.
The designation is personal. It is paralleled by Ansford,
which is given in Domesday Book as Almundes-ford, a ford
over the Brue. It will be seen hereafter how large a part is
played by Saxon personal names in designations of fords, and
that sometimes the whole name is a corruption. Alum is the
name of a stream which joins the Dee near Chester.

Wring is the same as rhin, or hrin, or rhein, an open cut
or drain. Hence, it is thought Wring-ton is the " town
on the Wring," or rhin. The Domesday spelling gives
colour to this explanation. It is spelt Werintona. This
is explicable. The vowel is the Norman orthographic vowel,
and their methods of spelling avoid two concurrent con-
sonants " n " and " t." Thus the former is omitted, and it
represents Wrin-ton. Etymologically, the " n " is ultimately
an intrusion. The final Sanskrit root is " ri," to flow, and
this is hardened to rhine, hrin, rain. It is found in many river
names : Rivers Rye, Rea, Ray (Wiltshire), Ray, Rhea, Wrey
(Devonshire), and on the Continent.^ Clwd and Dur are both
Celtic words, and connected with water streams; the former
may possibly be found in Clutton and Temple Cloud.
Glutton is Clude-ton. There is a Welsh village in Pembroke-
shire called after a Saint Clydai. In a Somerset will of the
15th century there is a family name Clude, and the personal
name Cloud is not unknown. This latter is the true explana-
tion.

In the extreme south-west of the county a river rises in
Exmoor, which has its course through Somerset, and dis-
appears into the less important (for our purposes, as well
as our affection) county of Devon. It bears the name of
Barle. Bar is usually short for aber, a confluence, and

^See Isaac Taylor, Words and Places, p. 138.

the remaining element might possibly be still Isel. On
investigation, however, we find that in the first and only
recorded perambulation of the Forest of Exmoor, in the 26th
year of Edward I., that is, in 1298 A.D., the name of the
river is spelt Barghel. Bar is here shortened from " aber,"
the confluence of a river, and ghel is the name Gelau,
said to mean horse-leeches. It is thus primarily the same as
Abergele in Wales. The "water of Barghel" is shortened
to Bargel, and then to Barle, and becomes a mysterious
word to name the river running by the estate called Simon's
Bath. It takes its rise on a swamp two miles north-east of
this, and runs to the other end of the Forest of Exmoor.
At the confluence it is joined by the Exe. This, too, is
Celtic : Ex, Axe, Esk, Usk, and in Continental forms. Axe,
Ahse, and others. The word is probably connected with
aqua (Latin). Aix is short for aquae sextiae. Sextiae is
Sextus, name of the discoverer of the warm springs. There
are also several Aigues. The word has undergone the usual
clipping as the varied elements in a word lose their signifi-
cance. A very potent influence in the formation of words
is this human impatience of length. Only the patient German
tolerates the sesquipedalian syllabification, which, hexameter-
like and serpent-like, drags its slow length along.

It is probably a departure from Celtic origin when we
consider the word " burn," which still for our Scottish fellow-
coutrymen (or Britons) means a brook of some kind. There
is the word " bourn, "^ which is a limit, the place " from
which no traveller returns." But is it a limit because a
stream is a limit? Whether Burnham has more connection
with bourn, a limit, or burn, a stream, may not be
positive. A name that has undergone a kaleidoscopic change,
so that it is no longer recognisable at first, is Bridgwater,
which, some assert, has nothing — marvellous to say — to do
either with bridge or the water that flows under it, but
is a relic of a personal name, and will be mentioned here-
after under that head. It is Burgh Walter, from Walter de
Donai, whose cognomen is found in a book not designed or

'Skeat, Etymological Dictionary, sub-voce.

compiled for etymologists, but simply for purposes of
Imperial stocktaking—the Domesday Book. It is, however,
Brug, " the bridge of Walter."

Land-changes slow, but sure, scarcely marked by each
generation as it passes on in the ceaseless march of life, clear
away all traces of many physical features of places which once
characterised them. The process of change that is now going
on, and slowly leaving Weston as an inland town, so that it
will no longer be "super-Mare," has already forsaken
Nailsea, so that it is no longer an island, any more than
Swansea, which is Sweyn's eye or island, while Nailsea, as
we shall see, is, in fact, Nigel's Island, i.e., Nigelsig. The
ig, ey, is of course, Saxon, and means watery ground. And
we all know that the great swamps have disappeared which
made Athelney, Athalungeig, in the parish of Ling, the
Prince's Island. Ling itself is possibly the sole remnant of
Aethaling, Muchelney, Micilen-ig, is the " muckle," the great
island close by Langport.

Other stream and brook names will occur in connection
with place-names of which the main elements is a tribal or
personal name, or otherwise derived as the Gary, the Dolting
water.

CHAPTER II.

Place-names from Religious Associations.
Christian and Heathen.

Ecclesiastical associations have inevitably left their mark
on the place-names of a county more than commonly interest-
ing on this score. It is needful to write with becoming
modesty of the early Church history of Somerset, as even the
methods of modern research fail to penetrate very far into
the dark cloud by which the history of the Celtic Church is
surrounded. Legendary lore, with nevertheless, a kernel of
truth, is ever in danger of assuming the place of history.

There are, however, at least some Celtic saints' names
which have left their mark in local nomenclature. To sum
up the traces of the Celtic church in Somerset is not our
present business.^ Here we are only concerned with them as
affects the place-names. To this there follows the religion
of the heathen Saxon, and we might expect to find some
marks of the successive race immigrations in names directly
or indirectly connected with Scandinavian mythology.

Some interesting questions emerge as, for instance, how the
name of St. David, the Welsh saint and Archbishop, came to
be given to the little village of Barton St. David, and what
light, if any, does this and similar less doubtful facts cast
upon the ecclesiastical circumstances of Somerset at one
period, and thereby influence the growth of place-names?
And, we may further ask, how far have certain of these names
become Saxonised almost beyond recognition? It will be
obvious that problems, not easy to be solved conclusively,
arise In the course of such enquiries.

The well-known legends that cling to the name of Glaston-
bury, which are so well known and need not here be retailed,^

■■Rev. David J. Pring, Traces of the British Church in Somerset, Taunton : Phoenix
Press, 1910. ^See Memorials of Old Somerset, Bemrose and Sons, 1906.
High-ways and Byways, Hutton, Macmillan and Co., 1912. Myths,
Scenes and Worthies in Somerset, Boger, Redway, London, 1888.

r^:^'^^i^:^€^"''^-::^;'3lFf^^S:''««/rM^

THE ABBEY OF ATHELNEY.

contain at least the truth that here was one of the very oldest
seats of the Christian religion in the county. Stillingfleet, in
his Origines Britannicce, disposes of the story of Joseph of
Arimathea and the tradition of St. Patrick in connection with
its church in the most approved fashion of the destructive
higher criticism of his period. " The holy graal deserves as
much credit as the book taken out of Pilate's palace." How-
ever, William of Malmesbury, in writing the antiquities of
Glastonbury, expressed his firm belief that St. Patrick was
there, while he doubted whether he was buried there. That
which seems to Stillingfleet most agreeable to the truth is
" that in the latter times of the British Churches, when they
were so miserably harrassed by the heathen Saxons, they were
forced to retire, for their own security, into places most diflfi-
cult of access; and there they built such churches as were
suitable to their present condition, and lived very retired
lives, being in continual fear of their barbarous enemies."
Others, of course, may write in a more sympathetic spirit,
and wish for more than this to be certified history rather
than merely attractive and wistful legendary lore.

Such a place was the Isle of Avalon or Glassenbury. The
name Glastonbury is of course not etymologically connected
with religion. The origin of the name is traced to a tribal or
family designation of the Glaestings. Glaestingberia is the
Domesday Book spelling. In the Cartularhim Saxonicum we
find " Grant, by the King of Damnonia to the old church,
of the land called Iniswytryn (A.D. 601)." Innis is Gadhelic,
and is also said to be a Cornish form, as ynys is Cymric and
insel is German derived from insula (Latin) an island, or pas-
ture land near water. Innis is common enough in Scotland
(as ennis, inch). Wytrin means glass in its primary meaning —
i.e., in fact, green, blue, or grey in colour; and the Saxon
Glas-ton has likely enough the same meaning from the phy-
sical characteristics of the spot. This spelling Glaston is per-
sistent. The Domesday spelling is a corruption, or meant for
Glaes-ting, i.e., Glaes-tin or dun. Mr. Edmunds calls in a
British word to aid, that is Glastennen, the holm oak. This
is a conjecture, as is also the supposed tribal name. Accord-
ing to William of Malmesbury, in the year 601 A.D., Domp,

King of Devonshire, granted or restored to Morgret, Abbat
of Glastonbury, five hides of land in Ynyswitryn. He says
that during his Abbacy, 605 A.D., Glastonbury was instituted.
We may as well add that Morgret is considered by Dugdale
to be a British name. Inysitryn is " the glassy island."
Glassy must be taken in the etymological sense. Here,
according to tradition. King Arthur was buried. Giraldus,
in the time of Henry II., actually saw the " inscription on a
leaden cross, which, in Latin, expressed that King Arthur lay
there buried in the Island of Avalon," and he " saw the
body," " laid deep in the earth for fear of the Saxons." The
inscription, like much else, was legendary, but it is interesting
for our present purpose to observe that St. David is mentioned
in connection with another touching legend — " St. David,
having a design to consecrate this church, our Lord appeared
to him in a dream, and forbade him to do so, having pre-
viously consecrated both the church and churchyard Himself.
And for a sign thereof He thrust His finger through the
bishop's hand." Traditions and monkish legends have their
root in some fact. And that fact doubtless is that St. David —
Devi, the patron saint of Wales — was either himself, or
through his successors in that See, connected with the early
British churches in Somerset. And these legends of Arthur
and Devi point to the fact of a considerable amount of inter-
course and missionary activity carried on across the Bristol
Channel, where the missionaries braved dangers in their
coracles, as they now do in varied ways in the still wild regions
of the earth. In the 10th century the See of Bath was part of
this Archiepiscopate. It is by such connection that we can
explain why the Church of Porlock is dedicated to St.
Dubricius, the predecessor of St. David in the Archbishopric,
whose seat was then Caerleon, and not as afterwards, Menevia.
At any rate this is the legend, but it must be confessed that
St. David, as a designation of Barton Church, is not traceable
until quite late. In Domesday Book it is simply called Ber-
thona or Bertona. The name, however, may have been
traditional. In the churchyard are the remains of a cross with
the figure of a bishop, whether St. David or not. The name.

too, is only Barton in the 14th century .1 We are told that a
picture of David the Psalmist once hung in the church; but
this could scarcely have originated the name. We certainly
should expect to find early traces of this name had it been
original and not a superimposed fancy. Barton is, of course,
a common name. Other reminiscences of St. David are found
in St. David's Well, near Quantock Farm, in Over Stowey
parish. And, of course, there are other sacred wells, as St.
Peter's Well, close to Over Stowey Church, St. Agnes Well
at Cothelstone, St. John's Well at Holford ; Lady's Fountain
is on Kilve Common. This is St. Mary the Virgin, we imagine,
and some evidence of this is found in the fact that a Combe
hard by is called Ladies' Combe. Other wells associated with
superstition or medical properties are Blundwell, in Stowey
(near Bridgwater), and the Witch's Well in Parleston Lane,
below Parleston Common. Pardle or Bardel is a known
Saxon personal name.^

A further ecclesiastical interest may be found in the names
of two hamlets, situate in the parish of Wedmore, one of
which is called Panboro. This is the usual popular impatient
abbreviation. The Domesday spelling is Padenberia, Insula
vocata Padenaberia adjacens GlastingbericB. In the Cartu-
lariuni Saxonicum we find " Grant by King Edwith to Glas-
tonbury Abbey of a vineyard at Pathenebergh, A.D. 956."
In 1366 it is Insula de Patheneburga in British Museums char-
ters. Probably another local name, Panfield, is also thus
shortened. It is quite possible that this is the Saxon name
Padwine or Pathwine, and we cannot be sure that it is Padarn.
It is attractive to think so, and the name Llan-badarn is very
common in South Wales. There are no fewer than eight of
them, of which the principal is the Llanbadarn-vawr, near
Aberystwith. St. Padarn was Latinised into St. Paternus, and
St. Paternus was a suffragan to the Archbishop of St. David's.
Llanbardarn was represented by its Bishop at a synod held in
the County of Worcester in the year 601 A.D. The Church
of Holy Trinity, Nailsea, is said to have had the name of this
saint as its original dedication.

^Bishop Droken/ord's Register, Somerset Record Society, vol 1. There is here
one instance in which it is added (1325 A.D.), but this seems to be an
error against the dominant usage. ^Quantocks and other Place-Names,
Som. Arch. Soc, vol. xlvi.

Another hamlet in the same ancient parish of Wedmore
bears the curious name of Theale. Theale, which may be the
same as Teilo, and a Celtic name, as the personal name Mat-
tick is, from Madoc.^ It is an interesting conjecture to regard
it as a disguised form of Teilo, another Welsh saint. Theale
is not mentioned in Domesday Book, where it is a part of
Wedmore, and so we have not its spelling. In Pembroke and
Csermarthenshire there are four places bearing the designation
Llandilo. Now this Deilo was a British Bishop of Llandafi,
and lived in the early sixth century. ^ Teol is, however, also a
Saxon name of eighth century, which is just as likely to be the
origin of the name.

A search through the hamlet names of the county appears
to give us a name which may not unreasonably be connected
with St. Dubritius, i.e., in the Cymric form, Dyfrig. The
case of this place-name stands thus : —

Doverhay is in West Luccombe (also by corruption spelt
Luckham). The Domesday spelling is, however, Doveri.
One part of the Manor of Porlock is so described.^ Higher
Doverhay Farm is an ancient house in the Manor of East
Luccombe. The lover of the romantic will be Interested to
know that a smugglers' hold was discovered here some years
ago. From this diversity of application, as well as the spell-
ing, it is evident that the name Doverhay is a corruption.
In 1325, in a jury to find whether the manor had been held
"in capite " or of the "honour of Pynkeny " it is spelt
Dovery, as Cloutesham is spelt Cloude's Ham (compare
Temple Cloud). In 1559 it is Dawevery. In 1237 it is
Dovery. It is Dovery in 1280, when John le Deneys and
Robert le Denis met Nicholas the Forester at Roger de
Cockerey's tavern. John and Robert beat Nicholas so that
he died. There was another fracas at the house of Gunilda,
who had an inn there. The Domesday spelling Doveri is then
right. But what does Dovri mean? Doverhays is the 16th
century spelling. We are struck with the similarity to the
place-name Dover. There is a Douvres in the Saxon shore

'Mattick is, however, taken to be possibly the Saxon name Madacho found in
lists. ^Memorials of Llandaff, Walter de Gray Birch. Neath : John
F. Richards. 'For History of Doverhay see History of Part of West
Somerset. Chadwick Healey. London : Henry Sotheran, 1901.

near Bayeux, Dovercourt in the intensely Teutonised district
near Harwich, and Dovrefjeld in Norway. That is, accord-
ing to this, the root is Teutonic rather than Celtic. But Mr.
Isaac Taylor does not say what Teutonic root he derives from.
The origin of Dover is said to be the Celtic dwfyr water.
Now, when we have the Domesday Spelling Doveri the final
vowel implies a lost half-vowel, " g," that is Doverig. Con-
sidering that at Porlock we have the interesting dedication of
St. Dubritius, of which the Celtic form is Dyfrig, we are
strongly inclined to regard Doveri and Dovery as representing
this word. There is no difficulty whatever in the interchange
of " f " and " v " and " b." Further, the Domesday spellings,
that is Saxon and Norman, leave out all the final " g's." Weg
or way is wei, lig or lea is lei and so on. This is most interest-
ing, as we are grateful to find a few memorials of the ancient
British Church before the Saxon or Norman came, and
trampled out the ancient names. Of course, it was a dedica-
tion, and must have marked some appanage of the Church.
Dubritius, or Dyfrig, was Archbishop of Caerleon and first
primate of what political foes are pleased in their comic
humour to call the " alien church " in Wales, about 444 A.D.
It is Dyfrig, and became Dyfri, Dovri, and Doveri, and then
was set down and spelt as Doverhay. Hay is a frequent and
recognisable termination.

It cannot be said with certainty how this supposed place-
name came to be connected with Dubritius, the disciple and
friend of Germanus and Lupus, the celebrated early contro-
versialists against Pelagianism. It is conjectured that he may
have settled in Somerset for a time, as hermit, after he
resigned his duties as Archbishop of Caerleon. According to
tradition he crowned King Arthur. It may be sufficient to say
that his name was illustrious enough to give a dedication to a
church — Doveri (Dyfrig) was then, we may assume, a part of
the church property. The date of Dubritius or Dyfrig is the
5th century.

It is said that St. Congar was buried at Congresbury, and
that from this fact the place derives its name. This is the
usual account, though of St. Congar himself nothing on earth
seems to be known but that he was a hermit, who came from

the East. Bagborough Church is dedicated to St. Congar, but
it is almost, if not quite, a solitary dedication. It need hardly
be said that the termination bury has nothing whatever to do'
with interment. In the charters of Birch and Kemble and the
Hyde Liber VitcB the name Congar (Cungar) is well attested.
Conigars are, however, well nigh as common and puzzling as
Silver Streets and Cold Harbours. The only Coneygree or
Coneygore in the county of Hereford is at Eastnor. Conegar
in Dunster is separately noted hereafter. The traditional
story of Congar is given briefly by Mrs. Boger.^ Butler does
not include him in his Lives of the Saints, as probably he
doubts the story. What is clear is that there existed a per-
sonal name Cynegar (modern Conger). This has become
Cungar, and then Conigar, and is liable to be confused with
words of wholly different origin, as for instance conacre.
Etymologically Kin and Cyn are Saxon words allied with the
word king. A Cynegar may have been a hermit. The popu-
lar pronounciation of this place-name is Coomsbury. In
D.B. it is spelt Congresberia, while the name of the hundred
is spelt Congresberiet.2 In the 13th century (1297) in the
Taxatio Ecclesiastica of Pope Nicholas, it is spelt as now,
Congresbury. In the 16th and 17th centuries the spellings are
as usual, capricious : Conggesbury in 1560; in 1566 Cunesberis;
in 1583 same as 1297; 1589 Congerburye; 1599 Conggesbury;
1612 it is Combebrey ; and in 1758 Coombesbury. Obviously,
if we had only these latter spellings as a basis for our judge-
ment, we should go widely astray in conjectural explanations.
There is, it may be added, a Congerston in Leicestershire,
but we have no opportunity of examining the history of the
name. Conhull, in Wilmington, is probably shortened from
some other word, or disguised, as for instance, from the per-
sonal name Cynehelm, or Cynehild, a personal name. A
Celtic explanation has been given from y cyn gar, " the fore-
most fortification," and y cwining gaer, " the rabbit warren,"
and Saxon cyn-gar, " the King's garth." We shall meet with
this name Congresbury again in conjunction with the local
name Urchinwood.^

^Mvths, Scenes and Worthies of Somerset. ^Eyton : Domesday Studies. *See
Index.

When we travel further down the stream of history and
arrive at the period when monasticism flourished, and dis-
played itself in the founding of the great religious orders, of
which a brief but interesting and sympathetic account may be
found in Archbishop Trench's Medieval Church History,^ we
then find names connected with the Church life of the
past which are not subject to much doubt as to their origin.
Such are Abbots Leigh, Abbots Buckland, Abbotsbury Manor,
Abbots Sutton— all these have names from monastic founda-
tions. Abbots Leigh was also called Legh by Portbury, and
spelt Abbots Lee, Abbotslie.

And here it may be noted that the term " minster " in this
and such names as Pitminster and Bedminster, does not
signify all that we are apt to associate with the word. It does
not necessarily imply a monastic house or collegiate church,
according to the statement of Freeman, in his Norman Con-
quest. But perhaps there was in most cases a collegiate body,
if only of modest proportions; Ash Priors, also spelt Esse,
Eshe-priors, is clearly also a name of monastic origin. In the
British Museum Charters is one called Compotus of lands in
Esse of Taunton Priory, dating 1438-9. Its distinguishing
feature among the names beginning or compounded with
" Ash " is thus derived. Similarly we have Stanton Prior and
Buckland Priors, also called Buckland Sororum and Buckland
Minchin. These form double names and will be found
treated under this heading in subsequent pages.

There are two places bearing the name of Charterhouse —
Charterhouse Hinton, or Henton, and Charterhouse-on
Mendip. The origin of Charterhouse is very well known to
all those familiar with the great public school so named, to
be derived from Chartreuse, which was the famous place of
the institution of the Order of Carthusians. From the white
habit of this Order some at least of the Whitchurches in the
country have their name, and a priory of this Order gave its
name to Witham Friary, so far as the latter component is
concerned, but Witham is already Witeham in Domesday
Book. This is one of the earliest in the country, formed as it
was in 1181 by King Henry II.

'^Mediceval Church History, Cap. viii. Trench. Macmillan, 1879.

The place-name Abdick looks as if it might mean anything,
but the spelling Abbedyke seems clearly to reveal its origin.*
This is a boundary name, as a dyke in this usage is, of course,
most commonly a raised road across a marsh, and not a mere
ditch. This is so likely that it seems precarious, however
interesting, to seek and find the Celtic saint's name of Badoc
or Madoc. By interchange of letters Badoc or Badick, it is
said, becomes Abdick, and the evidence is adduced that close
at hand is Madocs (or Badocks) Tree Hill. The reality may
be that this is the extant Saxon name " Abb," and then it has
nothing to do with an abbey. In Domesday Book the hun-
dred of Abbediche is several times mentioned, and as it is
called " Abedik and Bulstone," this would appear to be two
boundary limits, a dyke and a stone (Bula's stone).

Whether St. Phaganus, a legate of Pope Elentherus, is to
be traced in the local name Vage may be doubtful. Nunney
and Nynehead might seem naturally to derive their distin-
guishing appellations from a former existence of monastic
sisterhoods, though the former is better known to visitors by
its castle ruins, situate on the " ey " or island. These names
are elsewhere mentioned. " Chantry," near Frome, explains
itself, but has no place in a list of ancient names, though now
appearing as a separate parish, with its incumbent. Chantries
abounded. They proved convenient hen-roosts, and were
plundered. The designations from Scriptural saints, and from
those whose history, so far as known, is easily accessible,
scarcely need here be mentioned. They are, of course, used
often to distinguish parishes of the same name, as Buckland
St. Mary and Buckland Dinham, Bishops Lydeard and
Lydeard St. Lawrence. Sometimes the name has been
altered, as Stoke St. Gregory was formerly called East Curry
(St. Cyrig), where a part of the parish is still named Cur-load.
Load occurs elsewhere, and merely means a course or way,
usually a water-way.

A saint's name, St. Kew, is connected with Kewstoke. St.
Kew is a most interesting, though perhaps mythological,
saint. It is known that there is a Cornish church having the
dedication St. Kew. The town is called after this saint, and

^Somerset and Dorset, Noies and Queries, vol. i., p. 45.

stands on a river which bears a name reminding us of certain
Somerset place-names already dealt with in chapter 1—
the River Camel. The village, originally called Stoke only,
on the Severn estuary, and near to Weston-super-Mare, after-
wards, it is thought, obtained its additional distinguishing
appellation from this saint, who had his dwelling in the hol-
low of the mountain above the village. The narrow, craggy
track, with the full two hundred natural and artificial steps,
by which he went to his daily devotions, still preserve his
memory and his name, being called, as it is to this day, the
Pass of St. Kew. Are we to suppose that the Cornish St. Kew
was the same? There appear to be neither steps nor passes
near the latter place. In fact, the name of the place in Domes-
day Book is Chiwstoke; that is spelt precisely as Chew in
Chew Magna, but pronounced differently. In the reign of
Edward IV. in the Court Rolls it is Kywstoke. In 1463 in a
will^ it is Custoke. Curiously enough, in Herefordshire there
is a village called Cusop, which, written and pronounced
Chewesop, is St. Cweydd. This name is taken from the saint.
Hope means a slope (from the Celtic hwpp). This St. Cewydd
is identified with St. Cadoc. Perhaps, after all, the saint only
existed in Cornwall. How the Somerset saint arrived at Stoke
does not appear. It may be that he came over from Ireland
like the St. Eia or Ea, with which the name of Yatton has
been fancifully connected. A little derelict book, Cooke's
Topography, or British Traveller's Pocket Directory,^ which,
however, from clear internal evidence, was published in 1800,
or thereabouts, calls this particular saint " a religious woman
who came hither from Ireland about the year 460 A.D." The
number of Cornish and British saints that existed in the 5th
and 6th centuries is simply prodigious. The truth is that the
prefix saint was a mere appellation, and did not mean all that
we imply by the use of the word. It was equivalent somewhat
to " reverend " in modern use. It is curious that Kew, on the
Thames, well known by its grand botanical gardens, and its
connections with royal personages of the past, Kew in Corn-
wall, and Kew in Somerset, are all on the banks of rivers, and
the Armoric quae, the Irish ceigh, and the French quai all

iMediisvalWills, iSs, Dates : 1459,1463. " Custoke juxta Worle. " 'Cornwall.

mean a bank, and then later a wharf, landing stage or place.
The place-name in that case is therefore hybrid, and so all
these might mean no more than " the wharf village," or the
" village on the river bank." Remembering the exact
similarity of spelling with Chew it looks as if the derivation
should be the same, but in the one case the traditional pro-
nounciation is soft, and the other hard, and so the derivation
is probably diverse, notwithstanding this orthographical
similarity.

Of other saints there was a St. Keyne, who dwelt in Breck-
nockshire. She was a saint, but her father was more of a sin-
ner, a reversal of religious character in parent and child which
not infrequently happens even to-day. Her father was named
Brychan (Latinised to Braganus), Prince of Breckonshire, and
she lived in the 5th century (so fruitful of saints) in the church
and town of St. Keyne, close by Liskeard; and why not at
Keynsham, in Somerset? — St. Keyne's Ham or home. Hams
and Hamms have certainly generally, but not invariably, a
personal name, as prefix, whether of saint or otherwise. Near
the Cornish church is a well with a charming legend connected
with it : —

" A well there is in the West Countree,
And clearer one never was seen,
There is not a man in the West Countree
But has heard of the Well of S. Keyne,

' ' An oak and an elm tree grow beside,
And behind doth an ash tree grow ;
And a willow from the banks above
Droops to the waters below. ' '

Both Keynsham and St. Keyne are also on river banks, or
close by them. The legend referred to is a pretty one, and
commends itself to persons about to marry. Of couples who
were married in the Church of St. Keyne, whichever first,
after the nuptial knot was rightly tied, and the priest's bless-
ing duly pronounced, drank of the delightfully cool waters of
the well would be the master for life !

" I'faith (says the song) she were wiser than I,
For she took a bottle to church."

Some there are who achieve this distinction of lady master-
ship without either well or surrepitious bottle. Keynsham is,
whatever else may be said, compounded of a personal name
represented by the first part Keyn and ham, not necessarily

ham, meaning home, but may be hamm, signifying low-lying
meadow land. This personal name is Cyna, Kyna, formed for
example in the compound name Kynward, and Kineverd (an
abbot of Bath).i In the Lincoln's Inn MSS. (1344), we find
the witnesses' names Thomas de Keynes-ham and John de
Kaynesford. The names Cynegyth, Cynewulf (Kinnulf) and
Cymewulf, Cynethryth occur. There is no doubt, then, of the
existence of the personal name simple and compounded. The
spellings of the place-names are D.B. Cainessam (1086). In
the Taxatio Ecclesiastica (in the Deanery of Redclifie) is
Kanesham (1297). In the Register of bishop Drokensford it
is Keynesham (1315); in the reign of Henry I. (charter) we
find apud Chainesam. There is also the spelling Cahinesam.
Both these latter are in the charter of Bath Priory. It has
been said^ that Heahmund, bishop of Sherborne, was killed
in 871 A.D. and buried at Caigneshamme, and that this is
possibly Cainsham. That Caeg, Gaeg, may become Gain,
Cain, Cane is certain. Gegnesburh has become Gainsborough
and might just as easily be Cains-borough. Inasmuch as the
persistent pronounciation is (we believe) Kanisham (long
vowel) the name Cyna, Cain, Kain, sufficiently accounts for
it. But which Cyna we know not. And thus, if we cannot
connect every place-name with some interesting person, or
event, with the certainty we desire, we must be content.

Two names connected with religion, the one Christian and
Celtic, and the other heathen, are St. Curig in such names as
North Curry and Curry Rivel,^ and a possible Scandinavian
deity in Burrington. As the two former are double names it
may be more convenient to consider them under that head,
and Burrington, in connection with the many place-names,
with the characteristic ending ington.

There seem to be other picturesquely errant attempts at the
explanation of place-names connected with religion other than
the Christian. The well-known Somerset town of Wellington,
from which the great Duke took his title, has been traced to
the god Weland, who is called the Saxon representative of
the classic Vulcan. Of course these parallelisms of gods and

^Bath Chartulaty, Kemble, C. D. No. 566 S. R. S. p. 31. "Rev. C. Taylor.
In the corres. column, Bristol Times and Mirror. ^Traces of the British
Church in Somerset. Daniel J. Pring. Phoenix Press : Taunton, 1910.

goddesses in so diverse religious systems are doubtful. Wel-
lington will be considered among place-names in ington.

Heathen religion has left its trace, thus according to one
mode of explanation, on Seavington. This appears as Seven-
ham-ton. This is said to be the reverence for the number
seven, which, as founded on the lunar division of time, and
" written in the heavens," was, as a number, an object of
religious veneration in the days of Hammurabi, the en-
lightened legislator of Babylon, 3000 B.C. The number seven
was for ages a sacred number, and, according to this inter-
pretation, a Somersetshire village name is a relic of it.

It is only the numbers four and seven that figure in German
names^ of places, as in Seofan wyllas, the seven hills, the seven
thorns, the seven acres; in England it is in trees, five and
nine, as for example in Fiveash, and Nine elms. Why? We
have Seven Oaks, however, as a well-known name. On the
Quantock Hills there is a Seven Wells Combe, and the Seven
Sisters, near Milborne port, name of the seven springs at the
source of the Yeo.

These are place-names which are said to be connected with
Wuotan or Woden^ in names such as Wans-dyke, Wembury,
and the like; Thunor in names in Thur and Thurs; a refer-
ence to the gods' weapon in Hammer, as Amerdown. Others
are connected with Hnaef, the Hoeing. These are noted in
the sequel, but it must be remembered that personal names,
as with the Hebrews, were taken from the names of the gods.
So far is it from a certainty that the places concerned were
directly connected with heathen rites. The name " Winta "
refers to Winta, an ancestor of the King of Lindisfarne. This
Wint or Wintr is a name appearing in Winterstoke and
Winterbourne. In kings as in gods we must also remem-
ber that names became diffused as common property. We
find, too, the names Hengst and Horsa in the county. Bath
was anciently aquae Sulis. The Romano-British Minerva,
called Sul, said to give its name to the hill called Solsbury,
near Bath. Camulos was a heathen god, whose name is found
in the river name Camel, as Tiw in Chew. Woden was the
god of battles, the Mars of the Saxons, and after him, as is

^Anglo-Saxon Names of Places. Leo. ^Saxons in England. Kemble, i. 343.

usually thought, is named the well-known line of embank-
ment or fortification that runs through so many counties, and
is plainly traceable in Somerset. It is true that popular tradi-
tion is after all a safe guide to follow in the pronounciation of
a place-name or the handing down of a legend, though
obviously not a guarantee of the truth of the latter. Legen-
dary lore says that the Wansdyke was so called because it was
built by the devil on a Wednesday. Perhaps it was. We
know that Wednesday is Wodens-day. Wanstrow, a village
six miles south-west of Frome, is usually derived from this
god's name, Woden. The Domesday spelling is Wandestreu.
It is a racial name, quite possibly, and is taken by some, thus
inclined, as a mark of Wendish immigration.^ The name
Wansford is found in Northumberland. There are also other
names of places regarded as having the same origin. There is
a Wondes-lane near Pensford. Wand means in Saxon
" boundary," and the modern German wand means a wall ;
the old high German want or wand, wall or side ; and Wod-
nesdic would thus mean the boundary dike.^ The name is,
however, almost without question, usually taken to be a relic
of heathen mythology, and as other prehistoric dykes appear
to have mythological names attached to them, as Grimsditch,
from the Norse god " Grim," it is not to be denied that this
may be the case with the Wansdyke, though we confess to a
preference for the less interesting derivations. In a charter
deemed genuine relating to Stanton Prior we find the name
Wodnesdic as a boundary mark. In this latter case it is the
boundary-dyke between Celt and Saxon, and tells its tale still
of the whilom war of races. The place-name Dillington has
also been connected with idol worship. This name will occur
in the list of those ending ington.^

^Shore : Origin of tke Saxon Race — A very interesting- book ! Eliot Stock, 1906.
''Dr. Stukely derived from the British wood guahan to separate, which
seems a far-fetched origin and is far more easily directly from the
cognate " wand," or wall. "See Index.

CHAPTER III.

Place-names from Religious Associations.
St. White^ and other Whites — not Saints.

Whitchurch is one of those places where what appears to
have been the name of a new village (which sprang up round
a church), beat a better-known, and much older, local name,
Filton, out of the field. The ordinary topographical account
is that the original name of the place was Filwood, and that
a church was erected on the site of an ancient chapel dedi-
cated to St. White (St. Candida) and that the village gradu-
ally removed to this new site. Collinson says the original name
was Filetwood. This is good so far as it helps us to see that
in Filton (as spelt) and in Felton the initial syllable is an
abbreviation, as indeed experience in the interpretation of
many place-names suggests. Whitchurch, alias Filton, is not
mentioned in Domesday Book save as part of Cainesam
(Keynsham), and so we have not the advantage and sugges-
tions of its spellings. We find " Valor of Queen Katherine's
{Fylton Grange) jointure " in time of Henry VIII. (Rentals
and Surveys). In the 21st Elizabeth, " Rights of Common
of Filwood," and there was also at this period the " Manor
of Whitchurch," as well as that of Lyons. This latter still

^S. White. — The Cistercian Abbey of Flaxley, Gloucestershire, had a her-
mitage at the Chapel of Ardlond, near Cinderford, in the time of King John
(circa 1119), in which dwelt "William, the hermit of that place," supported by
the Abbey in all thing's necessary for his food and clothing. And in reference
to this chapel the Rev. Leonard Wilkinson has found the following entry in
the Bishops' Registers at Hereford: "Pro saccello dive Candide Flexley."
The entry in Latin is to the effect that on the 18th of February, 21 Henry 8th
(1S29-30), Thomas Medley, the Procurator and Abbot of Flexley, had received
special permission to collect funds annually ' ' ad coUigend j pro reparatione
manutentione et sustentatione sacelli dive candide et sancte Radegundis,"
that is to keep in repair the cell of the two female saints — S. White and S.
Radgyth. It is described as "at the grange de Arlond, near the aforesaid
Monastery." — Reg. Bp. Booth, fol. 162b. This is interesting, especially as the
name S. Whites, at Ruspidge, near Cinderford, still remains, or showing how
many S. Whites there were, or how wide the cult of the Saint.

■'#^^.a^«s

A --V-^S«»,5.A^j^.^^jj.^

exists as a local name. Thus the two names were side by side
in the 16th century. There are wills and leases concerning
both. The name Filetwood or Filwood came earliest. Filet-
wood-ton, or Filwood-ton, was sure to be pared down for
popular use. As an explanatory analogy we may suppose it
had been Filmore, and then we should think of a moor or a
mere, and try to interpret the prefix " Fil." Probably we
should have the sense to see that this would represent the
quaint personal name Filimaer, now spelt Phillimore, and
heaven knows why. Filwood or Filetwood suggests to us no
such well-known name, but it does bring up the old German
name Filetius, and the wood is in reality a form of " wald."
Filwald is as perfectly intelligible a name as Filimaer, in
which Feolu, Fel, are known names in compounds. Prob-
ably Pilton and Filton are really etymologically the same, but
as we have not investigated the Gloucestershire name we
hesitate to go further than to say Pilton is certainly an abbre-
viation, while " Pil " and " Fil " are dialectically interchange-
able. This may also be the case with the Somerset Pilton,
near Shepton Mallett. " Filwald "-ton becomes Filton
through the intermediate step Filwood or Filet-wood.
Nothing is commoner than the " breaking " of the pointed
" i " to " e," and so we find Felton in Felton Common,
situate partly in the parish of Winford, and partly in other
parishes. This same name Feolu accounts for Felton, as
Lulla for Lulgate, in that same parish ; and for Felt-ham, near
Frome. The former spelling is probably Fletham. This
latter (in the time of Edward I.) in British Museum charters
appears as original. Filet-ham, indeed, might become either.
In the Cartularium Saxonicum we meet the boundary name
Filet-ham ford. Personal names are, therefore, at the base of
these otherwise mysterious forms : Pil, Fel, Fil.

The better-known modern name, Whitchurch, does not
stand alone. Not even in Somerset — for there is a Whit-
church in the parish of Henstridge, and another near Binegar.
The name is, indeed, widely spread throughout the kingdom.
Without specialised inquiry in each individual case the most
that we can say is that the origin of the name White, prefixed
to church, appears to be diverse. We do not know why

Whitchurch (that pretty village on the Wye, which often we
have approached and entered, as far as a little hostel and the
churchyard, skirted by the many winding Wye) is so called,
or why its church is dedicated to St. Dubricius, a dedication
known also to Somerset. Nor are we better informed as to
the Whitchurch in Buckingham, Devon, or Oxford. But
Whitchurch in Southampton is " on low ground on the river
under a range of chalk hills." It is natural, therefore, to con-
nect it with the limestone. And the Whitchurch in Salop used
to be called Album Monasterium, or Blancminster.^ The
name seems to indicate the former presence of the white-
robed Cistercians, or a " Hospital " in existence in the reign
of Henry III. This Hospital is mentioned in monastic lists.
Whitchurch Canonicorum seems to tell a different tale. The
hagiology appears to be somewhat uncertain, as apparently
there were five saints of this name " Saint White," known
also in the Latin form as St. Candidus and St. Candida.
This particular church has a double dedication to St. Candida
and the Holy Cross. In 1900, after many doubts had been
tossed about year in and year out, a Sarcophagus was dis-
covered which had been locally attributed to St. Candida.
On the box was an inscription cast in lead, and also a reliquary
with the inscription " here repose the remains of Sci Wite."
The bones were those of a small woman about forty years of
age. Hie requesct Relique Sci Wite were the words on the
leaden box. It still remains doubtful whether the saint is
called after the church or the church after the saint. There
are other indications that a saint of this name was venerated
in the south of Somerset, and the north of Dorset. This is
said of the Somerset St. White : " On the road from Chard
to Crewkerne there was formerly a chapel dedicated to St.
Reigne, or St. Rana, of which no traces now remain. The
saint is said to have been buried within this chapel, together
with another St. White, whose name is perpetuated in White-
down, Whitestaunton, Whitelackington, and other places."^
With regard to the latter place-name, it may be safely said
this is a mistake, and perhaps, though not so certainly, the

^Three churches in Shropshire were so called, one at Whitchurch, one at
Oswestry, and another at Atterbury. ^PuUan on Local Nomenclature,
p. 65. On S, Reign and Whitedown, see Somerset Archceological Proceed-
ings, xxxviii., ii., 40 fF.

others also. As there were at least five St. Whites we are
bound to say it does seem to us that as Hwit, Hhwaet, White,
and Wight were common names, certain places were more
likely to derive their names from the saint than the reverse.
In regard to our Whitchurch this traditional account is as
likely to be true as not. At any rate, we do not know any
other reason why the church should be called White, unless
Filton Grange, already mentioned, points to a monastic set-
tlement of White canons. White monks, or White ladies, but
more probably this grange belonged to the black canons of
Cainesam. The name grange, as an old French word, was
usually applied to a place where the tithe was paid in corn
(or grain) to religious houses. This is the solitary and pre-
carious indication that some of the white-robed " religious "
male or female may have had to do with the building of the
church.

In the Bath Cartulary there is a "confirmation by the Bishop
of Bath and Wells of the appropriation of the parish church
of Keynsham with the chapels of Cerlethon, Bristelthon,
Fylton, and Pubbelewe (that is Queen Charlton, Brislington,
Filton, and Publow) to the abbot and convent of Keynsham."
This is in the 13th century. There is no mention of the name
Whitchurch, but only Fylton. In Wills in the 15th centurv
Filton is found with the addition alias Whitchurch. It is the
Whitchurch near Binegar which is mentioned in Bishop
Drokenford's Register.^ We suppose that this and the Hens-
tridge Whitchurch are connected with the cult of St. White
or St. Candida.

W hitelackington has clearly no reference to St. Candida.
The spellings show this. In Domesday Book it is Wyslagenton
(1086) ; Whight Lakenton (T. E.) (1291) ; both of which forms
show a departure from the true word, which does, however,
seem to appear in 1174, when we find the spelling Withlac-
hinton, and in 1250 A.D. we read of Thomas de Sorrels, Lord
of Wiklacantone. We do not quite know whether Hinton is
to be regarded as original, but when we find Bower Hinton
spelt Bur-hinton (1334) in Martock, we wonder very naturally
whether Burrington is not originally Bur-hinton. And Hinton

^Pag-es 233, 235, SiaU of Whitchurch.

is the personal name Heantan. Haen is a well-known
Saxon name, and so is Tonna, Tona, and Tane. However this
may be, as to Bower Hinton, it is clear that the first component
of Whitelackington is the extant personal name Hwittlac, or
rather Hwaetlac. It is a known name, and indeed was once
the name of a Mercian bishop. The Hwaet is the same as in
Hwaetman, the extant names Wightman and Wheatman.
We do not personally know any modern representation of
the name Hwaetlac and Hwaetlag, but it probably exists in
the known name Whitelock, a name found in directories now.
Hwaetlacan may be the genitive form in the spelling of 1174,
and then Hinton, if original, which is not likely, has got cut
very short. Hinton, in fact, is a corruption. Similarly the
Hinton in Mudford is spelt Estindon, and may originally be
Eastan tun where Easton is a personal name. The Domesday
spelling suggests to the etymologist (who does not go behind
the actual structure of the word and seek for its history) that
" wys " is for "waes," and that it means "damp-meadow
land," which is descriptive of the spot, but the " s " is a mere
wrong deciphering of letters for " t," of which we cite else-
where other copyist examples. Further evidence of the exist-
ence of the word as a personal name is that Wightlacs ford is
a name occurring in the Chronicles of Evesham; it is also
spelt Witlaegs ford. Wightlaeg was the name of the ancestor
of Wiga, King of Mercia. Other analagous examples already
given are Hwittuc's mead (resolved absurdly into White-ox-
mead) and Whitewych, a hamlet name in Somerset.

White Oxmead is spelt Whittockxsmede as late as the reign
of Henry VIII. in the Court Rolls, and Whitokmead in wills.
Some persons will still prefer to think of the white ox lead to
sacrificial slaughter, or grazing in the lush meadows. Such
a natural orthographical corruption illustrates the precarious-
ness of some of the explanations given in books where a sur-
face and plausible derivation is taken without further exam-
ination. The local name Whitacre is, for example, explained
as white acre.^ In reality it is the personal name Wihtgar, in
which " gar " is a spear, and the source of the well-known
name Whittaker.

lEdmunds' Traces of History in the Names of Places.

Whitestaunton has, no doubt, white as a prefix, however
derived, to the original name Staunton. It is only Stan-tuna
in D.B. (1086), and Stanton in T.E. (1291), and then in the
later centuries {Kirby's Quest) it is Staunton only. The
epithet White appears first in A.D. 1331, that is, in nearly the
middle of the 14th century .^ These Stauntons and Stantons
are so numerous, so many cannot be explained as stoney
places, that it is clear personal names such as Stan, Estan,
Eahlstan, Athelstane are often at the base; but in the present
case another explanation is plausible. White is thus clearly
a late addition, and it is not, therefore, likely that the prefix
is accounted for by the presence of white stones as a prominent
geologic feature. This descriptive word would in that case
have almost certainly appeared earlier. The time came when
the numerous Stauntons needed differentiation, when they
were no longer merely locally known. We find the same want
more insistently exists in our postal days. White arose from
some local circumstance of possession by one of that name,
or if the legend of St. Candida in the neighbourhood of
Chard was in any way connected with this hill-side Staunton
on the dreary Black-down hills, situate on the verge of the
county where the cult of St. Candida was much in vogue, this
would sufficiently account for it. We do not know exactly
when St. White flourished. The most that can be definitely
said is that the name White as an addition is clearly personal,
and may be the Saint Hwit. Rev. H. A. Cartwright, a former
Rector,^ traced the principal name Stanton to a local circum-
stance, the occurrence of a huge rock. When the West
Saxons came into the upland hollow, the most conspicuous
object on it would be this great grey rock, so when they
settled their tun near St. Agnes Well they named it after the
rock, the " tun of the great stone." This is quite likely to be
the origin of the name Stan-ton in this case.

The stranger who reads the name Witham on the sign-
board at a railway station most naturally calls it With-am.
After waiting a considerable time and watching the mysterious
movements of trains, he thinks that it must be Wait-ham.

^Bishop Dnkenfortls Register, p. 195, S.R.S., vol. 1. ^Somerset ArchaoUgical
and National History Society Proceedings, vol. 49 (1903).

On inquiring of a polite porter whether this is so, he hears
that it is called Wit-ham. Otherwise the long stretch of what
must once upon a time have been moorland would tempt
him to think of the withy beds, growing there abundantly in
the hammes or low meadow lands, as a satisfactory explana-
tion of the name. Now in the leisure of waiting on the plat-
form he thinks of Wide-hamme, for so it is. Then again here
was the earliest settlement in England of the Carthusians.
The first house of the order in this county was founded and
endowed here by King Henry II. This goes back to A.D. 1180.
They were dressed in shabby white cloth, meaner and poorer
than other monks. Therefore, it naturally occurs to us
that it is the " White-ham," from the monkish habiliments.
This is a natural explanation, but deceptive because it is
found as Witeham in the Domesday record a century earlier,
and then it is Witham cum Ulftone. The latter name is, we
believe, obsolete. It is, however, interesting as possibly giv-
ing a clue to the origin of the name Witham. For Ulftone is
a shortening of the much longer name Wulfweard ton.
Wulfweard was a Saxon thane of " large and ubiquitous estate
in Somerset." He held Staunton Drew. And hence it is,
perhaps, that we meet this name in Woolard in Publow, and
we find it in Woolverton as a place and a personal name. He
died in A.D. 1085, and he was called Wulfweard Wyte. It is
pleasing to note that " he survived the wreck of Saxondom."
To show his county importance we find that he is named in
the charter by which the Conqueror restored Banwell to the
Church of St. Andrew of Wells. He attended the Queen's
Court at Wilton so late as A.D. 1072. Why he was called le
wyt, or the " little man," we know not. That this personal
name White or Wyt or Wit is connected with place-names
seems clear from the two Witcombes, one in Martock and
the other in Corton Denham, both spelt in D.B. Wite-combe.
The latter belonged to the Crown and was held by King
William the Conqueror after the death of this Wulfweard
Wyte. Wulfweard Wyte held in Corfe-ton (Corton) and
hence the name Wyt-combe arose. Witham is spelt in the
Gheld-inquest (1084) Witen-ham, and so later. Beside this
White there was another Wyt, known as Roger Witen, sup-

posed to be the same as Roger de Corcelle. That is to say,
men bearing this cognomen, who were not known as saints,
were great landowners in the pre-conquest times, and left their
names in the places where they were best known. And very
likely from some of these well-known families sprang the
Whites who were " saints." And hence such names as White-
wych (perhaps) and Whitenell (in Emborough). The deriva-
tion of White-stone is, however, usually taken from the exist-
ence of a cromlech. We also find Whitley and Whitfield.
Whatley is also Whitley, but requires to be looked at
separately.

CHAPTER IV.

Place-names from local characteristics.

The physical characteristics have most naturally been sug-
gestive of names to the localities in which any marked
speciality is found. When there are rival claimants to the
honour of giving rise to a place-name, to ascertain the
presence or absence of these may sometimes be a determining
test.

A wide induction of place-names, not merely in Somerset-
shire, but in England, and not simply in England, but in
Europe, shows that among the root-elements we have such
factors as attractive scenery, where wildness and beauty en-
force attention. It must, however, be carefully noted that
the feeling for beauty of landscape scenery is quite modern,
and will scarcely account for very ancient names, whose
origins go back to a remote antiquity. But marked physical
peculiarities of height in reference to the surrounding district,
or of depression, of dead level, of inlet and island, of
peculiarity of form, colour, readily gave the name to a spot.
An example of this is found in the name Cadbury. Leland
speaks of it in a kind of ecstasy : " Good God ! what deep
ditches ! what high ramparts I what precipices I In short it
really appears to me to be a wonder both of art and nature."
South Cadbury is situated at the extremity of a steep ridge of
hills nearly south of Castle Cary. The old topographers
called it Camalet. From this popular association it derives
its romantic interest. " Cadbury Castle " may once have
been an island. The situation is certainly striking enough to
enforce a name. Bury is no doubt berg, a hill or burg, a pro-
tected place, and Cad the Cymric Cadaer, a fortification. It
may, however, be a personal name from Cadda or Cedda, and
so mean Cadda's camp. Cadbury is sometimes derived from
Cath byrig. Cad is said to mean a battle, and we read of it
as "That Cathbregion where Arthur (says Nennius) routed

the Saxons in a memorable engagement. Tickenham Camp
is also called Cadbury Camp, and this, too, is on a command-
ing situation on a narrow and insulated portion of a ridge,
overlooking Portbury. It was a station on a military road.

Metals, minerals, and animals, forest land and enclosed
land, ploughed land, modes of agriculture, staple trade or
products, indigenous or introduced, all help to account for
differences of place-name origins. Religion, with its churches
and religious houses, as we have seen and still may see, ac-
counts for a considerable number. And of these last we may
fairly expect a few at least to have undergone extraordinary
transmutation. The origin of a hame has been forgotten, and
another name, sounding very much like it, has been mean-
inglessly transferred to it; or the name has been adopted as
a personal name, and the locality given its name to a race or
clan, and then, by a reversal of the true order of things, to
the name of the place. Notwithstanding this, there are clear
cases where a personal name is at the root of the place-name.
The personal names of owners do, in fact, play a larger part
in local nomenclature than is commonly realised, and of this
we shall find abundant proof.

When places have taken their names from the plants which
once grew there, or the animals who made it their lair, it may
well happen that the original features which suggested the
name no longer exist. The locality may in process of time, by
natural or artificial causes, have undergone great changes. If
there be no longer swampy ground, the vegetation or animal
life formerly characteristic is so no longer. Both flora and
fauna change with the character of the spot. It has even
happened that a name has been manipulated, by an uncon-
scious process, to suit the altered conditions, or the name
has remained, although the features that gave rise to it exist
no longer. The meaning has been forgotten, but the name
is handed down from generation to generation without ques-
tion asked.

There are instances in Somerset of an interesting character.
some of which are, however, of doubtful character, as the
spellings and comparisons show, as e.g., Cran-Mere. In
Domesday Book it is, however, spelt Crene-mella. In the

early 14th century^ " it is Cranmoor, and even as early as
1241 "2 in the " Reeves Accounts of Crenemere," A.D. 1442.*
The name does not occur in the Taxatio Ecclesiastica. Cran-
moor is thus to be explained as meaning Heron-mere, or fen.
This solution is not, however, altogether without doubt.
Crene is probably an abbreviation of a personal name, just as
in a similar fashion Carhampton (Caerwen-ton) becomes
Cramdon. The prefix denotes the owner of the mill (mella)
and the moor. The local name Crandon is found. Leo*
derives it from the bird the crane, and instances such cases as
Cronuchhamm, Crans-lea, Cranwyl. We may also point out
that " The Crane " is a local name of land in the Parish of
Bampton (Oxon) and the Cranes-foot is a manorial mark in
the 16th century. Green-town, a local name in Litton, is
probably a corruption of Crean-don. The bird name ob-
viously well suits as a name of the moor, but is not so likely
for the name of the mill save as a manorial mark, or the
name of the owner Crina.

Mr. EarlyS is inclined to explain the prefix Cat, as found in
such names as Cats-ash, Cat-cott (in Moorlinch), and the like,
as due to the presence of the wild cat, now disappeared. The
origin of many of these names in Cat and Cad is, in fact, in
the personal name Cadda. Cat-cott is, however, shortened
from Caldecott, as it actually reads in the 12th century, and
the form Cadicott of Domesday Book is the Norman omission
of a harsh consonantal combination. Calda is a personal
name, as in Caldewine or Galdewine (Goldwin). Cholwell as
a local name may be compared.

The Wild boar no longer frequents Evercreech. The
Anglo-Saxon for boar is eofer, which appears in modern Ger-
man as Eber. Creech is a crack or crag in the land formation,
where bold shoulders of rock are lifted over the sky-line, for
which the modern Welsh is crug. Evercreech is thus most
naturally explained as " the boar-crag," and a descriptive
name. In Bedfordshire there is a place-name Ever-ton,
interpreted to mean the boar-farm.^ Probably, however.

^Register of Bishop Drokensford. ^B.M. Charters, 203 Harl. Roll, G. 24. ^Som-
erset and Dorset Notes and Queries, iv., 244. ^On Anglo-Saxon Names
of Places, p. IS. ^In Somerset and Dorset Notes, &c. ^Skeat : Cam-
bridge Antiquarian Society, vol. xlii.

this is " Eofor's " tun, the owner's name. The Rev. W.
Barnes, the Dorset poet, says that Ever-creech is in reality of
Celtic origin, that is, Ejwr-crug. Ejwr still stands in a Welsh
dictionary with the meaning of Cow-parsnip. Crug occurs
often in Welsh place-names, and is, of course, crag, or a knoll.
The hill on which the cow-parsnip, according to this poetic
fancy, grew a thousand years ago, has passed into a proverb,
" as old as Creech Hill," where it will be observed, as in other
cases, the meaning of Creech has been as utterly forgotten as
when we say the River Avon. In truth, as the wild cat must
be unwillingly let go so must the wild boar of the woods.
Ever (Eber, Eofor), is a personal name, found simply as a
man's name, and in compounds as Eoformaer (how easily
interpreted as the boars' moor or mere), Eoferhardt (Everard),
Eoferwine and Eoforwulf, and the like. Eofer in this man's
name was likely enough in its ultimate origin taken from the
animal name. The spellings of Evercreech are interesting.
Domesday Book is Evercriz, and later spellings are Evercruch,
Evercriche, Everchryche, Evercreach, and Everchyrche.

Neither in Goatcombe, nor Goathill or Goathurst have we
certain traces of the herds of goats kept by our forefathers.
Gat-combe is yat or gate combe. The others are noticed later.

Somerset has always been a pastoral county. Its sheltered
valleys, where the sweet sights of field and wood have a more
than human loveliness, which cannot be expressed in lordly
pomp of language, have always been the home of grazing kine
and browsing sheep. The names of the numerous " combs "
recall the circumstance. These vales, of all shapes, sizes, and
characteristics, with their loaded orchards, cool shades, and
warm tilth, have intertwined the life of nature and the life of
man inseparably. The landscape is a background to humanity.
The speechless rocks and trees, and sea tell us, in the names,
of the steady, undeviating stream of life of man with his joys
and sorrows, and of the beasts of the field that served his ends.
In the West Country " combs " are particularly abundant.
Where the village or hamlet has not this appellation there
is with great frequency a " combe " sometimes remarkably
picturesque and attractive, as Brockley Combe and Harptree
Combe.

We shall presently note the various meanings of " Cwm,"
" Cumb," usually thought of as purely Celtic. It is thought
that Brockley Combe reminds of the badger. A.S. — broc,
a badger; and Cornish is brock, and Irish broc. "Broc,"
however, also means a brook. And Brog, "Broc,". as in
Brocces-ham, is a personal name. The name Brock is com-
mon. Again the animal and the man touch, for the personal
name Brock and Brog may arise from the animal name. If
we find Goblin Combe in Yatton, the wild character of the
rocks, presenting features of romantic interest, mimic battle-
ments, and rocky pinnacles terminating in Cleeve Toot, are
sufficient to suggest the name.

Of the pastoral character of the county the names give some
evidence. Grass for kine and pasture for sheep have ever been
its marks. And so we have, it is thought, Shep-ton (D.B.
Scept-tona) as meaning Sheep-town. Perhaps, however, this
is Sceaf-ton, as Sceaf and Seep are mere dialectical variations.
The name Sceaf, Sceaft, was an extant name, well known.
We read of a connection of Alfred the Great bearing this
name. The Anglo-Saxon for sheep is sceap and seep ; this ex-
planation of Shepton is thus the most direct, but may be mis-
leading. Shipham is spelt in Domesday Book Scipe-ham,
Sipeham.

Chip-stable is usually derived from the Saxon ceap, which
means cattle, and the root staple,which means first of all a pile,
a place enclosed with piles or stakes, and so a cattle enclosure.
The Domesday spelling is Cipestapula. Both words appear in
modern English in the well-known and welcome word cheap,
after the original has undergone various modifications of
meaning, which are easily traceable ; and staple, which means
various things, from a wall-fastener or peg, to its use in such
a compound as staple-trade. The well-known town of Chipen-
ham was long a great cattle mart, and so its meaning is taken
to be the " market dwelling." In the Middle Ages wool was, as
is well known, as important an industry in England as it is to-
day in Australia. In one church at least in the neighbourhood
of Bristol — the little church of St. Nicholas and St. Mary,
Stowey, there is carved on the north wall near the chancel
end a pair of shears, the sign of the wool-stapler of the middle

ages. But in spite of this plausibih'ty it is liere also more
likely, that as in the case of Chippenham, in Cambridgeshire,
the derivation is Cippa, a personal name. The dative rase
Cippenhamme occurs in a charter of King Alfred,^ and is spelt
Cippenhamm. Hence Chipstable must mean Cippa's enclo-
sure.

When we pass on to plant life, we find in the extreme south-
west end of the county a village bearing the name of Selworthy
(Domesday Book, Selewrda). The word does not yield up
its secret to the casual inquirer. It is pure Saxon, however,
and tells us of forest lands (as some other names do) which
have disappeared or dwindled into mere little woods or pic-
turesque tiny copses and knolls, giving entrancing variety to
the landscape, especially when within sound of the waves
crashing on the shingle. The ending Weorthi often occurs,
and means a farm or enclosed land, as in Clos or Close-
worthy (Domesday Book, Cloueswrda) Tatworth, and Chel-
worth. Worth is a descriptive ending spread through England
(as e.g., Chatsworth) and Germany. All students of place-
names are aware of the value of comparisons, since the same
name assumes the most varied shapes. Sel means sallow,
salig is a willow, and both words are derived from
the Gothic root sahada. We seem, according to modern
plilology, to have the precise analogue of the name of the
little village of Selworthy in the German Seligenstadt. It may
be noted, however, that in a classification of place-names of
Germany, Seligenstadt is coupled with Heiligenstadt, i.e., the
city of the saints. This is probably wrong, and Selworthy is
the " willow farm." Selwood Frome is on the Ffraw, and so
is the " willow wood " on the Frome. It has been suggested
that sel is Saxon for large and that Selwood accordingly means
large wood. It had received a name in British of similar
signification, Coit mawr,^ " the great wood." There are
many places in France of this name Saule, the willow, e.g.,
Sailly. In French and Belgian topography Seille as an affix
means a wood. Hence with this origin the word Selwood
would be a doublet, and Selworthy would mean " the

'Kemball : Cod. Dipt, ii., 115, 1. 2. ^PuUan on Local Nomenclature. London ;
Longmans, Brown & Green, 1857.

farm in the wood." Af Domesday there were forty acres of
wood out of a hundred at this place.

Names of trees have undoubtedly given use to place-names,
but each case requires separate examination, as there are
names which have been easily corrupted, and readily
accounted for by appeal to local circumstances, and forest
scenery. It will be found that the elements ac, ash, baec, do
not invariably mean the trees, oak, ash, and beech. There is
a village under Lansdown, Bath, called Beach, where there
are no beeches, and where the soil is not suitable for their
growth.^ This we interpret as the form of the Saxon personal
name Beag (with soft g). Aesc is an undoubted personal name.
Bickley, Bickenhall, Ash and Ashcott, and other names may
refer to the Ash-tree and the Beech-tree, and in some cases do.
Martock is not the Market-oak. In the Index Villarum^ it
may be seen how numerous are places with the affix or prefix
ash, while such a place-name as Chew stands almost alone, as
does the place-name Martock. There are, of course, many
Ash-tons. Aller, at least in some names (not all), is the alder
tree, as Ellershaw, a personal name, means alder-wood.

The birch and the alder were characteristic Somerset trees.
We have Berk-ley (Biorca-leah) in a disguised form. In the
marshes of Somerset alder trees were a marked feature, and if
we do not discover many place-names certainly derivable (as
Aller, Aire, Alra) from the tree, it is because the Saxon had
not so much genius for the picturesque as for the practical.
Though as Tacitus says, " the settlers fix their abode by spring,
or plain, or in wood, as suited them, and each person makes
a clearing round his home," they were little likely to call a
spot by such a name as Primrose Hill, and so it is, to begin
with, unlikely that Claverton is from Clote, a water-lily,^ and
so the name means " the village by the ford of the water lily."
In Dorsetshire the water lily is called the Clote.^ This, or
that the burdock is meant is hardly worth discussion. The
Domesday Book spelling is Clafer-ton, and on this basis

^Place-names derived from Plants in the neighbourhood of Bath : Bath Nat.
Hist., see Proceedings, vol. vi.. No. ii., p. 132. ^Alphabetical Table oj
all the Cities, Parishes, Villages, dfc, of places in England and Wales
Adams, London, 1680. ^Ellacombe, ibid. ^Barnes' Poems of Rural Life

various conjectural etymologies have been put forth. An
earlier spelling found in Kemble's Codex Diplomaticus is
Clat-ford-ton, of which the Domesday spelling is a softening.
In the 14th century the spelling is Clatfertune.i Clayt is a Wes-
sex word, meaning clay, and hence the meaning is Clay-ford.
There is a Clay-ford in Wiltshire and one in Southampton.
Without examination it is not for us to say whether Claver-
don in Warwickshire, and Claverly in Salop, are shortened
forms like Claverton. There is a personal name " Glaed,"
which would become Glat and Clat, as Slaed becomes Slatt,
in popular pronounciations. The name is clearly descriptive.

The elm-tree is not a native tree; the wych-elm is. The
name ulmus is Latin. It is a tree introduced into England
from the south-east of Europe, and it is a relic of the long
Roman occupation of more than three hundred years. It
must have spread slowly. " In Evelyn's time," we are told,
" the elm tree was not found in Shropshire and several
counties." It may thus have happened that the presence of
one, late planted, would readily give its name to a spot.
Nevertheless, there are instances of what appear to be a con-
fusion of the tree with personal Saxon names, as, for example,
in Aid-helm, and some similar-ending names dealt with in
later chapters on personal racial names. Emborough is an
example.

How possible it is to be mistaken in supposing that a place-
name is locally descriptive may be illustrated by a reference to
the customs, which prevailed, of the symbolic marking of
land. Mr. Wickham^ has an interesting collection of examples
of field names so derived, of which we only cite Owl's Nest in
Kilmersdon, and Swan's Mead in Wellow. These symbolic
names were the owner's mark. This accounts for many
peculiar local field designations. What has already been said
on Crene-mella, now Cranmore, may be compared.

^Chartularies of Bath Priory, i. 29, S3, 74. "^Records hy Spade and Terrier, p. SO.

CHAPTER V.

Local Characteristics — Coombes.

One of the commonest names in Somerset for spots lying in
a hollow is that of bottom. Bottoms in Cornish dialect are
valleys, old stream works, stents.^ Streams are loose stones
containing tin, which explains stents, as stream means tin in
Celtic Cornish. Bothem is also found, as a dialectical word,
for a water course.^ Usually there is a water course in these
bottoms as in Stowey Bottom, also comically called Fiddler's
Green. But places lying down in a hollow are in the south-
west of England usually called combes. There is no com-
moner word in the south-west.

It is usually considered that this term, so familiar to us, is the
word which in all cases is derivable from the Celtic word cwm.
It is commonly thought to be a relic of the language of the old
British inhabitants. The Welshman still has the word cwm,
a valley. But we must not fail to point out that words like
this, and with this affinity, are found in other languages. It
sounds somewhat startling to those who place implicit reliance
on such a sole origin for the word to read the definition.
" Cumb is another name for an extensive sheet of water, that
is, a running sheet."^ Of course, like a bottom, a combe has
very frequently a stream running through it. Now this word
cumb, meaning a stream of water or streamlet, is by the same
authority derived from a Norse word, kumpr, which is ob-
viously allied to the Saxon word comb, meaning a liquid
measure. The Greek kumhe and Sancrit kumbhas both mean
a vessel, basin-, or cup. Thus the word is more or less found
in all languages of the Aryan type, in forms variously disguised
and with divergencies of meaning, yet preserving the funda-
mental idea. Parts bordering on ponds and streams are in old
French called cumb. We have then the Saxon combe, mean-

'Halwell : Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial Words. ^Anglo-Saxon Names
cf Places : Leo. ^Ibid, p. 82.

ing a hollow, as well as the Welsh cwm. Modern German
has still a word kumpj, a basin or bowl, and a dialectical word,
kumme, a deep bowl. Moreover, these are genuine Teutonic
words. The Welsh cwm is paralleled by the Cornish cum and
the Irish cumar. Nor are these Saxon loan words in the
Welsh, or Celtic loan words in the Saxon and English, but all
alike go back to the primitive Aryan base. The Saxon bringing
his word "combe" with him would readily preserve the Celtic
cwm, as meaning a hollow of any sort. A pretty confusion
might arise if, in any instance, the north country word comb,
meaning " a ridge of land " (the A.S. camb and the German
kamme, a comb) had invaded the south. There is, however,
the evidence of existing personal names, such as Coombes, to
show that by the usual process of assimilation where the origin
of a name has been forgotten, the personal name so frequent
of Cyna and Cyma, or Cuma and Gumma, a Wessex name,
Wiltshire, Dorsetshire, and Hampshire name has resolved
itself into the valley word coombe. People, it is said, were
called Coombe because they dwelt in Coombes. Cuma was
the name of a 10th century Abbot of Glastonbury. And this
Cyma, as a personal name, is derived from cyman, to come.
Cyma means the comer or stranger. Now this personal name
certainly might occasionally account for those place-names
where we find that the name combe is involved in cases where
it is not easy to discover any pretence or apology for a hollow
or a water course. The personal name is properly Coom, the
sibilant being the usual addition and turned into Coombes.
Of course we find " de Coombe," probably a pretentious
vanity. Hence, though the word coombe, meaning a valley,
is found in but few counties, does not in fact occur at .ill in
the East of England, or in Hampshire, while there are many
in Cornwall, a few in Surrey and Sussex, and only one in Here-
ford, the personal name Coomb, and the place-name
Coombe-ton (Compton) is wide-spread, and in many cases
must arise from the personal name. Cumberland, it is said,
is not the land of the coombs or valleys, though they abound.
It is the land of the Cumbri, in which this element Cyne or
Cym as a tribal name may perhaps be found. This class of
place-name, so derived, is apparently small in the West, and

the majority of the place-names are genuine hollows, valleys,
or bottoms, sometimes with and sometimes without a stream.
The purport of all this is surely clear, namely, that it is not
correct to explain Celtic cwm, a valley, for it is equally Saxon,
Norse, and Irish. Thus the word has wider possibilities in it
than is generally supposed.

A combe of special interest is that of English Combe, in
which parish also is found the local name of English Batch.
It is seductive, interesting, and enticing to find in these names
traces of the boundary line between the rivals, the English and
the Welsh or the Saxon and the British in quite early days,
and believe " that this Southern dyke forms the boundary
line after the battle of Derham, A.D. 577," between these hos-
tile peoples.^ According to this the Welsh held the east side
and the English the west side of the fence as far as the Parrett ;
and English Combe and English Batch are parts of the line.
After a prolonged study of place-names it is somewhat unfor-
tunate to those in search of origins romantic, heroic or his-
torical, to realise that names were not usually given in this
fashion, to be so convenient for historical theory as to boun-
daries of rival peoples. The main question is what do the
spellings tell us? What do parallel names in England or parts
of Germany tell us if these are discoverable? If the facts, thus
ascertainable, bear out the theory, we are more than content,
gratified, and rejoiced. Few care patiently and impartially to
try to unravel the skein, and those who have tried least are
often most confident even of sillinesses. The Domesday Book
(1086) spelling is Ingelis-combe. The Taxatio Ecclesiastica
(1291) drops the " n," and reads Igeliscombe. In A.D. 1362 it
is again Ingles-combe, and Engles-comb in the reign of Henry
VI. Ingles-batch naturally follows these spellings, and in the
14th century names of vills it is Engel's-batch. The spelling
of the T.E. taken alone would give us a pretty historical solu-
tion. Igles-combe is, we might say, the Welsh Eglws-combe,
but, of course, Eglws is itself a loan word from the Greek
Ecclesia, meaning a church. Then the place-name would
mean the Church-combe. Very interesting; inasmuch as

^ArctuBological Journal, vol. xvi., p. 105.

there was very early a church existent there and the church of
Ingles-combe was given in A.D. 1112 by the Lady Hawisia (a
name related to the word Huish) de Gurney to the Cluniac
Priory of Bermondsey, and by the Cluniacs in their turn was
made over in A.D. 1239 to the monks of Bath. But we cannot
thus ignore the spellings that persist throughout with the letter
■" n," Ingel's combe, and we must conclude that the form in the
Taxatio Ecclesiastica is a case of imperfect spelling. Another
attractive circumstance which has no doubt suggested the ex-
planation above alluded to is the fact that the Wandsdyke
{i.e., the border dyke or ridge — old high German, as already
said, want, a wall or side, and the old Saxon and Dutch wand)
runs through the parish. On this dyke beacon fires may have
been lit. As early as the 9th century we have the word Ingle,
and in Gaelic Engeal meaning light, fire. These must be set
aside, however attractive, when we find all over the country
Engle-fields, Ingle-leas, Ingle-hams, and Ingel-tons, where
there were neither boundary nor " wand " dykes, nor beacon
fires. Then when we travel over to Germany we find Ingle-
heim and other similar names. The evidence then clearly is
that this is the Saxon personal name Ingold, that is Ingwald,
and it is Ingold's combe, and Ingold (Ingwald's) batch
shortened to Ingel. The way in which it has become English
Combe is clearly traceable in the spellings. The other side of
the ridge ought, we might be tempted to think, to have been
called Welsh Combe, if one side was the combe of the English,
but we have found no trace of this. And in German Ingelheim
is Ingwald-heim, the home of Ingold, or Ingwald. We have
tracked this out at length to show the method pursued, and
we may add, that we really feel vexed if the evidence will not
allow us to fall in with pretty theories. As Combe is by itself
an indefinite designation, we are not surprised to find that
most of them have a distinguishing epithet. Many are double
names, and are noted under that heading, as Abbots, or Abbas
Combe, or have a personal name as prefix. Ads-Combe, in
Overstowey, is the abbreviation of a personal name or the
•simple name Ad or Aad, a known and extant name. There is
still the name Addy.

There are also the local names Ashcombe, Balcombe, in

North Petherton, and as there is Baljord, this is an evidence
of the Saxon personal name Beald, and Bald and Ball and
Balford is Bealdfrith.^ Baldaeg was the name of a Saxon god.
Birdcomhe, in Wraxall, is probably descriptive, but is quite
possibly merely a corruption of Beorht or Bert (an owner's
name elsewhere found), as Brinscombe is the name Beorn (as
in Beornhard).

Ramscombe, in the Quantocks, is doubtless the personal
name Hram, and is shortened from Hraban, a raven. The
name Raban is still found in Somerset in a clergy list; Hra-
banus was the name of a well-known theologian in the 10th
century in Germany. Thus the real explanation of all these
names is not from Ram, a male sheep. If monkish writers
rendered Rams-ey insula arietum, this only proves that they
translated into Latin their own idea of the interpretation and
meaning of a Saxon name.

Syndercombe (Domesday Book, Sindercoma) is in Clat-
worthy. Sindercombe was one manor, and Middleton
another, in the parish of Clatworthy. The A.S. Sinder means
scoria, slag. The phrase is not necessarily connected with
coal-workings or mine debris. Where this word occurs in
compound place-names it is possible to interpret it as a name
descriptive of the permanent physical, or accidental local
characteristics. Synders and scoria are found in this combe.^
Again, sondern is a German word meaning to separate, and
in A.S. synder, syndor, meant separate, singular, peculiar,
private. Thus Sunderland, in Durham, is interpreted as
meaning separate, privileged land.^ Sunder-edge, Sundridge,.
in Kent, is said to mean " the privileged place on the ridge."
What it was privileged for we cannot tell. The separation
may perhaps be physical or legal. There are in the parish of
Stowey lands called Sinderlands. A deep gully without much
obvious reason for its existence separates it from the next
" ground." This etymological explanation, however, does
not suffice for Middleton, which is the personal name Milda.
It is thus still possible, then, in the other case prima jacie the
name is due to ownership, and is accounted for by the Saxon

'S«e fhe Chapter on Fords. ^Wickham : Records by Spade and Terrier, p. 257.
^Edmonds : Traces of History in Place-names.

lady's name, Syndthryth, also spelt Sinedrudis, or Sindred.
The final syllable drudis is the same as trude in the pretty
name Gertrude. Syndred or Sintrude's combe could become
Sindercombe quite easily. The ownership names are every-
where so abundant as to suggest that this is often the most
likely explanation. But when a name (unlike Gertrude) has
utterly died out, and no pretty girl now bears it, it is not re-
ceived back again with open arms, although it is feminine.
Sind, the first component, is found in Sinderbeorht and Sind-
perht. While it is useful to point out the possibility of this
explanation, inasmuch as it is the fact that the iron industry
was carried on in early days in the western part of the county,
and it is stated that " a flourishing industry " once existed at
Sundercombe and Treborough, and many Roman relics were
found among the heaps of iron in the district, the most
natural explanation still is that it was named from these ex-
isting scoriae.

Is Holcombe in a hollow? As it cannot be anything else
(as is supposed) than hollowcombe, that is, hollow-hollow, it
must be in a vale. As a matter of fact, an old church, now
disused, lies in a dingle in some fields a mile away from the
village. The name has thus been transferred from the old to
the new village higher up the land. This is Holcombe, near
Radstock. There is also, we believe, an Holcombe in Asholt.
Asholt is near Bridgwater. The church of Asholt, or Aisholt,
is hidden away in a small combe. As the name combe already
denotes a hollow, the hoi in the Holcombe has been explained
as really from holt, a wood. Holton means (Domesday Book,
Haltona, Al-tone), according to this, the wood-town, and
Holcombe the wooded combe. We may as well connect, for
the light it throws on the several place-names, Holford (in
Lydeard St. Lawrence and elsewhere), spelt in a two-fold way
in Domesday Book— Hulofort and Holefort. In Register of
abbey of Athelney it is called Holeford St. Mary Magdalene.
Now Hulfrit was (A.D. 943) the name of a Cornish dux, and
these spellings show that we have not here to do with a hollow-
ford or a wood-ford, but with an owner's name far back in
history. This is the same name as Ealdfrith. And so also the

'Pullan on Local Nomenclature, p. 125.

other names are likely enough the personal names Ealh and
Healh. Holton is the tun of Healh. In the Bath Chartulary*
Holton (if the same) is spelt Healhtune.^ Heal is still a per-
sonal name. Holcombe thus may not be the " hollow-
hollow," but the combe of Healh. At any rate Healh (and
Ealh) is a name found compounded in Ealhwine, Eahlwulf,
and other names. There is also the place-name Alcombe, in
Dunster, which is spelt Aucoma in Domesday Book. The
various spellings of the latter are Alcombe, Aldcombe, Awle-
combe. Aucoma is clearly a softened Norman spelling of the
same name as Holcombe, unless it is the personal name Ealh-
cyma, of which, however, there are no recorded examples,
though Ealh is combined, as above said, with any number of
names, Ealhfrith, Ealhelm, Ealhgyth; and there might be
Ealhcym. The place-name Aldwich is not the old vicus
(Latin) for wick or hamlet, that is the old hamlet, but an
assimilation from the personal name Ealdwig. An ancient
spelling is Ealdwicke.

Shoscombe would naturally be regarded as a " combe of
copses." Very pretty.

" In Summer when the shawes be sheyne

And laves be large and long,
Hit is full mery in feyre foreste

To hear the foulys song." — Old Song.

The earliest spelling we have met with appears in A.D. 1298,
when it is Schascombe. In the reign of Henry VI. it is Sheves-
combe. We have noticed that a local pronounciation intro-
duces a slight sound of " f," Schafscombe. In addition, in the
county there is Chascombe, now Chacombe, erroneously in-
terpreted as Chalk-com.be,^ and there is also a hamlet name
Shascote. These three throw light on each other and clearly
point to a personal name. As an illustration of similar changes
Shurton is spelt Schreveton and Shurreton, which finally is
shortened to Shurton. But for the spellings no one would
guess this origin of Shurton, and there it seems clear that it is
the " town of the shire-reeve," Scir-gerefa (long e). This

'Kemble's Codex Diplomaticus, No. dcxciv. ^Heald dat : sing : heale is very
common in O. E. Charters. Skeat says it means a hollow. There is a
hamlet Healh on the West side of Curry Rivell. The personal name
Healh occurs in the parchment register of the parish of Stowey, in
A.D. 1570. ^Kirby's Quest. Preface, p. xxxii.

Sceaf in Sheves-combe is also found in Shapwick, and possibly
in Shep-ton. Sceaf is a notable name. The descent of the
royal house of Cerdric (Chard, Cheddar, Ceodr) was traced
even by a Christian Bishop (Asser) up to Woden, who was the
son of Trealaf, who was the son of Frithawulf, who was des-
cended from Sceaf, "the son of Noah," " who was born in the
Ark." And Sceaf was a common name, and is connected with
the history of Alfred in Somerset.^ And remember to pro-
nounce " Sceaf " with a soft sound of the " sc," Sheaf, and
not with a hard " c," or you will stumble at this word.

It is when patiently plodding through the lists of local
boundary names in descriptions of ownerships, private or
monastic, and in the interesting accounts of perambulations of
forests, that you meet with numerous names which overthrow
your faith in merely etymological explanations of place-names
(reposing on no obvious foundations of fact), while at the same
time they afford a clue to the explanation of other names
which are better known, and still extant. For instance, in
the Cartularium Saxonicum, in a boundary description, you
read : sic ad rivulum Neglescumb. Neglescumb is the name
of a stream according to this. Cumb here may be directly
connected with kumpr, a water course. And Negles is dis-
tinctly illuminative. It surely throws light on the origin of
the place-names Nailsea and Nailsworth (in Gloucestershire).
Neagle is a personal name, Negle, Nagle would be pronounced
Nayle. Naalsoe is a Norwegian name, in which " oe " is an
island, and Naal (Nayle) the viking's name (or a personal
name) who carried his spoil there. Nailsea already mentioned
may be compared. There are three Domesday subtenures
mentioned under the name Nigel, one of whom, Nigel
Medicus, the conqueror's doctor, was a large property owner
in various counties. So far as we can make out from notices
of the name, this may be the Irish name Niel, Saxonised, or a
cognate name. In the same description is Leolles-cumb , in a
forestal perambulation, and calls to mind the local name of
Lillicomb, in Litton. Lillies grow there, and therefore it is
supposed without question to be the Lily Combe. Very

^The name Scaife is still extant.

natural, and very possible. The comparison, however, suggests
a personal name in each case. This idea is further strengthened
when you examine such place-names as Lihtoke (Domesday
Book, Lule-stoc), in the hundred of Williton. In addition is
Lulsgate, in Felton Common, Lullington (Lolig-tona) and
Lullworth. Further afield are Lilbourne, in Northampton,
and Lillis Hall, in Salop. There are similar names in Ger-
many all derived from the name Lolle, Lulla. It is indeed
possible that Lilcombe, in Litton, throws light on the origin
of that parochial name. It is spelt Li-tuna in Domesday
Book, and it is so spelt on a chalice of 16th century (?) date.
Now this might be Lil-tona, and the " 1 " has become assim-
ilated, or, if not, it is far more likely the personal name Luti,
Liut, Lutto, Lioda, and Lyde, which last are Frisian forms.
If this be so, a " Lyde " has been associated with the neigh-
bourhood to within a decade or so. Lyte-ton is easily become
shortened into Li-ton.

In the same Carta of Adulf of Tantan (i.e., Taunton, A.D.
848) in which Negles-combe is found, we also read ad rivulum
Beannancumb. Bunscombe Hill is described as a " ferny and
woody slope." The name is usually taken to pieces and
etymologically interpreted as pen-i-combe, " the head of the
vale." No doubt it answers to this description, and hence the
attractiveness and plausibility of the explanation. Pen-i-
combe is thus supposed to be thoroughly Celtic. Pen, cwm ;
but the spelling of Beannan-cumb tells a different tale. It
reminds us at once of Beannan-hangar, which is the original
spelling of the compressed word Binegar and may even carry
us to Beannan-wyl for Banwell and other names. And
we see that Bean (Beonna, and Beon) was a name of owners of
property. These are here given at the risk of repetition to
make some attempt to show the connection of names through
the county.

There is one strange boundary mark worth mentioning. It
is called Ceartuncombesford. It seems to be a genuine ford.
Then a casual examination finds the elements combe, tun,
ford, and, perhaps, stops at " Cear " as a bafifler. In reality
the tun is a mere misleading assimilation. The name is
Carthegn or Garthegn (gar, a spear, and thegn, a thane) and
combes is the ending of the personal name Cyme, and so

accounts for the possessive. Of this last we are not certain, as
it may be Garthegns (Carton's) combe. And in further search
we soon drop on such names as Snell's cumh and Withig-
comb. Withycombe is known; Snelles-combe is not promin-
ent, or known, unless locally. Of course. Withy-combe is by a
natural explanation the " combe where the withy grows."
May be, like the rest, it is a personal designation, and the
original Saxon name is Wihtgyth, or Hwitegyth, or Wight-
haeth, and this is indeed the origin of the modern personal
name Withy, which is so common in some parts of Somerset.
These " Witheys " did not all emerge from withy beds.

Crockercombe is said to be one of the finest of the many
fine combes on the Quantocks. We meet this word Croker in
another place-name. The present village at Pill on the Avon
was called Crockern-Pill, and this shows the most delightful
vagaries of spelling : Crakers Pill, Crockers Pill, Crockham
Pill, Crockanpill, Croken Pill, and Crock and Pill. It
must be noted that Crewkerne has the varieties Croke-
herne, Crokern, Crowkerne, Cruchorne, Crookhorne (in
Defoe's Tour). Any explanation must surely account
for all these three names of obviously the same
origin. It is easy to divide Crewkerne into two syllables
and explain each of them. And so we have Collinson's ex-
planation Cruca earn, " the residence of the hermitage at the
cross." Very pretty. Or Mr. Barnes' Carw Coryn, " the stag
brook." In Domesday Book it is Chruca, and the Anglo-
Saxon for cross is rood, only lamely set aside by supposing
that the Saxon followed the British in borrowing the Latin
Crux. All these three names are best accounted for as originat-
ing in a Norse name, Krokr. Krokr is said to mean vir fortis
et grandis, a big strong man. The Saxon form of Krokr is
Crucga (hence the Domesday Cruca as in Cricket St. Thomas)
and Hrock. The name Croker is still in use in Somerset as
a family name, of whom some may be descendants of the
original Scandinavian Krokr, who might, perhaps, have put
into Pill with his plunder.

Crowcombe seems an allied name. Crowcombe is " one of
the most picturesque spots in the British Isles." At such a
spot it is tempting to describe scenery rather than worry about
names. In Domesday Book the spelling is Crawcombe. We

find the variant Crockham in a law-suit in the time of Eliza-
beth. It is natural also to connect the place-name Crow-
thorne. We might well find in such a name the Celtic Carw,
the stag, and so it is " the Stagcombe." The Carew family
owned the manor, but before them the Biccomb family. It
is curious that a John Croke and Hugh BIckham had a lawsuit
about the manor as late as the time of Henry VIII. Is it then
properly to be divided as Craw-Combe or as Croke-combe?
as it may easily be either. Crawthorne suggests Craw-combe,
and that Croke-combe is a mere vagary of spelling. The one
thing fairly certain is that Crow or Crawe is here, as in Crow-
thorn, a personal name. In 960 A.D. Crawe is the name of
a feminine relative of Ethelflaed, the second wife of King
Edmund the First. Personal names were given from animal
names. The animals were supposed to be typical of the men
or the women. The nobler species of animals were chosen
for the emblem of the ship's prow or banner. They were
Viking symbols, like the dreaded black raven flag of the
Danes. A crow as a woman's name is explicable. Or the
local name Craw may be the Celtic Carw, and is still an
animal name. We do not know who or what the first owner,
Crawe, was. We want an earlier spelling than that of Domes-
day to determine whether Crawcombe may not be a reading
for Crocum, that is, Croke-ham, and thus derivable from the
same Scandinavian name Krokr. It is to be noted that
crawan^ hylle is a boundary mark near Weston, Bath.

Thorncombe is in the same neighbourhood, for an itinerary
over the hill country of West Somerset and the Quantocks
brings you through a constant succession of coombes. The
rolling steeps of Exmoor are channelled by many a deep
combe, each the bed of a torrent. Thorncombe has a barrow
on its crest. It will be thought that Thorn is just what the
word says, a place abounding with thorns. In Germany there
is the tribal name Thurninga Diirningen in Alsace. The
name Thorn is found in lists of early settlers, and is Norse
rather than Saxon. And so the personal names Thorne and
Thorning arise, and a number of place-names in thorn and
dorn find this natural explanation. The origin, if it were

'Birch's Cartularium Saxonicum, No. 1009. A.S. CrSwan gen. of CrJtwe.
The genitive case suggest that Crawe was a woman.

Saxon, might be shortened from Thorwin, which has a root
Thoran, meaning boldness.

Weacombe is a deep glen. The late author of The Harvest
of a Quiet Eye^ has in that book described the glory of Wea-
combe, or a glen just like it. He ends : —

These are words,
There beauty is their beauty."

But what (for the picturesque is not our present business) is
the meaning of Wea-comb? It is in West Quantoxhead and
is spelt (Domesday Book) Waie-comb. This seems to say that
it is the Waycomb. And so it is spelt (1558). Comparison
helps us to realise the possibilities. To take each place-name
by itself, as if it had no connection with other names, is surely
a mistake, though this is the plan usually followed. In Yatton
there is the local name Waymeram. And in Domesday Book
the obsolete name Weimorham (in Congresbury) Pascua de
Weimorhan. This is easily interpreted to mean just " way-
moor-ham." In reality it is the personal name Wimer, that
is, Wigmaer. Again in Crewkerne there is Wayford. This is
meaningless as the wayford, all fords are way-fords. It is
shaped out of Wigfrith. Similarly Weacombe is Wig, Wih,
or Weoh combe, or even the complete personal name Wigcym
as the origin of the modern name Wiccomb, Wickham. And
there is a Wacame in the parish of St. Cuthbert's Wells, which
is usually spelt Walcombe and explained accordingly, that is,
it is the Wealth-combe or Welsh-combe. What is the earliest
spelling?

Bittiscombe is the name of a manor in Upton Noble. There
was such a manor in the days of Queen Elizabeth. Now
Biddisham, in Wedmore, is, in Domesday Book, identified
with Bodeslega. In the names of vills (1343) it is Bydesham,
and from the tongue-clipped spellings arise the egregious and
unintelligible forms Bitsum and Bytsam. The latter must be
regarded as a real poser, if it stood by itself with no light
thrown upon it by the history of the spellings. These are
popular clippings of the word Bedes-ham ; the name is wide-
spread — Bed-borough, Biddenden, Biddenham, Biddiscote,
Biddis-ton, Bedford. No one would recognise in it the name

^The late Rev. J. Vernon, Rector of S. Audries.

which in its Northumbrian owner has acquired the permanent
epithet " Venerable," Bede. Bitsum helps us to see that
Bittiscombe is Bede's combe, and in addition is the local name
Bidstone, while Pitcombe, in the hundred of Bruton, is in
Domesday Book Pide-combe, and in 1343 Bide-combe.

Croscombe is in Domesday Book Coriscombe. In a charter
supposed to go back to A.D. 705 the name is Corregis-comb.
Cross-comb may be a place of which this name is a literal
description, for ought one knows, but even if that is so the
origin of the word is the name Correg with the " g " dropped.
This is not the only case of the sort, we note that Curry,
in Curry Rivel, is the name Cyrig. We make but little doubt
that all these mysterious words in Domesday Book — Cur in
Curland, Curi in Curry Mallett, Chori in North Curry (Nort-
Chori), Curry-Pool in Charlinch (Domesday Book, Currie-
pol), Churi in Curry Rival, are all words in which — in the
manner of which we find so many illustrations — the " g "
disappears in a vowel, and that the original name is Curig.
We find no indication of a Saxon origin of the name. Cross-
comb is thus, strangely enough, and almost incredible, when
taken at one leap — Cyrig's combe. Corston is interpreted
Cors, Celtic, a bog. Now in the light of the above may not
this be Coristun, Corig, or Curig, or Cyrig's ton? In Domes-
day Book it is simply Cors-tuna, and the guess etymologist
could make nothing of it; but we know that " tun " is usually
preceded by an owner's name.

Triscombe is situate in the Cross-combe just dealt with.
Here occurs also the local name Tris, or Tres-stoke. The
explanation given is to decompose " Tris " into three Celtic
words, Tre-is-comb, " the dwelling at the foot of the hill."
So it is, and the situation suggests the derivation just as a
waterfall in a glen close by suggests for Treborough the
derivation Tre-berw, " the place of the water-fall," and
Trendle for Trull is " tre-yn-dol," " the habitation of the
bend of the stream ;" but Trendies Ring is a large earthwork,
said to be from Anglo-Saxon trendle, a circle on a slope of a
hill behind BicknoUer. The word Le Trendle is often found
in old churchwardens' accounts; the word trendle means
corona. "It was the circular metal holder of the wax candle
which hung before the altars of the saints." Closes of pasture

on which the charges were made for the cost of these lights
were called Trendies, and the leases Trendleases.^ We can
thus understand why. Treborough is, however, paralleled by
Treberg, in the Schwarzwald, and is of Saxon origin. Now
Triscombe and Tris-stoke on the analogy of Cori's combe
suggests to us forcibly that Tris is an abbreviated personal
name. At present we have found no early spelling with the
suppressed " g," though the name Thrag, Trag, or Trig does
exist as a personal name in compound names; and there is
the name Dryga. The name Treggan is still extant in direc-
tories.

Drucombe Wood. The name has, like that of Stanton
Drew, suggested Druidism and its homes. It is east of a farm
called Slowly Farm, and at no great distance on a slope to-
wards Slowly Wood are stone heaps. There is from the
character of these stones no obvious connection with Druidical
circles. Dru is, we think, the Domesday Book personal
name Droga, called " the young Dru," as in Stanton Drew.^

Hestercombe is a hamlet name in the hundred of Taunton.
The spelling is Hesticomb, while Hethcombe and Heticomb
are 17th century spellings, in which Hetcombe is a shortening
of Hesticomb and Hethcombe, a further confusion. The
prevalence of the sibilant is the true index. Haesta and Haeth
are both personal names. The fact is, Haestacombe and
Haeth-combe are two distinct names. In Blagdon there is a
field-name Hester's corner. This is not the Christian name
Esther or Hester, but the Saxon personal name Haesta,
Haestan, found in the extant personal name Hastings. In
Cambridgeshire is the place-name Histon, which is spelt His-
tone, Hestona (1165) Hesti-tona.^ Haestan is the name of a
Danish chief (A.D. 8%).^

Elstone Combe, in Yeovil, is clearly the personal name
Edelestan,'' which sometimes emerges as Estan and Easton.
Meeting with such a name we usually consider where it is
" east " of. Elston is in the hundred of Stone, or Stan, which
is probably an abbreviation of a longer name. Many of these
puzzling names beginning with the prefix " El " are either

'Wickbam : Records by Spade and Terrier : Gregory, Bath (no date). ^Skeat :
Place-names of Cambridgeshire, p. 11. ^Onomasticon Saxonicum, p. 277.
''Adhelston and Aelstan occurs as names of Abbots and "Duces" in
early Cartularies.

shortened forms of names or disguised forms. Elworthy, as
a place and personal name, is not the worth or farm of " El,"
but the personal name Eahlweard, as Elborough is Eahl-
beorht. Elworthy is spelt Elworth (Elweard), and then with
the possessive Eyllesworthy (Henry III.), and then adopts the
aspirant as Hulleworthe (Henry III.), while in Domesday
Book, as Elwrda, it is nearer to the original form.

Other combes are derivable from the personal names which
are elsewhere mentioned as But-combe (Buda or Beadu), early
spelt Budancombe. We may be disposed to derive it from
the Celtic Cornish " Boudi," which means a cattle-shed, but
of this we have no real evidence, and the analogy of names
suggest that this has its origin in an owner's name, as does the
early spelling Budan, son of Buda. Buda may itself
be a shortened word as the spellings show in the case of
Butleigh. Batt-combe is from the name Bada, and may be
only another form of Beadu. Batt is an extant personal name,
and thus has a long ancestry.

Hillcombe is a corruption apparently of Ilecombe, from
the river name, as the spellings indicate. This explains the
apparent contradiction in the name unless it is supposed to be
a combe on a hill. It is Hyle combe in the 12th
century in the Muchelney Cartulary. There are also
He wych and Ilelegh, spelt Hillegh. Mancombe is also a
personal name, Man, Manning. Gat-combe may be Gode-
combe; Farncombe in Doulting is Farewine combe. Small-
combe appears to be self-explanatory; Wit-combe is, we
imagine, the personal name Hwit, or it may be another form
of the word wid, as in Wid-combe. Odcombe is Odda's
combe. All these receive further notice. Many combes take
their names from the places to which they are adjacent. No
doubt there are many other combes in this land of nooks
and corners, and we have met with many in charters and
other documents too numerous to exhaust. They might
repay investigation and tabulation.

CHAPTER VI.

Names from local Characteristics.
Marsh and Moor Names.

The physical features of Somerset, even in the present days
of drainage and reclamation, are indicative of the immense
amount of marsh and moor once existent. The area of Somer-
set is roughly over a million statute acres, out of which must
be taken nearly twenty thousand acres of estuaries and water
surfaces. The Somerset of the 11th century was bigger than
it is now. Dorset and Bristol have absorbed some. A good
part of this total was not reckoned in at the time of the
Domesday survey. The vast moors which characterised the
county were worthless for fiscal purposes. During this short
period from Domesday date, on the secular scale of geologic
time, no vast changes have taken place. The sea that rolled
in to Banwell, to Glastonbury, and washed the steeps of Blag-
don, where now is an artificial lake (the reservoir) made on
the spot " where rolled the sea," ceased long before William
the Conqueror measured his length on English soil, and
wittily said he had thus taken possession of it. But marshes
and moors have been transformed. Something like one
hundred and eighty thousand acres ignored in the survey were,
for the most part, moorlands. It is little wonder, therefore,
that marsh and moor names are found in some abundance,
some obsolete, some extant, some clear, and some disguised.

There are the well-known names of Marston, which is A.S.
Mersc, a marsh; or Sedgmoor, a name derived from plant-
life, the abundance of the characteristic secg, a sedge; of
Merriott, usually supposed to be a form of Mere-gaet, the
marsh gate or road ; of Wedmore, of which various explana-
tions are given, which find mention elsewhere; and there are
less known names of interest here spoken of. There is a dis-
tinction to be made between the words moor, mere, and
marsh. Etymologically and physically a moor (mor) is soft

yielding bog or turfy bog. Mere is more common in the
sense of marshlands, boggy swine walks, and places adjoining
morasses.^ Marsh is from the middle Latin, mariscus. Other
words indicative of marshy ground are rysc, a rush. Ruishton
is curiously spelt Rise-tune, Riston, Ruston, Ryscedon, Rys-
ton, Risstetone (14th century). The earliest spelling is Rise-
tune : " Grant of land at Risctune by King Alfred to Dene-
wulf. Bishop of Winchester."^ There is a Rush Close in
South Cadbury. Mere, it may be noted, is sometimes the
ending of a personal name, Maer, meaning " distinguished,"
as in such names as Eadmaer, Wadmaer ; and often as a pre-
fix, Maergaet, Maerwin, and the like.

Glastonbury Abbey was surrounded by moorland. The
cultivable portions were part of the monastic possessions. It
is interesting to read the monkish description of the "beating"
of its boundaries, as set forth in Cartularies or charters. If
the names are not all of the dates of the charters, they are
yet evidence of the traditional early names.

In such descriptions we find the mention of numerous
" lakes." A lake is not, as so found, the geographical lake
defined as an enclosed piece of water. These lakes are, in fact,
sluggish streams flowing through a marsh, a bog, a fen, or
mere. The name fen, common in the eastern counties, in the
fen country of Huntingdonshire, Cambridgeshire, and the
neighbourhood, is not found in Somerset, unless it occurs
sparingly in the truly Somerset form of Ven. In Milborne
Port, for instance, is the name Ven. There is a " Ven," not
easy to identify, in a will : " Francis Luttrell, of Ven, Somer-
set. In West Monkton is the local name Venacre. In
Bishop's Lydeard Venn Mansion. But Venacre is clearly a
corruption of the name Winegar, old German, and Winagar,
Anglo-Saxon, and the name Wenna and Wen in such forms
as Wen-Stan, Wenric, Wentryth, and similar names (with
which the present-day personal name Venn is connected) may
account for all these. And the curious name Venelcross, in
Yeovil, is probably the personal name Wendel. Such a name
as Wendel's Combe is found. Thus the word fen does not

'Leo : Anglo-Saxon Names of Places, p. 96. '^Cartularium Saxonicum, No. 549.

ippear to occur, although there is the Anglo-Saxon word
Fenna, a bog. Why it has not found a place is no doubt
worth investigating. It marks a dialectical difference. The
word Lake as an affix is not uncommon. In the charter alluded
to, Pinlake is described as a spot only approachable through
the middle of the marsh per medium morasci. A place-name.
Lake, occurs in Kingsbury Episcopi. Pin-lake, if Pin is Pen,
means " the head of the stream." Cock-lake, if cock is coch
(Celtic), meaning red (as is usually supposed in the place-name
Coker) is the " red stream." This is in Wedmore. For this
latter we note a different spelling, Cocklade. Whichever is
the mis-spelling the meaning would appear to be the same,
as Lade is Anglo-Saxon for a water-course, and represents
the Anglo-Saxon lad, a way or course. Our verb to lead is
from the same root.

In the Edwardian perambulation of the Forest of North
Petherton occurs the name Gogeslode. In Buckland there is
still a Coglett Field. The prefix of this local name Gogo
occurs in a Bath Abbey Charter " Grant (by the Prior) to
Henry de Dunstorr, of all the tenement de Gogebure." Gogo
and Gogan are personal names, the same as Cog (Cocingas),
Gukkingin in Germany ; Gugging in Austria shapes itself into
Cock and Cocking in England. It is quite possible that is the
origin of the name Coker, to which, as just said, a Celtic ex-
planation is usually given.

In a charter of King Athelstane, among the gifts of this
(local?) rex or king to Athelney, is that of the manor of
Lenge (A.D. 937), and in the boundary descriptions we
read " Corlac and Ashlake, with the old lake up into Chester-
lake." Without further evidence it is difficult to be sure what
Gor-lac is. It may probably be A.S. gor, filth, dirt, the muddy
stream. Gore as clotted blood is simply an accommodation
of the meaning to a special form of filth. It can less easily be
the word gore usually applied to a triangular slip of land. Ash-
lake is aesc, or ash stream, and Chester-lake, as this name thus
stands, is from castrum, a camp. There is a Greylake in
Middlezoy. As we find also Redlake and Whitelake, there
may be here references to the character of the soil, the rock
or earthy bank of red sandstone or limestone through which
the streamlets flowed. In boundary marks of Manor of West

Wooton by Edmund the Elder (A.D. 946) to his thegn
Ethelnod, the Pylle stream is called Whitelake ; and Dingan-
hurst is the name given to a tract of land extending along it.
Other interesting local names occur in this document. Grey-
lake may possibly be the name derived from the grey appear-
ance of the bog produced by the masses of light-coloured
sphagnaceae or bog-mosses, in search of which we have
travelled far across the moors, rejoicing to find them capped
with those marvellous urns, the " fruit " or rather spore cases,
which excite admiration, and baffle the draughtsman to copy
with his pencil, as seen under the microscope. In North Curry
there is a Westernlake, indicative of a former water-course.
Lichelake is thought to be a relic enshrining in a name all
that is left to human memory of some long bygone tragedy,
or bloody conflict, when, after battle and slaughter, dead
bodies slowly glided down the sluggish stream. It is, of course,
well-known to everybody that a lychgate is a gate at the
entrance to a churchyard, where from a time immemorial
custom the dead body is rested before the final entrance into
the sleeping place of the departed. Lie is a dead body. As
an illustration, the place-name Lichfield is said to be so named
from the historical fact of the martyrdom of a thousand
Christians in A.D. 304. We note that a byname for the ponds
at Emborough, in the parish of Chewton Mendip, is the
Leachmoor ponds. Leachmoor is more likely Lechmere, the
dead or stagnant pool, and the addition of ponds is needless;
and it will occur to the reader that Lichlake or Lech-lake
really means the same thing, the " slow, sluggish stream,"
without calling for slaughter. No doubt other examples may
be found in these Somerset " lakes."

If with the monkish guide in our hands we return to Glas-
tonbury and beat the bounds of the Abbey lands, we find such
names as Bitwynehorde, Ylake, Ywere, Abbedisdich, " insula
de Northlade," Wethmore, Tunsingwere, Kympingmere,
Scearphorde, Mere, and as we are travelling through the
middle of the moor per medium moram over bridges, the
jontem de Keneward or Kyneard, and fontem de Bledeney,
the description makes it clear that these bridges are artificial
fosseways. Such, perhaps, was the Bitwyne-horde mentioned.
This we have elsewhere suggested is Bedwyn horde, and the

name is a reminiscence of King Arthur and the round table,
though it looks temptingly like Between-horde. But horde
itself means a division. A hord was a boundary of wattles or
frame of wickerwork forming an enclosure or district. Scearp-
horde is such a boundary in the marsh. Scearp may easily
remind us of the scirpus or tall and graceful bulrush springing
up and adorning the boundaries of the bog — a monkish Latin
name — ^but it is, we think, the old word from which the well-
known term " escarpment " is derived. A scarp is a " curtein
of a wall," and is so called because it is sharp or steep. There
is still the place-name Scharp-ham as a local name. In the
charter we read at passing through the middle of the moor
subter Scherpham below, Sharpham. In Glastonbury there
is a Sharpshaw and another in Nunney, which according to
this ought to mean " Steep-wood."

These and the like obscure names must not be dismissed as
without interest, since they afford clues to the explanations
of otherwise problematical local names of farms, fields, and
hamlets, and are a caution against wild guesses. In the little-
known names recited Tusingwere or Tunsingmere, Tunsing
is the personal name Tunsig. Tunn or Tun occurs in the name
Tunweald of Tunwealds stan, now Tunstone in Gloucester-
shire. In the eastern counties a tunmere is explained as the
line of procession in perambulating the bounds of a parish.
Possibly some might think it interesting if this name meant
"" sing a tune here." In Kympingmere, Kymping is probably
3. disguised form of Cymwine. It is in this charter that there
occurs the name Osgar in the phrase " domus Osgari," as a
boundary mark, and when we find Goathurst spelt Gahers in
the earliest spellings (Domesday Book) and discover the local
name Gaershill, we may see that these words are corruptions
of the personal name Osgar. This carries us far away from
Goat-hurst as naturally meaning goat-wood, and it is only by
following the steps that you realise how such corruptions
arise. And again we read of insula de Heorti. Now this name
■occurs locally in such names near Chard as Hertham and
Hurtham.

Another mere is Saltmere. Saltmere was an appanage of
the Island of Athelney. Salt was a necessary of life then as
now, and from the brackish lake it may have been derived.

There are spellings Salmore and Salmere, but these are late
Saltmore is north of Athelney in the angle between the
Parret and the Tone, containing more than a thousand aciea
of pasture. It is Saltmore in A.D. 1382-3. Saltford on the Avon
is in original spellings Salford, and this is rather from " sahl,"
seal (as already given in Selwood), the sallow-willow, fanci-
fully called the palm, flowering always about Eastertide.

Such epithets and descriptive parts of compound minor
names are worth enumerating as illustrative of the past
physical characteristics of Somerset. The reader probably
knows how much of its most interesting history (natural and
civil) is due to its moors. In Exmoor the Ex is the river name
(as before explained) aecs, uisg, esk (compare Eskdale in the
north). Stanmoor is likely the stony-moor, though Stan may
be an abbreviation of a longer word if discoverable, that is
of some personal name beginning or ending in Stan, as, for
example, Eahlstan. Warmoor is not the battle-moor, that is,
reminiscent of the clash of warrior's steel, but wor, as perhaps
in Wor-spring (which, however, is probably Worla-spring or
Work's wood) means stagnum, or a swamp. Thus War-moor
would be in meaning a doublet, the " moor-moor." Weste-
walmoor is found as a part of " Wales " between Queen
Camel and Camel-Abbots or West Cammel. We suppose that
this local name Wales is in reality a form of the word Weallas,
meaning the strangers, or of the personal name Wealh, with
the same meaning. Allermoor is also a moor near Athelney.
The village of Aller is on this moor, and we find that its name
has been derived from Aldor, a prince; also from the abund-
ance of the alder trees, which is mentioned as a characteristic
to a late period. It is indeed very possible that Aller is in fact
the clipped form of the personal name Alheard, Aelheard,
or Alhard. In Westmoor, Curry Moor, Haymoor, in North
Curry, Brentmarsh, and Chen (or Kenn)-moor, the names are
taken from the places to which they are adjunct. As also are
Weston Moor, Nailsea Moor, Clapton Moor. Blackmoor
in North Buckland, and Houndsmoor in Milverton, are the
relics of the racial names, the Blacks or swarthy race, and the
Huns. Kingsmoor, on the Yeo near " Ivelchester " or
Ilchester, was royal property. There are accounts of the " late
Queen " in the reign of Edward I. It was pin-money, perhaps.

Ilemoor is on the Isle. Heathmoor is on the Poldens. In
Burtlemoor, Burtle has an alias, that is, it is also called
Sprawlesmead, interesting as the seat of a priory. In the 16th
century the spelling is Barkle moor. The letters "t" and
" c " are easily confused in manuscript, and it is possible that
the true word is not Burtle but Bircle, though the former got
itself established. Bircle is in " the very sink of the marisch "
on the river which runs to Hunspille, and a place very fit for
a hermitage, according to the taste of these solitaries, con-
cerning whom our present task does not call upon us to en-
large or explain. " For though there be a stone-ford called
Burtlesteening 'tis not passable or the place anyway accessible
in winter. "1 The description cited is as late as the 18th century.
Burcle is Berkeley or the Birch-lea. If Burtle is the true
reading this is extremely interesting, as Brislington has the
spelling Burtle-ton and Burstleton, all indications of the name
Beortelm, Beorhthelm, Brihtstelm, Beortel's-ton and various
corruptions. Kinnard Moor is Cyneheard^ Moor. A Cyne-
heard was brother of Sigebeorht, King of Wessex in the 8th
century. The modern name is Kennard. Godney Moor, near
Glastonbury, is Godeney Moor, the name Gode or Good.
But as " ey " means a watery place, not necessarily an island,
this is obviously a doublet. But this place-name is of some-
what doubtful ending, and should possibly be classed among
the hayes, as it is spelt Godeneya (1344) in British Museum
Charters, and Godenhay in the time of Henry VIII. The
ending " ey " is, however, the more probable. There is a
Gedney in Lincolnshire, that is, Gaedan-ey, which embodies
the personal name Gaed. The curious place-name Edvin Ralph
in Herefordshire is anciently spelt Ged-fen with the same per-
sonal name attached. The letters have been transliterated,
and Gedfen or Gaedwine becomes Edvin. But for this, the
most easy explanation of such a name would be to suppose
that it was Edwine Ralph, and be content. Two local names
mentioned in connection with Yeovil are Huntley Moor and
Snowden, Snouwedon in la Marsh. In A.D. 1403^ there is a
grant of this Snowdon in the Marsh. We must not think of a
down and of snow. This is doubtless a corruption of the A.S.

nohn Strachey : List of the Religious Hounes in Somersetshire, 1730. 'British
Museum Charters, 836, or Cyneweard, the name of a Bishop of Wells,

cir., A.D. 975.

Snaedan. A snaed is a piece of land separated from the owner-
siiip of the mass of land around it — an isolated bit. Huntley
is spelt Hauntelemersh in the reign of Edward III. This is an
abbreviated personal name Hund or Huntulf, that is Hund-
wulf. Shortenings of this kind are too numerous to excite
question, or provoke surprise.

In the document above cited another boundary mark is that
of Renmere, probably hrefn-mere, that is Raven (name), a
pool which has been drained, but as late as A.D. 1662 was
a marshy bog called Raw-mere, and actually now known as
Rodmer and Rodmead. There is also a Herdy-moor, the
older form of Sedge-moor, and Herdy gate from Hreod, a
reed or sedge.

Of names compounded with Marsh we find Peasemarsh, a
hamlet name in Ilminster. This is Pega's marsh or Peya's
marsh, as also in such widely-spread analogous names as Pes-
ford in Northamptonshire, Pease-more in Berkshire, and
Peasenhall and Pea-kirk in Suffolk. All point to a Saxon
name, Pega, and the church of Pea-kirk, in Northampton-
shire, is in fact dedicated to a Saint Pega, and the name was
common. We still have the hard sound as in the name of
Pegg. St. Pega lived at the beginning of the 8th century.
A Saxon would speak of Peya's church. There was a Paega
who was a Worcestershire abbot. This is the origin of Pease-
down, in Peasedown St. John, near Camerton. Mr. Healey's
History of Parts of West Somerset interprets " Peasey's
Pool " as Pixies pool. It is Pega's pool more likely, though
we lament the disappearance of the pixies. There are of
course Moretons, as in Compton Martin and in Fivehead.
There is a Goosemoor in Brompton Regis, which is probably
Cors-moor, that is, a doublet, as cors already means a marsh.
Lidmarsh is Lyde marsh, the personal name. Moorlinch is
misleading, as the Moor is from gemeare, a boundary.
Linch is elsewhere explained.

As a district name there is that arising from what is called
the river name the Wring, Wringmarsh near to Wrington.
Wring as a river name is not distinct from Rhin (compare
the Rhine) which means etyraologically that which runs. If a
rhyn means a promontory, it is because it runs out to sea or
is a projecting tongue of land as Pen-ryn in Cornwall.

67
CHAPTER VII.

Fords.

We have more than once pointed out that some of the
names ending in ford are in reality assimilations. Colour is
given to the explanation in cases where even a bit of a ford
across an insignificant brook actually exists. As a ford may
mean a way apart from crossing a stream, some of the names
may be thus accounted for. Others.we may say.are shaped from
the ending to a personal name, as frid, frith, in such a name
as Wilfred, Wynfrid (Winford). Frid means peace, the
modern German Friede. Others again are difficult to de-
termine owing to confusions that have crept in unawares.
Such a name is Keyford, near Frome.

Keyford is of some ecclesiastical interest. Strachey (1760),
in his account of the formerly existent religious houses in the
Diocese of Bath and Wells, mentions the tradition of a nun-
nery at Cayford, near Frome, belonging to Cirencester. The
origin of it is dated as far back as A.D. 705. The spellings may
be described as excruciating. Beginning with D.B. Kaivert
and Caivel, we find later spellings Keyferz, Cayver, Kayver,
and West Kayver, Cayfords in A.D. 1493, and in the court rolls
(1478) Cayford. There is also a Kayford near Yeovil which
is also spelt Cokerford : " Lands at Keyford or Cokerford
given to St. Augustine's Abbey by Nicholas FitzRobert,
FitzHarding." Here there must be some confusion. Key-
ford is not connected etymologically with Cokerford, and is
scarcely a form of it. If Caivert and Caivel stand side by side
they are not names of one manor but of two, the two manors
into which the locality is parted in Domesday Book. A
gallant attempt has been made to find the explanation as a
surviving Celtic name. This applies to the form Caivert as
supposed to be derived from Caegwyrdd, which quite easily
becomes Caewyrdd and Caewyrt. This compound is then in-
terpreted as meaning the " green enclosure." It is sufficiently
obvious that Caivert and Caivel are attempts to represent

sounds awkward to Norman clerks. Caivert is a corruption
of an owner's name, Gefheard, and Gifheard is the present
name Giffard ; and Caivel is a similar corruption of the Saxon
personal name Caewulf, both known names. Caivert and
Keyford as names of the same place are really both of them
corruptions of Gefheard, and Keyford, like so many others,
is thus not a ford at all so far as the origin of the name is con-
cerned. Gefheard was a Domesday tenant near Frome at the
spot with the disguised name of Elm and at Woodborough
in Wellow. Gifheard, in the Stoke GiflEard of Somerset (now
Stoke Rodney) and of Stoke Gifford in Gloucestershire, is
the name of a whilom important and considerable Saxon
family. It is possible that the components are Gif or give,
and ward or weard, that is, Gifweard. It will be observed
that all the diverse spellings here find their explanation, even
that of Keyferz.

Of other names besides those given elsewhere (under
other headings) which are disguised from personal names,
there is that of Aljord, a small village on the Brue. Alford
is an illustrious name, and it is connected with the county.
People get puzzle-headed in dealing with the relationship
between names of persons and names of places. No one, we
suppose, denies that large numbers of persons have derived
their names from the places from which they came. When
other means of distinction, nicknames or by-names and other
methods, failed, then resort was had to the place, as, for
example, we might say Alford of Winterbourne, and then the
prepositional connection was left out. So John Alford might
have derived this means of identification from the fact that
he was born by the Brue at the village called Alford. Or this
John Alford might go and buy an estate and call it Alford by
his beloved personal name. Or, if inclined to think that
names are per se aristocratic or otherwise, he might proudly
appear as John de Alford. Such considerations do not disturb
for one moment the fact that Alford is, after all, an abbreviated
personal name. And, in fact, in Domesday Book it is spelt at
large, Aldedeford. In A.D. 1315 it is curiously Allecheford.
It is not only curious but an instance with a wonderful power
of conviction for the most obstinate, provided there is present
the saving grace of patience with what is novel to him. It is

thus : These two forms in spellings found as wide apart as the
end of the 11th and the beginning of the 14th century confirm
one another; and the more so as they seem so widely and
irreconcilably diverse. In the 8th century the name Ealhfrith
is also Alchfridus, Aluchfridus, and Alhfrith and Alfred !
Alford is, therefore, ultimately the personal name Ealcfrid,
Ealhfrith, with other simple variations of spelling turned into
the ending ford. If there is a river of any respectable dimen-
sions or even a ditch that you can jump across, " why ! there
you are!" It is the " Al-ford," though what " Al " means
may be impossible to say. When a gentleman is called " Good-
enough " your easiest plan is to say " good," we know that,
and " enough " we also know. He had some remarkably
generous ancestors. " Goden-ulf " and " Goden-wulf " is a
strange creature. Avaunt ! Such reflections may possibly
reduce the scepticism of some when it is pointed out that
this is true of other names.

As, e.g., Coleford and Cloford. There is more than one
Coleford in Somerset. There is one in Stogumber. As Alford
is very close to the form Eahlfrid of the 8th century, so is
Colford to Ceolfrith, Ceolfrid, and Ceolferth. Cloford, too,
might be supposed to be Colford with the consonant inter-
changed. The spelling in Domesday, however, is Claforda,
and later spellings are Clouford, and in A.D. 1315 Clafford.
Neither is this a genuine ford name. Not even a Clay-ford
from the character of the soil. It is a form of the sparsely
occurring name spelt Hleofrith, Cieofrit, Cleofrid, Cleoferd,
Cloferd. I suppose that the modern name of this ancient
Saxon name is Clifford.

Wadeford is usually disposed of in the customary easy
method. It is " the ford that may be waded." This would
appear to be the common attribute of all fords, and is little
likely to have fixed its name to one alone. However, Waedo
is Saxon for a ford, and so Wadeford would be a doublet and
tautological. Ford was added to the Saxon word Waedo, the
meaning of which had been forgotten. In the case of the
Wadford near Neroche, Wad is said to be the name given to
the stream which with another forms the head of the River
Isle or He. This double name most likely accounts for Wade-
ford. There is besides the personal name Wado accounting.

as already noted, for such names as Wemb-ton (from Wad-
mendon), Wadbury, and Wadmaer, or Wedmore. There is
in Domesday a Saxon owner Wado in Ashbrittle who lived in
the days of the Confessor. The derivation may be gwada, a
mole; but is more likely wado, an immigrant or wanderer.
If Wado was a tribal name, a stream along whose banks the
tribe lived may give the name to that river. Here Wedmore
may be compared.

Edford is another example of the same kind of assimilation.
It is in Holcombe. When we find that Eds-ton is a shortened
form of " Eddeve's-ton," and that Eddeva is itself derived
from Aedgifu, and that this is a lady's name, we are quite
prepared to understand that by some changes Edford may be
similarly accounted for. " Ead " is a very frequent prefix,
said, by a great authority in such component parts of names,
to mean " prosperity." We know it in " Edward " and
" Edwin." We are not prepared to embrace Eadfrith or
Eadfrid, and Eadbeorht, Eadfrid, is mostly a Mercian rather
than a Wessex name. Like the rest, it becomes disguised as
Edford, and is thus no ford at all in the physical sense. Of
course, there is a stream at Edford, and the site of the old
village appears to have been on the stream in the woods,
where is the site of an old mill. In any case, " Ed." is short-
ened from some personal name.

Holford, in Lydeard St. Lawrence, is in Domesday Book
Hulofort. Hulfrit and Hulfrid is the name of a " dux " in
the 10th century. Broford, in Exton (Domesday Book, Bro-
fort), is the personal name Beorhtfrith, found also as Bri-
ferd and Brigferd. Donniford is a corruption of Dunfrith or
Dunfrid, a compound name. Dun and frid, found elsewhere
as a local name. Croford is probably Crawe-ford. We do not
discover any quoted and extant personal name, Crawfrid ot
the like. For Mudjord, which might be at once set down as
a " muddy ford," there is the personal name Mundford, and,
in fact, the name is spelt Mundiford in Domesday Book, and
Mudford is a corruption. Allerford is elsewhere mentioned.

Bayford, in or near Stoke Trister, is an instance of the
prevalence of the name Beaga, Bege, and Bagge^ in Saxon

'The name occurs in a, charter of Muchelney Abbey, Ahtbegonis Possessio,
i.e. Eadbega's property, p. 95, S.R.S., vol 14.

Somerset. It is Bega-ford. Exford would seem to explain itself.
In Domesday Book it is Aisseford, which, on the analogy of
other names, should come out as Asford, since Aissa is
in such names a form of Aesc, the Ax. But here this
is the river name Esk, Usk, Uisg, Ax, and Ux, as in
Axbridge, already referred to. There is little or no doubt
that this is brugia a bridge, as in Bridgwater, and not
Brugia as Burh corrupted. Ricford, in Blagdon, is a ham-
let name, and from the ownerships in Saxon times this looks
like a somewhat unusual shortening of the original name by a
lapse of the first syllable. There were several owners in the
neighbourhood of the same hundred of Winterstoke with such
names as Saric, Bristric, Godric, Edric, and " Ric " may be
one of these endings; or it may have been the simple name
Ric now found in the Prankish form of Rich, a local and
Somerset name. And here it may be remarked that to derive
such a name as Rich from a peculiar nickname or soubriquet
is superficial. It is a Frankish form of Reich, Ric, Rich,
Anglo-Saxon signifying "rule." Richmont in Richmont Castle,
in East Harptree, is ultimately the name Rikemund of the
Hundred Rolls, and " Richman " has nothing to do with
wealth, but is the old German Ric-man. Rich is the Riki of
the Liber VitcB. Uxford hard by is most likely to be another
trace of the same name that we have found in Wookey,
namely, that of Ucca, Ucco, and it is Uccasford. There is,
however, the personal name Uchferth, which was a Wiltshire
name and more clearly accounts for it. Cheddenford isCeadda-
ford (Chad's ford). Stoford, in the double name Berwicks
Stoford, is in A.D. 1316 written " Berewick Stan-ford," and,
assuming the correctness of this, we have little difficulty in
recollecting the stepping-stones that constitutes some fording-
places. In a charter of Barlinch Priory is the name InefiEord,
and we are wondering whether this is a trace of the famous
Somerset name of King Ina. Ufford is simply shaped out of
the personal names Uvert and Uflert, as in Uffords Hill (in
Banwell?). Henford, in Henford Matravers, is again a com-
pound of frid from the name Eanfrid, a frequent name in the
7th, 8th, and 9th centuries, and is not " hean," high (Saxon),
or " hean," old (Celtic), " old or high ford."

Washford is in Cleeve. It is Watchetford in A.D. 1367.

Earlier, in A.D. 1188, it is Washford. The connection with
Watchet seems definitely clear. Watchet in D.B. is spelt Waced.
It is Wachet, Watchet, or Wechet in the reign of Henry III.
This is interpreted as the " watched head," and explained as a
look-out place from the headland. The name certainly ap-
pears descriptive. Wacet and Wash are Prankish softenings of
Wac, as " Rich " is of Ric in Gooderich for Godric. Wac and
wach mean " a moist place." Wacsan is Anglo-Saxon for to
" wash " and the same word. Wak in Lowland Scotch has
this same meaning. In Norfolk a " wake " is an unfrozen bit
of water. As bearing on this meaning we note the local place-
name Watchfield, in Highbridge ; that is, Wac-felt. It is " the
moist or marsh meadow," and is no more a watched field than
Watchet is a watched headland.

Tellisford is spelt Tables-ford (Domesday Book). This is
the name Tabuel. In A.D. 1166 Dunhet, that is
Downhead, was held by Richard Rivel in partner-
ship with Margaret, daughter of Ralph Tabuel, assessed
with Pitney Lortie in the taxation of A.D. 1327.
This name is also in the Liber VitcB, and occurs besides
in the Muchelney Abbey Cartulary. But Tabuel itself is
shortened from the name Taillebois, found in such shapes as
Talboys, Tables, Tabuels, and Tallis. As to meaning, the per-
sonal name from a local name means brushwood. Dubois
appears to be the equivalent of our Atwood.

Westford is the name of a tything in Wellington, and is not
taken from a point of the compass. Waes itself means water;
or it is quite possibly Waese-ford, or the washing-ford. With-
out here enumerating all the place-names in which the epithet
west may be as descriptive of situation undoubted or doubtful
we mention Weston, in Combe St. Nicholas, i.e., Wes-ton, as
shortened from an intermediate form " Wast-ton," and this
again may be traced to a longer word, Waterleas-ton, appear-
ing as Waterlesston. In other counties this has been oppositely
interpreted as the water leas, and as water-less. Facts speak
for the former. Waterless has actually become West. West-
combe, in Batcombe, is Domesday Book Weste-combe, which
may be Wastecombe. Freshford, near Frome, is diversely
Fir-forda, Fecheford, and Freekeford, and (on one identifica-
tion) Vexford, and may be dealt with as a curiosity. Other
fords may receive mention in other chapters.

CHAPTER VIII.

Names with Local Characteristics — Lea, Leys,
Leighs, and Leaze.

Leah is one of the words by which our Saxon ancestors
designated uncultivated ground, though to us, in poetry, " the
cattle wandering o'er the lea " reminds us of lush meadow
land. Other words are feld (Dutch veldt), wudu (for wood),
weald, holt, beara, den or dene, hyrst, grafe, and perhaps hyse,
sceaga, and wride. Beara, as a wooded district, is not uncom-
mon in our county. It has sometimes disguised itself as
Borough and Barrow. Dene is not uncommon, and Kemble
says, in his Saxons in England, that in one district in the
south of England, from Hythe to Maidstone, there are up-
wards of thirty towns or villages ending in den, i.e., dene.
Grafe is an estate with boundary stones, and is in signification
the same as snad or snaed, a part cut off. An estate surrounded
with a fence of stakes was called pearrocas, or park. We know
the name Chew-Park, and there are many such local names.
The other words are not common in Somerset.

The proportion of leahs to felds is that which prevails else-
where. In Kemble's charters the ratio is said to be seventy to
eighteen. Leigh occurs simply and in compounds. Of the
form Leigh-on-Mendip (pronounced Li) is an example. In
other chapters instances of this word in compounds are given.
It may be convenient to collect a few under one heading,
regardless of the origin of the prefix or afiix, whether, as often,
it occurs with a personal name or with a descriptive qualifica-
tion. Chardleigh Green, in Chard, is an example of tautology,
for leigh is suflftcient without green, as they practically mean
the same thing. Chardleigh has become a proper name, and
then a distinctive description becomes necessary. The simple
name Lega occurs in Domesday Book at least eight times, iden-
tified with Abbot's Leigh, Angersleigh, Leigh in Carhampton

Hundred, and in Old Cleeve, as part of Street in Ringolds-
way'' Hundred and Leigh in Winsham, besides Leigh-land in
Old Cleeve. Leage is the genitive form of Lea.

Langley, in Wiveliscombe, explains its own meaning if it be
descriptive, that is, the long meadow. In Overhigh, in Street,
the prefix is the Anglo-Saxon form ofre, a dative of ofer, a
shore or bank of a river. Sometimes the river has shifted its
bed, or the fen or marsh has been drained, and there seems no
reason why the spot should be " over," as it does not appear to
be " above " anything in particular. Other examples of
" over " in other connections are noted. There are Eastover,
in Bridgwater; a Northover, near Ilchester; and one in
Ditcheat. The modern German ufer means a bank. There
is actually a puzzling local name Underover, Under-ofre
You want to know how a thing can be both " under "
and " over " ; and we all know it is when we find that " over "
here means a bank.

Wellesley is explained by a personal designation. We read :
" Grant of confirmation by Richard le Waleys, the Lord of
Stowey " (near Bridgwater). Le Waleys means the Wallace,
the stranger, perhaps the Welshman. Welsh, of course, means
stranger, and to the German-speaking people on the borders of
Italy the Italians are Welsh, Waelsch. There is a Drewley, in
Witham, and Drew is the personal name. Some of these local
names are in truth modern, as Paddoxmead was, says Mr.
Dickenson in a note in Kirby's Quest, named after John Padok
of Hurcott.2 If ancient, we must, like Stanton Drew, trace
back to a Drogo, as Drogo de Montacute, the young Dru, of
A.D. 1286. A mead is different from a leah, or lea. This in-
deed may include land covered with brushwood and a clearing,
while the former means mowing land (found in after-math),
its root meaning to mow (A. S. mawan, Gothic maitan). One
of the pretty shepherd's songs in Schiller's " Wilhelm Tell "
begins "Ihr Matten lebt wohl" — "Ye meadows farewell."
The words occur in Swiss place-names Zermatt, Andermatt.
But the name as a local designation is very infrequent, and

'Ringoldtswei is an ancient road along the eastern part of Golden Hill.
Mr. Dickinson (Preface to Kirby's Quest, p. xi., S.R.S., vol. 3) calls
it Reynold's way. ^Ibid., p. xxxii.

sometimes quite modern, as Stowey Mead. I do not know
a place-name in Somerset compounded with this word that is
ancient.

Edgerley, in Glastonbury, seems simply to be the ley of
some Edgar, that is, Eadgar, which was in point of fact a well-
known Mercian name. It is pronounced Eggerley ; but Egger
is the dipt form of Eadgar. This is included in Edersige, but
can scarcely be the same as the name of the manor Insula
Edersige adjacens GlastingberitB.^ Edersige embraced Egger-
ley and Wick, according to Eyton. We do not see easily how
Edgerley can be the same as Edersige. There is a further
interest in the name Edgerley, inasmuch as those who consider
that the battle of Ethandune (Edington) was fought in Somer-
set, and not in Wilts or elsewhere, identify Edgerley with the
Iglea of Alfred's night-halt. If Eggerlea was called Edglea,
and Iglea Idglea, the identification is not impossible, whether
it carry a long or only a short way to the historical conclusion
sought by a late writer in Blackwood's Magazine and by
others. Edersige still remains a separate name. It is Eadred
(sometimes Heardred) Island if we are to divide the syllables
Edersig, as seems most likely, or it may even be Eadredsig
as a proper name. Names in Sige (Sieg means victory) do
occur. A correspondent has most kindly pointed out a name
which we have not met with in any list — one doubtless among
many others of philological or racial interest — Brinsea or
Brinzey, " a low hill surrounded mostly by marsh land just
south of Congresbury." Bryn is a Celtic word meaning a hill.
Bryn-gwyn is a compound word meaning a "white hill."
" Sea " or " zey " then remains. This compound of a Celtic
and a Saxon root is not impossible but suspicious. Sea is very
frequently the ending of a personal name Sige, of Sig, and,
as a matter of fact, the name Beornsige, also spelt Byrnsi,
was a 9th century name. The consonants have been inter-
changed by Somerset tongues. From its situation it may
have been Beorn's-ige, but it is probably the full name,
Beorn-sige. Beorn is one of the commonest prefixes and
affixes in personal names, as in Beornheard, Osbeorn —
Bernard and Osborne.

^Domesday studies, Eyton, vol. ii., p. 41.

In Domesday Book of Somerset there are seven place-
names that are simply called Lega. Now this is a genitival
form of lay, ley, meaning unfilled land, Anglo-Saxon leah.
In the geld list of names of Somerset hundreds the names are
written in the genitive case, of which the final " e," with a
mark of contraction, is the sign. The Legas (i.e., " of Lea's ")
are Leigh, in Street; West Leigh and Chapel-leigh, in
Lydeard St. Lawrence; Lega for East Lynge or Lenge is
probably a mis-spelling; Abbot's Leigh; Lega in Milverton
is now only Leigh Farm ; Leigh in Winsham ; and Leigh in Old
Cleeve. We have a local name Barelegs, which is probably
just the corruption of Barelega or bare-leigh. There is also
a lega with no modern name of which Chepin was the tenant
in Carhampton hundred. This might be Chepin lea, Chapley.
Angersleigh appears to be Lega only in Domesday Book, and
then the name Anger must have been later superadded, for,
from their number, it is evident that distinctive names were
bound to grow up for " leas." It is spelt Angarslegh (1360-
1427) with a variant Aungers-legh. The modern personal
name is Ainger. The name in the form (as we take it) Ansger
is ancient in Somerset. There were no fewer than five of this
name tenants or officials recorded in Domesday Book. Ans-
gar is compound, " ans " a god, and " gar " a spear. " Ans "
is found, for instance, in Anshelm. We think there are ob-
scure traces of this name in several instances. Gaer Hill, in
Witham, may be Ansgar abbreviated or Osgar. What par-
ticular Ansgar or Angar, Ainger or Aunger, it was we do not
know who fixed his cognomen to Angers-leigh. Names sur-
vived or sank in the sea of time. Sometimes they reappear as
bits of wreckage. Hanger, a sloping meadow or wood, as an
affix is different. A collection of them with their prefixes is
interesting. In the 15th century is the will of a Thomas Ainger.

Mudgeley, in Wedmore, is derived by Mr. Harvey, in the
Wedmore Chronicle, from Mote-ley, the lea on which the
" mote " or folk meeting or council was held. This con-
jecture is made on the strength of a spelling in the time of
Queen Elizabeth, Muddes-ley, and in the early 14th century
(Nomina Villarum) it is Modesle. It is difficult if not im-
possible to see how an original " mote-lea " could grow into
Mudgeley. There is a Midgeley near Halifax, a Midgeham

in Berks. It is true that there is a Midgehill near Chelvey
which (D.B.) is Megela. This is the personal name Maegla,
and Mudgeley, Midgehill, is spelt Mudgill and Muggil.
Maeg is a frequent name which may be ultimately of Celtic
origin. Its modern form is Magg, and, of course, with the
" s " makes a less intelligible name, Maggs. Mycg is no doubt
a " midge," and so Midgehill is popularly considered to be so
called on account of the number of the teasing ephemeral
insects which were, as supposed, very abundant. Now the
full name of Maeg, Magg, Meg, and Maggs, is probably
Madacho, an old German name, and there is the Celtic
Madoc and Madog, which is the same with the Welsh trans-
mutation of the initial consonant, as Badoc. There is the
spelling Madsley in A.D. 1604. Madogs-ley may easily be
rendered popularly Madsley or Mudgeley, according to the
particular fashion of shortening prevailing at the time.

Tunley is not mentioned in Domesday Book, unless it is.
(as Eyton takes it) in the extraordinary Domesday spell-
ing, Tumbeli. Now the searchers for modern manors to cor-
respond with the ancient ones, or to fit in with five-hide unit
theories of which frankly we know nothing, make Tumbeli
the modern Ubley. Collinson, however, identifies it
with Tunley. As Elm became Telm, so Ubley was
written Tumbeli ! Now Telm is At or Adhelm shortened,
as we think. Tumbeli may easily be the nasal pronunciation
of Tunley. Collinson was very likely right whatever may be
the difficulties as regards the attempt to sort the Domesday
manors, and identify them on some consistent principle.^
Tumbeli is Tump-lea, a small, round hill is a tump, or
more likely still a shortened form of the personal name
Tunbeald. This is what we think it is. Tunley is thus a much
shortened word, but we see this abbreviation so often that
this raises no difficulty save to find out, where possible, what
the longer original word really was. We have nothing to do
with the identification of manors save as they help us to track
a name for a century or two or more.

Ubley. There is no doubt from the persistence of the

^See Mr. Bates-Harbin's able and interesting- papers on the Five-hide Unit.
Som. Arch. Soc. Proceedings, where, as Eyton does, he identifies with
Ubley.

double spellings Obbe and Ubbe, as well as (with a single "b")
Obeleygh, that the name is personal, but not necessarily the
great Viking Dane. The name Obba occurs frequently as a
Mercian and a Wessex name as Oba, and in the 14th century
there is the name, in a list, of a parish priest named Obba.
Richard de Hoveden says that Hubba the Dane was buried at
Cynwich, and " near Combwich, on the Parret, is a tumulus,
by some considered more likely to be his grave than the
mound at Stogursey." " Upper Cock Farm " is presumed to
be a corruption of Ubba-Cocs, or Ubba's heap. Of Cynwich,
Combwich, and Cynwit, involved in the controversy of the
battle of Edington, we have elsewhere spoken.

Warleigh, in Bathford, may be the " leigh " on the weare.
" Wor " also means a swamp. There is a Worminster, spelt
Warmester, where Court Barons were held up to the 16th
century in Dinder, which seems to be a corruption of a per-
sonal name, " Waermodestre," or Waermunds; as Warleigh
is probably " Woria " as a personal name found in " Worle,"
and perhaps Worspring (Woodspring) or Wor(I) springea, or
Worle's plantation. There is a Wirrall in Cheshire. There
are Worle Hill (and the ridiculous explanation of Worrall
as Weary-all hill), Worlebury, and Worleston. Worla, Wor,
and Worr (Warr and Weare) are all personal names. There
are many other Leighs. Cotleigh is Cotta or Goda's Lea.
Bonnyleigh in Beckington is Bonna's Lea, with which the
numerous Bonhills (in Chew) and Bonhams (in Stourton) may
be compared. There is the name " Buna " in the Liber Vit<B,
and there are those who own to the name " Bunn." Bine-ham,
in Long Sutton, and Bin-ham, in Old Cleeve, are relics of the
name " Beana," as in Banwell and Beana-hanger, i.e., Bine-
gar. Chip-ley, in Milverton, is Ceob (Cheob) lea, and Bick-
ley is Bica, a Saxon name, as in " Bickanhulle," Bickenall.

CHAPTER IX.
Wicks.

The place-names ending in wic and wick are not so simple
as the tyro in place-names, desirous of a short cut, supposes.
They are of diverse origin. It is not easy to determine which
of the possibilities is present, so far is it from the simplicity of
a mere alternative. It is true that wick denotes a hamlet or
inhabited place, usually with relation to the principal place
with which it is connected. But this easy method leads the
amateur astray. We may instance Stanton Wick. A spelling
preserves the real origin, Stanton-eswick, which is run into
one word, and become Stantoneswick. This Eswick is for
Aes-cwig, the name of an Abbot of Bath, A.D. 965. Here,
then, it is not a township, but an abbreviation. Stantones-
wick is difificult to account for as a genitive form unless the
name Stanton were supposed to be a personal name. It is,
indeed, not unlikely that Leo is right in asserting that only a
small proportion of the whole of the wicks refer to cultivation
and the inhabited place ; Wic (long i, and related to the Ger-
man " weich " soft) mostly denotes marsh land. Wic, a town-
ship, is a root referred to the same origin as the Latin viciis.
In Gothic it is veihs; in old German wich; and In Frisian,
from which we get our form, it is wlk. Occasionally it is re-
ferred to "wice," the mountain ash. Those places on the
seashore visited by Vikings are called wics, where there is a
bay that bends in, or a creek or inlet from the sea. The wych
elm is so called because it bends downwards. It is gracefully
pendulous. Wicker baskets are from pliable withies, and (to
moralise, with the reader's forgiveness for a moment) wicked-
ness is pliability or weak-ness. To add to the embarassment
of choice there Is the personal name Weeks, Week, connected
with Wig war, and found disguised in numerous modern
names ; for instance, Wyatt for WIg-od. Weeks' Green, in
Bishop's Sutton, is from a personal name. Sometimes we think
that these Weeks' must be the last of the West-Country race.

the Gewiccas. Besides, some of these personal names may be
hero names. Wicg is Anglo-Saxon for a horse, and Wicga for
a beetle. Names are sometimes given from some fancied
flattering resemblance, or derisively. In the Durham Liber
VitcB are the personal names Uicga (WIcga), and the Frisian
form Wicco. We need not be surprised if we find then such
common personal names as Wicks, Weeks, Wigg, Wickenden.

The Wichs, therefore, in Berrow, Camerton, Langport,
Glastonbury, Spaxton, Stanton Drew, Yatton, Mark, Otter-
hampton, Beckington, and others in a perambulation of the
whole county, are not to be settled off-hand as to the origin
of the name in each several case. Woodwich (Domesday
Book Udewica), in Freshford, as a village and a parish is now
destroyed. There are fields called Woodward, which thus
bears some trace of the name. This is probably not the wick
in the wood as the amateur would be likely to conclude, but
quite possibly Wodwig, in which the first component is a
reminiscence of the name " Wodan." Bathwick is most likely
the hamlet in relation to the larger place. This is usually
clear when quite locally and manorially connected. In
Domesday Book it is simply Wica, that is Wic with probably
long vowel. In the Nomina Villarum (1315) it is Batewyke.
Alured de Wica (1084) had this " de " from his connection
with Bathwic, as set forth in Domesday Book.

Swainswick is not in Domesday. It is hidaged in some other
manor. There we find, however, that three thegns held Tad-
wick, which are places close together. This latter name is in
Domesday Book as Tatewica. It is (in the names of vills)
spelt Catewyk and Tatwick. The letters " c " and " t " are so
much alike in medieval MSS. that they are often confused.
It is also found as " Tata Wick in the hundred of Bath." It
is Tatewick (Richard II.) and Tatwyk (Henry VI.) and Tat-
wicke (Elizabeth). So that although Catewyk has an inter-
pretation alongside other names in Cat and Cad, as elsewhere
mentioned, there is no doubt that it is "Tat-wick." It is
illuminative further to find the first component in other
place-names, as e.g., Tat-worth, in Chard; Tad-hill, near
Wookey; Tat-ton, in Kingston; and Ted-bury, in Elm. Fur-
ther afield, and out of the county, are Tad-ley, near South-
ampton ; Tadlow, near Cambridge ; and Tedston. Tat-ton, in

Kingston, as, perhaps, the Somerset Domesday Book name
found as Tedinton, i.e., Tedan-ton. Spellings in the reign of
Henry II. are Tuthington and Tothindone, which might
easily be falsely interpreted as Tything-down. Teddington,
on the Thames, with its famed locks, is well known, while
the Somerset Teddington is an obscure spot. This survey of
the component name is abundant. It is clearly the personal
Frisian name Tad, Tada. The root of this personal name is
not perhaps tod, a fox, e.g., Tad-caster is interpreted as the
" foxes' camp," and Tedstone, in Herefordshire, as " the fox-
town." Tedstone has two additional attractive names, Ted-
stone Delamere and Tedstone Wafre, which we should feel
disposed to stop and look at; but they are not in Somerset.
However, this Tedstone is in Domesday Book Toddes-thorn.
Nor is the root word tad a toad. It is Dad and Tad, which
means a progenitor. But it is clearly a personal name, and
very ancient, going back to primitive roots and the first articu-
lation of babyhood. It may be added Tate-wick has, with a
far search for meaning, been explained as Tythe-wick — that is,
a tithing. Obviously there has been no wide comparison of
names before arriving at such a conclusion as to the meaning.
The wick appears to be in this case clearly derivable from the
word vicus, a hamlet, as part of Sweynswick. And of this we
may say that, not in Domesday, it is in the Taxatio Ecclesias-
tica (1291) as Sweyn-burh and Wyk, in which, therefore, the
burgh has become obsolete, and the wyk (clearly the hamlet)
has attached itself to the personal name Sweyn (i.e., Swegn).
This is Danish. Of course, there were any number of
Swegens, Swains, Suyns, and Sweyns; but the name does not
date in England earlier than the middle of the eleventh cen-
tury. Perhaps this particular Swegen who has left his name
here in Somerset was the son of Earl Godwine, who was Ear!
of Hereford, Gloucestershire, Oxford, and, be it well marked,
also of Somerset, about (A.D. 1043) the middle of the 11th
century. If so, it is interesting enough to find such a relic.
Standerwick is a disguise if Domesday Book is right, as it
clearly is, in its form Estarerewicca. The vowel at the begin-
ning and at the ending are merely the Norman tricks of spell-
ing to soften the harsh double vowels, and so you get Stalrwic,

or Stalr-wic. It was formerly a manor. There is now Stander-
wick Court in Beckington, near Frome. The spellings are in
the names of vills {Nomina Villarum), Sandewick, which is
corrupt, and there is also Stanwyck ; but, as if for recovery of
a clue, in the Exchequer lay-subsidies we find the spelling
" Staunrwike." We see that one consonant has got substi-
tuted for another, and a substitution which is not infrequent,
" 1 " and " n " in careless speech. The Domesday spelling
clearly saves us from going quite astray. Stallere is not a
proper name, though it may have become so in Stallard. A
stallere is a marshal, a stabularius, a master of the horse, and
so an official, a governor of a place. When in the summer of
A.D. 1086 the sons of Harold sailing from Ireland had failed
in their attempt on Bristol they returned to plunder the sea-
board of Somerset, they found themselves confronted by
" Eadnoth the Stallere." Eadnoth, with his variously spelt
name, Alnod, Ednod (that is the original form of " Ealhd-
noth ") was called Dapifer, Constable, and Stallere. He was
not the only stallere (which was the name under Harold), but
quite possibly this Standerwick was his manor, though under
the Confessor the owner's name is Smeyn, and we find that
" Smewine " was, as appears, an extant name.

It is certainly enticing when we find that William the Con-
queror called the official name of his Stabularius or Stallere
by the queer name of Eke, to find that Eastwick, in Camerton,
in the ancient hundred of Wellow, is Ecchewica. This is
Ekewick according to Mr. Whale. Mr. Eyton has also an
obsolete place-name, Ecwicke, spelt Hecuiwicca, in the hun-
dred of Bempstone. But the latter is put with a query by Mr.
Whale as equivalent to Ellwick, in Blagdon. Ashwick is spelt
Escuuica (Escwica) in the hundred of Kinmaersdon (Kilmers-
don), and is, of course, as before said, the personal name
Aescwig, and has nothing to do with the word wick in any of
its possible senses. Escwicke could, without much difficulty,
find itself transformed into a place "east" of somewhere.
But according to our present considerations Eastwick, as
Ekewick, was the residence or wick of an eke or stabularius or
stallere. In Hecuiwicca the aspirate at the commencement
and the closing vowel are otiose, and the name is clearly the

same, Ecwic or Ekewic. Elhvick is another name. It is the
personal name Ealdwig, name of bishop, priest, and common
man. Nor can we lose sight of the fact that attractive as is the
idea of the Eke's or marshal's hamlet, that Eccewic and
Hecwic are probably the personal name Ecgwig. The original
Ecgwig would not know himself as Eastwick in the present-
day form of the name. Ellwick is in Blagdon, and either
the same or hard by is Alduuica (Aldwica), closely connected
with Ragiol (Redghill) manorially, and set down as in But-
combe (Budi-coma). This is the same name, Ealdwig. This
is, we believe, known as Aldwick, the modern designation.

Shapwick^ appears in the Domesday spelling in the extra-
ordinary shape Sapoes-wick. Sapoesuuica is an unusual form.
We find, however. Carta Adelhardi Regis de Shapwick. Peo-
ple were kings on the smallest provocation in those days.
Adelhard was in fact " squire " of Shapwick. In a supposed
charter of King Ina we find the spelling Scapewick. These
forms at least give us the tradition. Probably the Domesday
form is meant for Scepes-wick, and there is a rare name,
Scapius, which, however, must be the same name, Skepe, that
is, Sceaf and Sceaft. We have already noted, however, that
Shipham, in another part of the country (in the hundred of
Winterstoke), is spelt Sipe-ham. Shepton Beauchamp is
Scep-tona, and Shepton Mallet, Sepe-tona. These are all
alike founded in the personal name Sceaft and Skepe. Shap-
wick is then Sceafwick, or Sceaf's hamlet. If, however, the
Domesday spelling is original and correct, this must be a form
of the name Saeba, which is found as a shortened form of
Saebeorht. It is thus Saebeorht, or Saebas-wick.

Shockerwick, also spelt Shakerwick in the 17th century,
ought to be the originating place of the Shakers. But earlier
spellings are Sokerwyk, Sokerwickes, Sokwyk, and Scho-
kewig. The name is Socawig. Soca is a Saxon name in A.D.
958. Soc, in Soc Dennis, is spelt in Domesday Book Socca
and Socche, which is just this name. The name also occurs in
Soc Dennis.

Sewardwick is in Compton Dando. Seward has in the 17th
century been made intelligible as " Steward's wick." This is

^There is a Shapwick Pleng in Dorset.

comfortable, as we have no difficulty in knowing what a
steward is. However, Saward and Seward are the names of
Domesday tenants. One of this name was Saxon owner of
Stringston, and another of Remington, while still a third,
Seward Hundrannus, was lord of Adber, in Trent. The name
is interesting in Compton Dando (like that of Saint Wulfric
the hermit there) as one of the English-born thanes who kept
his place at Adber over the conquest and enjoyed his own.
Hundrannus means the hundred man. The name Hawker, or
Hundred man, would attach to any " gheld-collector."
There was thus a Seward in Compton, whether the same or
not.^ But now in A.D. 1405 is the strange form Zevereswyk in
this village, which we cannot think is the same word. This
reminds us of the modern name Seviour, which is old Norse
Sebar, Sevar, Saebiorn, the Sea-bear, as a viking name. What
identification there may be possible we know not, but this
being interpreted looks like Seviour's-wick.

There is a Berwick in Somerset found in Stoford and Bere-
wyk in the names of vills, and Berwick is the name of an
old hundred. It is said that Barwick as a manorial name was
left out of Domesday Book in error. The situation is between
Yeovil and Sutton. It is generally explained to mean " the
fenced village " from bar and wick. It must, however, be
remembered that Bere was a personal name, as in " Beer "
Crocombe, and there must be some good reason why a par-
ticular place should be a barred place. This is likely enough
as to " Berwick "-on-Tweed.

Hone-wyk must cast in its lot with the place-names in Hun.^
It was not a place for honey above all others, and Yatewick,
in the hundred of Wellow, may find a place among the Goths
from Geat. But Geat also means a way or road. It has now
descended to a monosyllable, and is known as Wick Farm.
Grobbes-wyk, in Compton Dando, is Grobbe, short for Gaer-
burh as a personal name.

^It is interesting- to show the persistence of names in a parish and find the
last of this name in this place died lately (Aug., 1913). ^See Chapter
on Racial Names.

CHAPTER X.

Hays.

Leah, the old German loh (still a provincial word, though
not in the literary speech), means really a morass, a low plain,
and an open field. It claims kinship with lucus, the Latin for
a glade, and accordingly in the primitive conditions of Saxon
cultivation it is usually (like feld and veldt) employed to denote
an open piece of grass land, unencumbered with brushwood,
as feld might be. But in Haga we pass away from the designa-
tions of uncultivated ground to the idea of enclosure. Some
of these words define the nature of the Saxon settlement. For
instance, tun never means the fence itself, but only the area
enclosed. It may include only a garden in Wyrt tun, or be a
herb garden. It is a characteristic Saxon word. And the en-
closures were not quickset hedges, but of stoc or timber.
Hedges were Celtic in origin. The Anglo-Saxon settlers
accommodated themselves to the British " d — d land of
hedges." And, indeed, the greater part of our present fences,
or a very large part, came in with the Georgian Enclosure
Acts. Billingsley, in his Agriculture of Somerset, describes
the era of hedge-making and ditch-making, which for a while
afforded abundant work to the poor man whose common was,
for satisfactory reasons, taken from him in those days. The
peculiar appropriateness of tun is that it is nearly always con-
joined with a personal name. It is " my tun," as it is " my
heim " or home. Different is the word ham, with a short,
sharp vowel. It is connected with hemmen, to enclose, and
so a hamme is an enclosure, whether forest, field, meadow,
swamp, reed-bank, or morass. And it is the exact opposite
of wurd or worth in the ending we so frequently meet with in
place-names. Other words of enclosure are burg, burh, mean-
ing any kind of fastness, natural or artificial. By, bolt, thorp,
are words not common in Somerset. Still, they do occur,
as in Battel-Gore, buttel, a village, and Thrub-well, or
Thorpe-well. No doubt " cote " (though there are cases of

intelligible assimilation where an unusual name has not been
understood) signifies a humble dwelling, as Healh possibly
does a stone edifice of more pretensions. This is the meaning
given to Ealh and Healh by Leo^, who says that it generally
signifies the house of a king or palace, and its original signifi-
ation was temple. In a boundary definition of A.D. 814 there
is mention of a Cyning's healh. When, however, we find the
personal name Heal, and the territorial Heallinga, the origin
from a personal appelative accounts for the place-names in
cases, as elsewhere referred to. It is difficult to think that
Healh and Heal are distinct words. Seta and seota mean a
settler or squatter, or even enclosed pasture grounds, and in
Somerset place-names we find this word in the county name
Sumersaetas. A Westensaeta is not a settler at Weston, but
a " settler in the waste," and it is observed that this is how
we get some Westons that are west of everywhere. Stede is
another such word, as in homestead, but a survey of our
county place-names does not give us specimens, of which some
counties afford a plentiful supply.

Now, Haga meant a lesser estate, or even a single field.
The strong masculine inflection hege (gen), heges, or heages
signifies a hedge or fence. In Germany there are many names
of places ending in hag. It is a name frequent in Domesday
Book as a territorial definition. A hayne, too, is an enclosure,
as a park, and to hayne up is to remove all animals from a
field or ground to let the grass grow for hay. Hayne is found
in old English books relating to forests. Haga is obviously
allied to our word hedge; a "haw-haw" is a sunk fence. A
Hayward is a hedge-warden, but not of quickset hedges, but
of boundaries of properties. It by no means follows that the
name Hayward is always from the employment. Hayward as
a personal name may represent an old Saxon name Agward,
and old German Eguard, became spelt as pronounced, Ay-
ward, Eahward, and then aspirated. The Heigrove men-
tioned below is possibly the name Ecg-grove. Ag is a root, a|,
ac, ec meaning point edge. The relations of the word are
sufficiently clear from all this.

An obsolete manor in Ston Easton, called in Domesday

^Leo ; Anglo-Saxon Names of Places, pp. 52-53.

Book Haia, has left, as we believe, a relic of itself in the name
Hay Street. No doubt it is, locally, mysterious why the spot
or road should be so called. It has nothing to do with cattle
food, nor is it connected with the word of which we have been
speaking. It might be a Hag, or Hay, as an enclosed property.
Clearly here it is the personal name Haga, or Hago. Hagana
was a common name. Hagebert becomes Haicbert. Haga
is pronounced Haia. Thus it was an owner's name. Street
is, of course, an early word, as early as the Roman roads,
stratum.

Nor is this the only instance in which there has been assimi-
lation calculated to mislead. We may refer to the instance of
Avishayes, which Mr. Pullan interprets as Bird-hays. It is
true that avis is Latin for a bird, but how remote such a de-
rivation is from likelihood only a little reflection convinces
us. The truth is that Avishays is a corruption of the personal
name Avicia. Before the Puritan era of Scripture names set
in our forefathers were very fond of giving their girls quite
curious names, as they seem to us. In five minutes in the 13th
century we pick out such names as Idonia, Dionysia, Sabina,
Mariota, Alvina, Avicia, and others we have noted in Some
Ancient Female Names in Somerset.^ Avis-hayes is Avicia's,
or less likely Avice hayes. Avicia is in an old German
Namenbuch (Name-book) Avagisa, of which each part is
interpretable.

Doverhay, we have already suggested, may be an interesting
relic of the Celtic saint name S. Dyfrig (Dubritius). We hope
that this is so, and that the suggestion is a right one. But it
is to be observed that the spelling Doveri may be a form of
the word Defer, as found written in Domesday Book, Devre.
Kemble regards this as a Celtic word, connected with the
Welsh words dyfrau, to water, dyjredig, watered, dyfr-dir,
wet-land, dyfr-lan, a water brink, dyfr-le, the bed of a river.
Defer is said to be probably the Anglo-Saxon pronunciation
of dwjr, water, plural dyfroedd, waters.^ Micheldever is de-
rived from this word, as also is Dover, and Condover in
Salop (Cendefer).

Now Sparkhaies is also in Porlock, and here we clearly have

^Times and Mirror Article. '^Leo : Anglo-Saxon Names of Places, p. 70, note.

the personal name as in Sparkford and Spraccombe. There
was a family of Sparkes, " going back to the early Edwards. "^
As in Sparkford we may here say the original name is Spraga,
of the Liber VitcB, and the old Norse Sprakr. Sprack and
Spark are simply instances of the interchange of consonants,
as any sprack or lively person will see. Here clearly, as in
many other local names which we have not personally heard
of, the Hays are distinguished usually by the owner's name.
Sometimes they are Hays, as in Stowey, without a qualifying
prefix, and almost everywhere in Somerset locally known as
Westhay, Easthay, Uphay, Culverhay. There is a Heigrove
in what was the manor of Bridgwater, a Hayne in Otterford.
Hey don, near Taunton, appears to be a shortening of a longer
name, Hayder-don, which we should think was an abbrevia-
tion of Hahweard, or Haward; this is the same name as
Heahweard.

Screedhay, in Milverton, is an example. Screed is the same
as Scard and Scarth as a personal name. Those who know the
Somerset twists will understand how the curious name Screed
would become Scard. No doubt, Tauber^ is right in his new
researches into mountain names in tracing the element skra
to a root meaning rock. He instances Skaraborg, in Norway,
named from its jagged rocks. Sera is said by Mr. Edmunds
to mean a " sea swallow." So perhaps a Viking called his
vessel " the Sea Swallow." The former is correct. We do not
find this latter in Larsen's Dansk-Norsk Dictionary.

^History of Part of West Somerset : Chadwick Healey. "^Neuen-Gebirgsnamen
Forchungen,

CHAPTER XI.

Ways and Oaks.

Stowell, in the hundred of Hawthorne, near Templecombe,
is Estanwella in Domesday Book, and Stanwelle in Kirby's
Quest, and Stawell in the Nomina Villarum (1315), and
Stawell, near Moorlinch, in the old (D.B.) hundred of
Locheslei (Lox-ley), is Esta-wella. The latter is four miles
from Bridgwater across the moors. Besides this there is the
hamlet of Staw-ley, on the River Tone, near Wellington,
which at the Conquest was a moor. The Domesday spellings
are Staweia and Stawei, which in Kirby's Quest (14th century)
is Stawleye, and in the 16th century becomes Staw-ligh and
Stau-ligh, while the two Stoweys, upper and nether, are Estal-
weia (D.B.). Besides this there is a Stowe Farm and a Stowey
in Yatton. In the Nomina Villarum, Stowey, in the hundred
of Chew, is Staweie. A grant of land^ by Richard Le Waleys
(the place-name " Wales " may be compared) to the abbot of
Michelney (A.D. 1255) of his domain at Staweie yields
another place of this name, called by Collinson,^ Stawe, which
is in the parish of Fivehead. It is also mentioned in the Feet
of Finest There is Stow-ley also in Luxborough.

Of these names, Stowell is usually accounted for by the form
Stan-well, meaning Stonewell, either (it is suggested) because
of the presence of a well, built of stone, or because of the
chemical properties of the water turning things to stone. In
Stowey, near Chew, a water-spring coats vegetable matter
with a hard accretion. In this way we note that the Stowell
in the hundred of Bradley, county of Gloucester, is explained.
And, for the Somerset Stowell, a spring near the church is
adduced in evidence. There may be more, but there Is at
least another Stowell, in Wiltshire, six miles from Marl-
borough. We do not know the aboriginal spelling of this,
but in Mr. Taylor's Gloucestershire Domesday Studies,

^Cartulary of Miichelney Abbey, S.R.S., p. 87. ''■CoVAwson.: History of Somerset,
i., 40. ^/Vrf^ji^tmiare, 47 Henry III., 70, S.R.S.

Stowell, in that county, is spelt Stanuelle. This and Stawell
are alike in Somerset Estan-wella, for in the case of Stawell
(Esta-welle) there is clearly the elision of the consonant, and
it should be spelt Estan-wella. We confess our strong in-
clination to regard these names as relics of the personal name
Eastan, or Athelstane, and we do not mean here Athelstane
Rex, for Gloucestershire had its Athelstane Dux, and Somer-
set and Wilts also its Athelstane Dux, and there was an Athel-
stane about A.D. 967 who is designated Semirex, a monk of
Glastonbury; and Athelstane Comes in Somerset and Wilts;
and an Eahlstan, Bishop of Sherborne, in the 9th century;
and without further words, the name was frequent, popular,
and local. And, in our opinion, these names may be traces.
It is said that the Stowells came into possession of this
property soon after the Conquest. We do not know what
this may mean. The three place-names contain the element,
Estan, Stan, and welle may be a form of wila, a hamlet, as
Pedwell, near Greinton, is Pedwilla. But for this spelling,
most persons would be satisfied to say that Stowell means a
village, and so the meaning is simply the "village well."^
Stawley, near Wellington, on the borders of Devon, stands
alone in Somerset and out of it, and so do the several
Staweias so far as we have been able to make out by search.
At least the gazetteers do not take note of any such names
out of the county ; and it will be observed that Stawley is given
as Domesday Book Staweia and Stawei, and it becomes Staw-
ley in the 14th Century, or it may be earlier. In the Nomina
Villarum it is spelt Stauleye. In Staweia we perceive the usual
consonantal elision, and we should be inclined to suppose
that it was " n " that had dropped out, i.e., Stanweia, and
then the explanation usually given is that a Stone-way was a
Roman road. This might pass if it were not that, by the
several authorities. Nether Stowey is read in the remarkable
form Estalweia in Domesday Book. This is accompanied by
a note informing us that Nether Stowey was " added to the
lands of Aluui " (Alwi, modern name Olvey and Holvey).

^In a history of the family of Stowell the author interprets "East-well,"
omitting to note that the initial vowel, as frequent examples show, is a
euphonic vowel before two consonants, as the final vowel is euphonic
by Norman spellers ; and so the form is " Stan- well."

Then we are tempted to interpret the name as East Aluui.
But this is clearly only a curious coincidence, as the other
names, Staweia, show, and as the definite and significant
ending, weia, clearly indicates. A collection of the words
ending in weia in the boundary lists of charters and the for-
estal perambulations gives us a strange assortment of names
of ancient roads and ways worth further investigation. Only
occasionally do you come across a Magna Strata, and get the
survival in Street and Stratton (D.B., Stratona), with the quite
needless explanation " on the fosse way." And there is Over
Stratton, in South Petherton (D.B., Stratona). They are
often called by names of persons, and you ask, " Who was
Ringold?" in such a boundary name as Ringoldt's weia (also
spelt welle). Stawley, with the original spelling Stawei,
is indirect evidence of the existence of the form Stalwei, of
which Stawley exhibits the usual, or not unusual, misplace-
ment of the consonants. Staweit is a mere mis-spelling.
Stowey, as Stalweg and Sta-weia, means (if we repeat) "the
steep way"; and it is steep out of Stowey juxta Chew.

Of Stewleys there seem to be several in Somerset. There
is a Stewley, alias Stileway, in Meare. This Stile-way means
" the steep way " ; in fact, Stowey over again. There is the
name, whether the same or different, of Stiveley and Stive-
leigh and Stivel-ligh (in 1580) in a forestal perambulatory of
Neroche, and there is the name in Ashill, Stewley. In the
self-same perambulation we drop across the " hamlet of
Estafway." Among the Somerset chapelries there is also a
grant of a private chapel to Sir William Everard, of Stiveleg.
The date is A.D. 1262. This is a portion of the civil parish of
Ashill (curiously spelt Hashull in the names of villas, making
us think Ashill is a corruption of Hasle, the personal name).
Stewley is, therefore. Stive-leg or Stiue-leg, and "stive" and
" staf " are the same as stab, a staff, and thereby reminding us
of the name Stavordale. The meadow was staff-marked, and
so was the way in Staf-way. No one would guess this from
the form, Stewley, which shows that Stiue-ley was read as
Stiw-ley, not Stew-ley, and then this is (as is most likely) the
same as Stile-way and Stowey, the steep way.

Wookey, Oaktrow.— It seems odd to bring these two place-
names together. Wookey and Wookey Hole are so well

known, while Oaktrow is a hamlet in Cutcomb, of which we
suppose that many never heard. Our reason for doing this
is that in Domesday Book Oaktrow is actually spelt Woche
treu — whatever " treu " (usually rendered by trow) may
mean, whether treu, i.e., trev, tref, Celtic for a village, or
treo, for treou, a tree, or a softened ending of a personal
name in trud. How does Woche differ from Wookey?
Wookey is, almost without question, usually derived from
Ogos and Ogo. Vugg, or voog, is a natural cavity in a mine
sometimes "found beautifully encrusted with minerals." The
various spellings of this Cornish word are worth recording.
They are vooga, vou, vugga, vug, vugh, vugo, fogo, fo-gru,
fou, goo-goo, ogov, and ogo. Vooga, or some such form,
can avowedly easily become Wookey, or the Woche of
Domesday Book now called Oaktrow. Some of the early
spellings (Edward I.) are Wokey and Wooky, and then there
are other varieties, as Okey, Okye, Wokey, Woky, and
Wookye. Wookey Hole with such a derivation is clearly a
doublet for Wookey, which itself means a hole. The name
Wokyhol is found in A.D. 1290: "Lands in Wokyhol"
(grant by Richard de Bamfield, Canon of Wells).

We have never thought to question so apparently satis-
factory an explanation until we lighted upon Woche-trev as
the Domesday representative of Oaktrow. Oaktrow should,
on the same principles, be Okey or Wookey-trev, or cave
village. Is it? Wochetrev (Oaktrow) is, we note, the
spelling of a Norman clerk. In the well-known Wookey we
are not helped by either a Domesday spelling or by the list
in the Taxatio Ecclesiastica. And the earliest spellings appear
to be in the reign of the Edwards, and Wookyhol in A.D. 1296
is cited. Our belief is that a Saxon personal name is at the
base of both these place-names. We meet with the personal
name Wookey in Somerset. It is easy to say that this name
is derived from the place. This is often so, of course,
and is frequently traceable; but in many cases, where this
is assumed without further consideration, we believe that
investigation shows that an ancient personal name is very
often at the back of both. The " w " is no difficulty, whether
you take the Celtic derivation of Ogos or a Saxon name
like the Frisian name Hoco, found in the names Hockey,

Hook. These names become also Hug, Hue, and, with a
diminutive, Hocgit, which is not far from the mediseval
Hodges. Now, in the fourteenth century names of manors,
in Kirby's Quest and Feet of Fines, and the like, we find
these forms, Hickestok, i.e., Hig-stoke, in Cannington
Hundred; but what it now is or was in Domesday survey
we cannot say. It is said to be identifiable with Idstock. In
the ancient hundred of Andredesfield is Oggeshole, Hocges-
hollow (1315). That is Hoeg, which has no Domesday re-
presentation, and we do not know whether the name is now
entirely obsolete. In the Exchequer Lay Subsidies is Hoc-
combe, in the hundred of Taunton. Unless this is the
place-name, Acha (D.B.), Oak, there is no Domesday repre-
sentative. And again in this document we also find Oggesole.
And there are the forms Hoggeshole and Heggeshole, there
is Aggeshall in the County of Suffolk, and Agthorpe in
Yorkshire. We connect all these names together as having
the form Hoc, Occo, as in Ocingas and Hoccingas, at their
base. The "w" sound before "o" is added after the
fashion of the Somerset dialect, as, e.g., "the wull of it" for
"the whole of it." It is Wessex speech. The well-known place-
name, Woking, has thus the same derivation in personal
nomenclature as Woky and Oaktrow. Oaktrow is thus an
interesting disguise, and is not simply the " oak tree,"
memorable for somewhat or other, of which there is no
record. Thus we do not feel happy about these words Oak-
hill and other Oaks unless we can find out how the name
really originated. It is interesting to find that in the county
of Essex there is a place-name Agley which a writer on
place-names takes to be a corruption of Oakley. The two
names struggle for mastery on local guideposts. It is Oakley
which is the corruption, and "Ug" as a forgotten personal
name which is the original. But then, people do not like their
village called by such a name of opprobrium, Ugley, any
more than, say, the " hell-bottom " for Hill or Healh bottom.
The spelling of Oak as a place-name in Domesday Book
is Accha in the Exeter and Ache in the Exchequer Domesday
Book. The modern German for oak is Eiche, and the
Saxon is Ac. The particular reason for calling a place by
this name can usually only be conjectured. There was a

mighty oak or some memorable event under the oak, or it
was a boundary mark. Oak, a parish three miles south-east
of Milverton, is, in Domesday Book, Accha. There is no
apparent reason why it should be so called. And, Indeed,
Acca was a very common Wessex and Somerset immigrant
name in the eight and ninth centuries. Nor is it certain
that this, as a personal name, is taken from the oak as a
symbol of strength or manhood. Some of those names rather
hark back to a form Ag, Ac, Ecg, an edge or point.

There is an obsolete manorial name whose identification
is doubtful. Mr. Whale gives Accheleia as Oakley, in Chil-
thorne Domer, and the various spellings — Achileium in the
Gheld Inquest, Achelaia in the Exon Domesday, and Achelai
in the Exchequer — represent the name of an estate (accord-
ing to Eyton) now only known as Hurst, in Martock. We
are only concerned about the name. It is plainly Accha leia;
that is, Akey's lea, as a personal name. The name Ake-man
is, in full, Ecg-mund. Oakley, in Chilthorne Domer, is not
in Domesday Book, but is Okele in the names of vills.
Okele and Okel and Acle (in Norfolk) are frequent names.
In the Lay Subsidies (Edward III.) Oakley is spelt the same
as Acle, in Norfolk, by the sounding deep blue North Sea,
as we remember as a boy. It is the shortening of a personal
name. Perhaps Osketel, Oscytel, became Oikel, Okele, and
then was interpreted as Oakley. Oke-le scarcely represents
Oak-lea, nor would this be, so late, spelt Acle. We do not
know whether Oakhill is a modern name. We have not
fallen across its ancient track.

In the same document there is "Fayrok," in Berkeley
(D.B., Berche-lee). The place-name is now Fairoak. Berche-
lee is the Birch meadow, as usually taken; Fayrok is, how-
ever, a disguise of the compound Saxon name, Faerecg. We
have explained faer and ecg as to their etymological meaning.
Already mentioned, we may add that Eastwick, of Camer-
ton, as the Domesday Book spelling shows, is not " Wick
to the east " of somewhere, but the personal name, with
the same syllable in it — Ecg, Ecchewig.

CHAPTER XII.

Mount and Hill Names — Polden, Mendip and
Quantock.

The general rule with regard to mountain and river names
is that they have a Celtic origin. This is true of many
widely-spread European names. We might initially expect
that Somerset mountain and stream names would prove no
exception to this extensive rule. If Polden were derived
from Pwll, a pool found in such place-names as Pill, and
dun, a hill or down, then both these words are not Celtic;
Pwll is a Saxon loan word to Welsh. A more elaborate
Celtic explanation is that given in a paper published in the
Proceedings of the Somerset Archcsological Society, in
which Polden is explained in harmony wtih its physical
situation. Pol is, according to this, an example of that
mutation of letters which is so profound a mystery to all
but the born Welshman. For example, as in the present
case " P " will in certain collocations of vowels and conson-
ants become " M." The mutations are too kaleidoscopic
for untutored intelligence, and quite bewilder the sober and
solid Saxon. The original form on these principles is Moel-
y-don, and changed to Voel-y-don, and by a further muta-
tion to Poldon. Now Moel is Celtic for a promontory. In
geography we are familiar with the place-name, the Mull
of Cantire. Mull in Gaelic is a promontory and a hill. Don
or dun is also a hill or down, and thus Moel-y-don is a
doublet or a tautological name. This explanation has the
merit of being true to the facts of physical history, for once
the restless sea rolled to the base of the hill. It was a
promontory in fact. Place-names did not originate in these
pre-historic times. In its aboriginal position it was sur-
rounded by the swamp of the River Parret.

It is scarcely possible to take seriously the suggestion that
Polden is a reminiscence of the heathen god Baldr, a Scan-

dinavian deity, interesting as such an origin confessedly is>
What names there are connected with mythological gods and
heroes in Somerset, when tracked down, are really due to
the fact that these religious names of gods become part and
parcel of personal names, precisely as in the sacred scriptures
we find numerous names compounded with the " abomina-
tion of the heathen," Baal, in the Canaanite nature worship
and the deity of Israel, Jehovah, and Jah. Thor, for ex-
ample, in Thorlac, and the place-name Thorlac's ton, Thur-
loxton, of which Luxton is probabably also an abbreviation,
and other examples may be found in these papers. The
heathen god Pol for Baldr or Pol simply may be dismissed
as fanciful and without any certain evidence.

We ought to remember in dealing with the name that it
is scarcely so much a hill or mountain name as a district
name, of which type of name we have several in the county —
Gordano, Winterstoke, Wedmore, and the like. The name
appears properly to include a district which extends to a
considerable distance north of the Gary. Pawlett embraces
a good part of the Polden Hills. We think it is a true in-
stinct which discerns and traces a connection between the
names Pawlett and Polden. In fact, sixty manors called
Poholt comprised the whole or a greater part of Polden
Hill. Pouholt becomes Pouelt, and then, by popular
usage, an interchange of consonants takes place and it
is Powlett. The personal name Pow, still common, is
at the base. Pfau is a peacock. Pouhold and Pafuhild are
Viking names like Wulfhild and Wulfhold, thus Pfauhold-
don or dun becomes Pouelt-don, and by a further popular
abbreviation Poulden and Polden. This explanation has also
the considerable merit of affording the key to the meaning
of the personal name Polden, or rather Pouldon, and Poul-
ton, found in directories and clergy lists. Persons bearing
this name are not all of Somerset origin, nor did they derive
their cognomina from the place. Polden is thus written at
full length Pauholddun. The same explanation applies to
the name of the colliery village Paidton, which is not Paul's
ton, either St. Paul or any other Paul, nor the god Pol, but
Pauhild-ton, Pauelt-ton, and Paul-ton in easily traceable
steps, or probably as once spelt, Pauhild-don (not ton).

Pilhild is a name found in lists of Saxon names. There are
Pows now in the villages, showing the local persistence of a
name through so many centuries; a persistence which is
bound to excite reflection in the minds of the thoughtful and
meditative. Another trace of this Somerset name Pow is,
remarkably enough, discoverable in the place-name Poleshill,
in Milverton, which in Domesday Book is spelt Pous-ella,
a form which might well seem indecipherable. It is
hazardous without further investigation into the origins of
the individual names to assume that Paul, in Mount's Bay,
and Poulhead, in Yorkshire, have a similar origin. They
are on streams. When we find the double name Paulet
Gaunts we know that Paulet is from the place or district
name, the origin of which has just been explained, and the
additionally descriptive surname is from a historical fact con-
nected with the hospital of Gaunts or Billeswick in Bristol.
Robert Gurney had an uncle Maurice, about the salvation
of whose soul he was very solicitous. His affectionate
anxiety was of benefit to the bodies of a hundred poor
people, for Robert gave to this hospital this portion of soil
or its produce to pay for the supper, that is the meal or
dinner, of this number of people every day, and hence this
particular spot was called Paulet Gatmts. The name Stoc-
land Gaunts will be recalled.

The other great ranges of hill-country are the Mendip
(vulgarly called the Mendips), in the north of the county,
and in the south the range of hills and combs called the
Quantocks. And then there is the hill-country of the forest
land of Exmoor. Mendip is not usually considered to be
difficult of interpretation; the spellings are not of various
types. In British Museum charters a spelling (A.D. 1236)
is that of " Menedype belonging to Priddy and Harptree."
But we may note that there is an obsolete manor. Menu,
in the Carhampton hundred ; the same word is also found in
the place-name Mane-wurda, also an obsolete name, but
which was in the days of the great land inquisition the de-
signation of a manor or ownership. Mane-wurde is appar-
ently Manworth. There is a name, we remember, in the fen-
land of Huntingdonshire, which was years ago called Manea.i

'Compare Skeat : Place-names of Cambridgeshire, p. 53.

Now in this name Skeate takes ea to be ig, an island of
which form we have (as we have seen) quite a number of
specimens in Somerset; and Man is the name Manna, which
occurs in the 10th century as a personal name. It is the
origin of such names as Manley and Manton, Manning,
Manningford, and Mannigham. Now this personal name
probably accounts for the obsolete manor name Mena also.
There is, be it noted, a Minehead in Bedfordshire, and the
same authority explains it as derived from man and head,
whatever may have been the reason why this name became
affixed. Mane-wurda is thus the worth or farm of Manna;
Mane-hefva is the " head " of the property owned by Manna.
Maneheva and Condicombe were Domesday names of
hundreds, and so district names. It seems difficult to dis-
pose of Mendip in the same way. The usually accepted ex-
planation is that it is a name of Celtic origin. Maen is Celtic
for rock, and dippa is Celtic-Cornish for pits. In the same
way hefva with maen is the rockhead in Minehead; or if hefva
is taken for haefen, a port (which is very possible), then the
name means the rock-harbour. Another guess, made without
regard to the Domesday spellings, is Hafod, " a summer
residence." It is clear that all these and other instances of
mane, mene, cannot thus be brought under one explanation,
as probably they ought to be. But what is the origin of this
word Man, Manning, or Manna as a personal name?
Probably it may be from Maegen, great, big; and so it is at
once a personal name, as Maen, Mann, and a descriptive
word, than which none is more common in Somerset. No-
where else did we ever so freely hear the expressions, " He
is main bad," " It's main hard," and the like. It is thor-
oughly characteristic and a quite archaic expression. There
is a trace of this in modern German vernacular in manig
and some other words. Stone pits (maen-dippa) is not so
thoroughly characteristic or striking as the steep descents of
this range of hill-land called Mendip. Here it may be par-
enthetically noted that there is a local name Sparryhole,
evidently a spot where (A.S., spaer-stan) sparry gypsum was
found. Deop is Anglo-Saxon for steep, and main-deop, or
the heavy or great steeps, is possibly, after all, the true ex-

planation. The personal name Mann may of course be more

immediately connected with the root word mann, meaning

person, anybody, in whatever way the name became attached

to some particular individual as a personal name. Mine-

hejva may thus, in the same way, be the great headland or

the steep harbour. But it is to be observed that hefva is so

frequent for head that the second derivation from haefen

may be safely dismissed. The spellings are (D.B.) Mineheva,

Manehevda (T. L.), and this assumes unimportant variations :

Minhed, Mynehedde, Mynnett, and so on. The Anglo-Saxon

heafod has a Danish form, heved, much like the Domesday

spelling, heva. Grimm has treated the word at length.

Heafod is descriptive of the extreme point (source or end)

of a sheet of water. It is also applied to heights figuratively.

Maen is certainly Welsh, a stone, but it is more probably

that the Saxon heafod has a teutonic prefix, main, meaning

great; Mr. Skeat's explanation of "Mannhead" in Bedford-

shire^ may, after all, be subject to the same explanation as

Minehead on the Severn Sea.

Quantoxhead, East and West. Domesday Book, " Canto-
cheheve." Quantock, near Crowcombe (D.B., Cantoca).
The Quantock Hills as such are not mentioned in Domesday
Book. "The etymology of the place-name Quantock is an
interesting but rather elusive study." So it has been said.
This is true. And that this is so may be illustrated by the
enumeration of a series of ingenious attempts to explain this
word. Gaelic or Gadhelic has been introduced here as in
the explanation of the Somerset linches as inches, to which
an intrusive initial consonant has become affixed. We want
some more conclusive evidence of the presence of Gaelic in
Somerset before accepting such an explanation as that cuan
means in Gaelic a hill and toich a country. Hence Quan-
tock is the "hill country." Again the far more probably
Celtic source is suggested. And so it is said that it is perhaps
from the British gwaun, a mountain meadow, and taeawg, a
tenant in villenage.^ Hence Quantock Hills means "the moun-
tain meadow of the tenants in villenage " ; and Quantoxhead,

iSkeat : Place-names of Bedfordshire, pp. 27, 28. ^Edmunds : Traces of History
in the Names of Places, p. 270.

100

the head or end of the Quantock range of hills. We may
add that in the Mabonogian waun is spelt gwaun, and that
this is explained in a glossary as meaning a willow
meadow; and in the same romantic source teg means fair,
clear, beautiful, fine. Thus gwaun-teg means "fair willow
meadows." Teged is (we may note) an obsolete Welsh word
meaning fairness. Gwantog, it is again said, means full of
openings, and of the picturesque combes that run down into
the sea and the inland this is accurately descriptive. We may
add to these suggestions that (without any resort to com-
pounds) gwyntog is modern Welsh for windy, stormy, and
we believe that the stormy wind from the Bristol Channel
does make itself felt in the openings. Gwyntog may thus be
full of wind, or, as " wg " in Welsh means a country and
gwynt is cognate with the Anglo-Saxon wind and the Breton
gwent, it may be " the blowy or windy country." Then, fur-
ther, Cantioc has been taken as a diminutive meaning little
headlands. Without any jest it may surely be said that " con-
siderable doubt " hangs round the meaning of this familiar
place-name. Some may not have heard the story which
surely is passing-strange. It is the tradition that Julius C^sar
reached as far west as these hills, and standing on one of the
loftiest summits surveying the attractive landscape he cried :
" Quantum ad hoc." Of course it must have been his re-
porter who shortened this to Quant-hoc. Yet another
explanation is Cantock headlands, the water headlands.
" Oc," too, is supposed to stand for oak, and cant is short for
centum, a hundred. And so it has been explained as receiving
its name from the abundance of its oaks. After this survey
we may well fling up our hands in despair.

Now it is said that an earlier mention of Cantok than that
in Domesday is in the composite word Cantuc-udu, i.e.,
Cantuc-wood, in a famous charter of the 7th century, that is
to say, in Centwines famous West Moncton charter. This is
a grant of land by Centwine (A.D. 682) to Hamegils, Abbot
of Glastonbury. These are the words, " in loco juxta silvam
famosam quae dicitur Cantucudu." What Centwine did in
A.D. 681 may be read in the words of Freeman. " He drove
the Welsh up the valley where Crocombe was given for the

101

repose of the soul of Godwin by Gytha." The point is, how
far may we take this spelling to be earlier than Domesday?
For if we follow up the spelling then in T.E. it is still
Cantukeshevede (1291). In the time of Richard II. Quantox-
head is spelt Cantakeshede. Then later in the Nomina Vil-
larum, middle of 14th century (in Kirby's Quest, Edward
III.) we find the villes or manors of Catokesheved majorum
and Cantokesheved minorum (identified with St. Audries). In
British Museum charters in 1311, "Grant in Cantok also
covenant on a suit for waste on Mons de Cantok on Bishop
Lydeard manors A. D. 1314." This is enough. According to this,
from the 8th century to the 14th we do not appear to have a
trace of the unusual " Qua " as a commencement of the
place-name. This combination does not usually occur either
in British or English place-names save under Prankish or
Norman influence. And the names even then are few. As
far as we can at present make out, this spelling is not found
until the 15th century. Of course, this " q " is in Celtic
" cw " or " gw," and in Saxon it is " cw." But there is not
an early trace of this spelling as in gwaun and gwantog, and
the like. We therefore feel compelled to reject this intrusive
spelling. It is Cantoc that we have to deal with for six cen-
turies.

The author of the interesting paper on The Quantocks and
their Place-names^ says nobody has so far suggested a personal
name as at the base of this elusive word, and he suggests Caran-
tacus. And he says Carantacus was known to be connected with
the Quantocks. The stone on Winsford Hill is given as the
" Caratacus " stone. There are more extraordinary shorten-
ings than this which are provable. But with this derivation
the variations in spelling would, we think, have been greater
and left some traces behind. We still think, however, that
Mr. Greswell is right, the origin of the name is a personal
name. Carhampton is Caerwen or Caerwine-ton (D.B.,
" Caruntona "). Cantoc is a compound personal name
with the two frequently occurring elements of
Cyne, Can, Coen, Cwen, and the name Tochi, as
in Tocheswill, now Tuckswell. Both are frequent names.

^Somerset Archcsological Society, Proceedings of, vol. xlvi.

102

And all the analogies of these place-names are in favour of
such a plain solution. Cyntoch is the origin of Quantock, but
who this Cyntoch was we do not know any more than we
know who Wifela was, of Wivels-combe, or what particular
Winfred it was who affixed his name to Winford. The
British original of the latinized name Carantacus is Caradawg
or Caradawe, a hero celebrated in the Mabonogian romance.
Caradawe was the son of Bran. Candawg is thus a Celtic
name. Of the Celtic explanations we think our suggestion
possibly the best, because it is already found full-blown as a
place-name in Mabonogian, but we do not find any parallels
for Gwantog, " full of openings," and the like pretty attrac-
tive devices.

103

CHAPTER XIII.
Hams and Ings.

It is surprising how little we really know of the history of
many periods that have proved to be turning points of his-
tory. History sometimes turns its curves with no rude and
awakening shocks, but with the smoothness and stillness of
celestial movements, and when it is otherwise it is beyond
human foresight to see the ultimate mighty issues. The first
inroads of the Saxons were a series of shocks, but much was
done quietly. Perhaps the quiet and gradual settlement of
Saxons in Somerset is partially recorded in its place-names.

It is not altogether unworthy of note that we have more
detailed information (whether reliable or not from the point
of view of scientific history) of the Saxon invasion and
aggression which drove a wedge into that Western district of
the county in which Britons dwelt, and for ever separated the
part of the Cymric race which became known as the Welsh,
that is, the strangers — it is a curious irony that the name
affixed to them should be the one which the intruding Saxon,
who was the real stranger, gave to the race he subdued, who
were the original possessors — from that part which retired
into Cornwall, including the considerable number who still
found homes in the fastnesses and swamps of Somerset. That
these must have been extensive in area is clear from the im-
portant fact that over one hundred thousand acres of land
escaped valuation in the Domesday survey. These probably
consisted for the most part of the moorlands. The name
moor persists in at least twenty-one instances in relation to
considerable areas, as Wedmore and Kenn Moor, and others
noted.

According to Winkelman, Geschichte der Angelsachsen,
such fragments of historical lore as the upcoming of Cedric,
his allies, and his army from the direction of Southampton,
and the check met with at Bath in A.D. 516, when the Briton
won a victory over the united forces of Cedric, Ella, and Aesc

104

of Kent; and the story of Cymric and Ceawlin, in A.D. 560,
who finally took Bath and penetrated somewhat further into
our county of Somerset, do at least give us more than mere
surmise. For Norfolk and Suffolk, and for earlier and later
immigrations of whole families and tribes, with all their
Saxon habits and peculiarities and slaves, we have not even
so much satisfaction as this affords. For the stories of Hengist
and Horsa, and of those sons of Woden, Wilhelm, Wechta,
and his son Uffa — after whom, of course,, his descendants were
called Uffinggas — do not convey much information, though,
like all legendary tales, they contain more than one grain of
truth.

We are led to institute some such inquiries by the pheno-
mena presented to us by place-names ending respectively in
ingham and ington. In order really to enjoy statistics you
need to have a consuming passion for figures. The whirligig
of numbers, especially pondus, solidum, and pennyweight,
are to some as entrancing and absorbing as the intricate
evolutions of a pleasant dance. To others they are abhorrent.
Thus men supply each other's lack. It will, however, prob-
ably prove to be no very serious annoyance to the former
class, if it do not delight the latter, to be informed that, after
some search, we can tell him that of principal villages there
are at least a score and four inghams in Norfolk, and only
one ington, beside one ingthorp, while in Somerset we may
count nearly two score of the class of villages, properly so
called, and of the hamlets and tithings attached to those vil-
lages — so far as any ordinary directory affords information —
which terminate in ington. All of these are not genuine
ingtons, for some are the imitation article. Is this variation
of inghams and ingtons an accident? The inghams of Somer-
set are scarce indeed. In Bedfordshire there are no inghams
and fifteen or sixteen ingtons. Suffolk has two inghams and
only three ingtons, and amongst these a Lavington, which
reminds us of a Somerset name. Cambridge appears
to have seven ingtons and only two inghams. These numbers
are sufficiently correct to show that there is a curious differ-
ence that may be accounted for on the ground of dialectical
peculiarities — Jutes, Angles, Saxons, are the usual categories

105

—or perhaps, according to the theory that in some cases the
settlements were more prevailingly inhabited by considerable
tribes where inghams abound, rather than by smaller families
and single adventurers who managed to impress themselves
permanently in their locality where ingtons are found. Or
why?

Indeed, Somerset can scarcely be said to have a superabund-
ance of hams in the sense of homes, though no local boundary
name is more common in descriptions of localities than the
short, sharp sounding hamm, as low meadow land. They
are everywhere. As for example, in A.D. 1324 the
Vicar of Keynsham was entitled to a cart load of hay from
the meadow called La Hamme. This mode of description
" La " grew not uncommon, and many examples may be
found. In either of the senses in which the word is used a
distinction must be drawn between ham with a long " a," or
hame — with the orthographical device of an added " e,"
hamme, which, despite the phonetic enthusiast, is a useful
sign — and ham or hamm with the short vowel. Between ham
and tun there is practically no difference in meaning. They
both signify an enclosed farm or homestead. Now many of
our hams in the West seem to be neither one nor the other,
but as far as meaning goes are more nearly connected with
hamm in the sense of a rich piece of pasture land, mostly in
the neighbourhood of a brook, stream, or river. The word
ham may be the same as hem, the land that hems in the vil-
lage. On consideration it may not always be easy to decide
which of these three is the particular ham meant, but where
the physical circumstances suggest this meaning the short
hamm is, perhaps, decidedly the most likely.

As just said, almost every village in Somerset has its ham,
its low-lying meadow land. There are numerous Ham-
greens. In Blackford there is a West-ham, and in Crewkerne
we find East-hams and a Round-ham, which latter is situate on
the watershed of the Axe and the Parret, the former going
its own way to the English Channel, and the latter prefering
the opposite direction northwards to the Bristol Channel.
There is Bath-ham-ton, in which the first member is accounted
for without any severe research or exercise of ingenuity, and

106

the two following components are not a mere agglomeration,
as at first sight appears. The name in the Domesday list is
simply Hamtona, i.e., the tun in the meadow land. In
Ditcheat, which is Dices-yat, i.e., dikes-yat or dyke's gate,
there is found the hamlet of Al-ham-ton, which ought to
afford excellent sandwiches; it is, however, spelt by Norman
clerks in the suggestive form of Alentona. It stands on a
stream now called the Alham. In the Bath Charters it is
spelt Ham-tune and Hamtona from the 10th to the 14th cen-
turies. The names of village and river have, we think,
alike often accepted an intelligible but intrusive ending in
ham. The true spelling easily suggests a Celtic river name,
the Alyn, a river with steep banks or flowing by a steep hill-
country. Similarly, in Denbighshire, a village, Trevalun,
" the village on the Alum," has become Alington. There is
said to be a hamlet in the parish of Allerton of this very
name. It is given in a list of Somerset parishes, and if the
physical circumstances were accordant this might be its mean-
ing, though, as we have no very early spellings to guide us, it
may be Alwyn-ton, that is, the personal name Alwine-ton, as
Allerton arises from Alward-ton (D.B. Alwardi-tona). Here
we may intrude the remark that as Alynton becomes Aling-
ton, Edantune, that is, Edwinton, may easily shape itself to
Edington; yet in the absence of some other evidence, it is
precarious to set aside such early spellings as are not obviously
mere Norman caricatures of Saxon speech, or where we are
unable to see how the jealous Saxon changed a British word
to the nearest Saxon that sounded just like it, and in Domes-
day Book it is Edwine-ton.

Of these apparent agglomerations we have already men-
tioned Seavington, Seven-ham-ton ; and there is also men-
tioned before. Car-ham-ton. The famous register here gives
us Carenton. The antiquity of the name is certified by the
fact that it is the ancient title of a hundred.

In the village of West Bradley, i.e., Broadlea, or meadow,
there is a hamlet or tithing called Lottis-ham. This is derived
from a personal name, Lotti or Lotto. This Lot can scarcely
have been named after the slim Hebrew who chose all the
fair and well-watered plain, and left his unselfish uncle the

107

dry upland. Female owners were not unknown in those days,
and some personal names now existent had their origin in
female names. Lotti is probably a shortened form of the
well-known name, not now so fashionable as in the days of
the queen, Charlotte. The German well-known pet name is
Lotta. Lottis-ham is the home or the hamme of Lotta. The
name Lott is still found in the directories of the county.
Isidore Lotto was a great violinist in Germany. We mention
such facts, not only for the light they throw on nomenclature,
both of persons and places, but as corroborative evidence of
the persistence of a name affixed to a place.

Gal-hampton, a hamlet in North Cadbury, may possibly be
the personal name extant of Galland-ton. The name does
not stand alone. There is a Galby, or Gaulby, in Leicester-
shire, and a Gal-ton in Dorset; also a Galmington^ in Somer-
set. These " Gals " look as if they were a form of the word
Gavel-kind, which is known to be a sort of tenure. The mid-
dle English is Gavel and the Saxon Gafol. Gafol-geldas were
tenants paying some kind of small rent among the Northmen.
The place has no mention in Domesday Book, and at the
present moment we have not the guide of various forms of
spellings. Gal is sometimes claimed to be Celtic. Gelli is
the hazel-tree. It is then Hazel-ton. Green-ham, in Stawley
or Ashbrittle, would seem to be self-explanatory, as Ham-
Green or the low meadow land green, but the Domesday
Book spelling is Grinde-ham, and this at once shows that it
is not a characteristic Danish green, but the personal name
Grinde, which is, we consider, a shortening of the intelligible
compound word Grimond, i.e., Grim-mund, and Scandina
vian. Altham is in Batcombe. There is another Altham in
Lancashire, and an Alt-car. The " alt " is possibly the British
alt, a steep place or highland. Allt is in Gadhelic a stream,
and found as such in numerous Highland place-names. We
do not expect to find this in Somerset. Allt is a shortened
name, but we have no spellings for certain guidance. Aid and
Eald are personal names; the name Aldanhamal occurs. It
might even be Althelm became Altham. North and South

'That is Galmund-ton. Galand is the Galamt of the Hundred Rolls. Gal in
numerous names signifies spirit, cheerfulness.

108

Brew-ham are, it is suflficient to say, on the River Brue, " the
meadow lands of the Brue," or homes on the Brue. Muchel-
ney Ham is the " meadow of the great island." Michelney
is great island, as Littelan-eia is the little island, and Middl-
ney, in Drayton, describes itself. Huxham, in East Pennard,
is Hucca's ham, a known Saxon name which survives in the
name Hicks, which is common in the West Country, with
which may be compared what is said on this personal name
earlier. In Yatton there is Claver-ham, reminding us of the
village name Claver-ton, in Domesday Book as Clafer-ton.
Llawr means tillage, a spot cleared out of the surrounding
forest or swamp. In Monmouthshire there is Clawr-plywf,
" the people's cleared spot," or common land. Claver-ham
is thus regarded as synonymous with this, but Claver-ton has
the early spelling Clat-ford-ton.i fhe suggestion has been
made that Laverton is the Hlaford's town. Hlaford is the
loaf-winner, and then the master or lord. Hlaford in later
English became Laverd.

" That day after thaym ne went

To do their Laverd commandement.'' — Guy of Warwick.

But Laverton is spelt in Domesday Book Lauretona. We
know laurus is Latin, and laur is native Saxon for laurel, as in
Old French lorier, in Welsh llorwyz. Laverton might be
fairly expected to be Laferton, and they knew the word lor for
laurel. Here the " u " may represent the " w " of the Celtic
word Llawr. Have all these a common root, as has been
asserted?

To complete the hams as far as available lists enable us to
do so, leaving out such as are quite obvious, as Hambridge^
seems to be, Mr. Harvey, formerly vicar of Wedmore, in his
Wedmore Chronicle, introduces to us the quaint local
name of Picked Ham, i.e., a corner field, and Pill Ham, i.e.,
the pool meadow. Crickham, in which Crick is the Celtic
crug, a hill, rather than krik, a bend. Here in his pages we
positively meet with an ending in ingham, in the local name
Dunningham, i.e., the home of the Donnas, Dunas, or
Donnes. The fact that it has few, if any, companions makes
it almost suspicious. Dun is a down or hill, and the name

'See p. 43. ^A spelling is however Helm-bridge.

109

may possibly be an assimilation. The closely-connected name
of Dinnington (" Dunintona," Domesday Book), will have
the same meaning— the " home " or " tun " of the children
of Donna or Duna. There is a Dunton in Bedfordshire, spelt
Daniton or Dbnitone in Domesday Book. Dunan
is the Anglo-Saxon genitival form of " duna," and so the ing
is a mere assimilation. It is Dunantone, or " Dunns-farm."

Lympsham or Limpsham is in Domesday Book subsumed
under Brentmersa, that is Brent Marsh, as the property of the
abbot of Glastonbury. It is so closely parallel with Lymps-
ton, in the county of Devon, and Limpsfield in Surrey, that
the common name prefixed to the ham or home or to the
hamme or low-lying meadow land, and to the ton, surely
accounts for both. Lymps is evidently a shortened name.
In the reign of Richard II., 1393, there is the spelling
Lympelshame. Also in the reignof Edward II., A.D. 1315,^ and
as late as Henry VIII.^ This reminds us also of Limpley Stoke,
which is thus Limpel's Stoke. An earlier spelling is that of
the authoritative Taxatio Ecclesiastica (1291) Lympelesham.
It is shortened in the 16th century. The name then is Limpel
or Lympel. The names Lump and Lumpel are not found in
lists of Anglo-Saxon names, but Lumpe is a present German
name, and Lump and Lumpkin are now Suffolk surnames.
Lumpel is a diminutive. A Lumpel is etymologically a raga-
muffin, and a low German word.^ This is interesting. Ticken-
ham, Cloutshame, that is Cloud's hame (as in Limpel Cloud),
are elsewhere noted, with others.

This introduces us to the " ingtons," which may be taken for
the most part alphabetically.

^Court Rolls, p. 200, No. 36. ^Estreats. 'Cf. Kluge : Etymologisches

Woerterbuch sub voce.

CHAPTER XIV.
Names in Ington.

Ashington is (Domesday Book) Essentuna. Ashing-
ton is not alone. There is Ashindune, a parish
in the hundred of Rochford, in Essex. It is spelt
Assandune in the records of the defeat of Edmund Ironside,
by Canute the Dane. There is an Ashington in Northumber-
land, and one in Sussex. Our Ashington is in the hundred of
Stone. Essen represents the Saxon aescen, meaning ashen.
The sixteenth century spellings are Assyngton, Astynton,
Astington. The two latter do not appear to be more than
mere instances of the tendency to interchange the consonants.

Babbington is a Somerset name accounted for in Domes-
day Book, Babbing-tona. This seems to be the patronymic,
the plural form inga. In the Liber Vitce is the Anglo-Saxon
Babba and the Frisian Babe. This is interesting on
account of its exhibiting the spread of this name on
the continent, as well as in English villages named Bab-
worth (Nottinghamshire), Babing-ley (Norfolk), and perhaps
Bab-Cary, in Somerset, while others in Bab and Beb are
derived from a personal name known to be early extant, and
surviving in our names Babb, Babbs, Bebb. It means, then,
the town of the Babbs. Nennius, the 9th century British
monk, or his interpolator — an ancient editor who bore the
ingenuous name of Samuel, and performed his work so care-
lessly or wilfully that we are left in doubt what belongs to
Nennius and what to Samuel— tells us that " Eadfered reigned
twelve years in Bernicia and twelve in Deira, and gave to
his wife Bebba the town Dynguany, which from her is
called Bebban-burg." The same is Bamborough, in North-
umberland, to this day. Bebba is in this case the
name of another female landowner. In Germany
there is the town Bamburg (which is just Bam-
borough) and the ruins of the Castle Bamburg, the Stamm-
burg der Babenberger, that is, the original or race town of
the Babbas. The knightly family is Babenberg. In Hesse

Ill

there is also a place called Babenhausen, "the houses of
the Babbs," and another in Suabia which is the name of a
Mark. It is possible that Baba or Bebba may in its origin be
connected with Babe. In the Farmer's Directory we still find
Babb, Bebb, Babbs, and even " Baby," which has thus a very
remote connection indeed with a tender infant and long-
clothes, and possibly, and likely, the well-known and
purely Somerset name of Baber is just a corruption
of Baba. Babba is the name of a "moneyer" from
a stem which Foerstenmann thinks is originally derived
from children's speech. Babba is Anglo-Saxon and Babe
Frisian, both in the Liber Vitce.

Names in ington require some discrimination. Ing is apt
to be a delusive particle. Ing, meaning a water-meadow,
is Scandinavian, and not likely to be found in our place-
names; and ing or incga, meaning descendants, is found
in others; while in many it is a mere case of assimilation.
Thus, we have such words as Cannington, Burrington, Yar-
lington, Lovington, and Woolavington, and the rest. Is
Burrington the home of the Burringas? This might possibly
introduce us to the interesting mythology of the Scandinavian
race, the Norsemen. The Norse ship, with its Vikings, was
a terrible apparition, filling earl and churl in saxon England
with the same terror that their own advent had filled the former
possessor of the land, the celtic Briton, to whom a sassenach
was the equivalent of Satan. " God fulfils himself in many
ways," and " lest one good custom should corrupt the
world," he sent the hornet among the comfortable
Saxons, the Vikings, or sea-rovers, the "hell-skins" — i.e.,
clear skins — of the snowy and icy North. They were sons
of the All-fadir or Odin. Such was Borr or Burr. Thawing
ice-drops took the shape of a cow. She licked salt from the
stones, and the first day there came out of the stones a man's
hair; the second day a man's head; the third day came forth
the complete man, whose name was Buri, the father of Odin.
The name Burr was the name of a tribe of descendants, the
Burringas. This is undeniably pretty, and poetically striking.
Burrington is a place-name found in the county of Hereford
which would perhaps favour this derivation. It is a word of
which the spellings seem to be consistent. Langford, Bur-

112

rington, and Berrow formed one manor in A.D. 1086. This be-
longed to Earl Harold, and was given to Glastonbury Abbey
by King Rufus. Most likely Burrington was the mother
church of Langford, Berrow, and Rowberrow. Burrington
is thus closely connected with Wrington (Rhin-ton) and it
might seem natural to trace the name to this as Burh-rhinton
and thus account for it. We do not find any ready authority
for these Burringas or any German parallel. The derivations
from bwr, an embankment or entrenchment, or bura, a croft
meadow, may be left to take care of themselves. This last
is apparently the same as the North Country word, byre, a
pent-shed or cow-house; and the same word as Anglo-Saxon
bur or bower. It is worth noting that the personal names
Burr and Burrington are found in a present-day Court Direc-
tory, as is also the name Barrington.

The village Barrington was formerly called Barentona
Regis, because it was an appanage of the King's Royal Manor
in South Petherton. King Edward the Confessor was owner,
" Ablata de Baritona." This name, according to some, means
the tun of the Barings, and the derivation has been given of
Ber-ern-ton, the barley ton or place, from which we get
our word barn, as Barton is Bere-tun, or the barley-rick yard.
Bar, a rail, is a middle English word, derived from old French
barre, and is not therefore likely to account for a word
known to Anglo-Saxon thanes. The sense is barn-town.
Berin is a bear. Berin and Beorn are known personal names;
Bern and Berin and Beorn in such names as Bern-hard.
Barrington is Berin's-ton. This name Bera is found in Beer
Crocombe, Beer in Cannington, and Beer Regis in Dorset.

Brislington is an instance of a word which may easily lead
you off in very various directions in search of its meaning.
Of all the places whose names end in ington found in Som-
erset, this appears one of the most puzzling, some
may even think indeterminate with any approach to
dogmatic positiveness. The place Itself is of some
antiquity. Remains and traces of a Roman villa
are found.^ Yet it is not separately mentioned in
either of the compilations known as the Exchequer or

^Somerset and Dorset Notes and Queries, vol. vii.

113

Exeter Domesday books, and in both its area is simply ab-
sorbed in the hundred of Cainessam, now Keynsham. We
have not, therefore, the advantage of knowing what the Nor-
man clerks made of it. Their quaint spellings are indeed of
considerable use when we find them and understand their
little tricks and turns by which some forms are disguised.
It might, of course, be initially expected that to them all
guttural sounds would be abhorrent and twisted into some-
thing else. As a matter of fact, " gh," which the modern
Frenchman finds so strange in cough, and plough, and dough,
until, in weariness and disgust, he says he has had " enow,"
was represented often enough by " st." Bright became Brist.
We ordinary Englishmen have ourselves lost the guttural
sound in lough and loch, and other words. Perhaps this
may have something to do with Brislington, though we can-
not trace " st " for " gh " in this word down so far. Nor can
we find the name in the Taxatio Ecclesiastica, compiled two
centuries later by the authority of Pope Nicholas the Fourth,
about A.D. 1291.

Let us see. In the age of Elizabeth, in an action at law in
Chancery concerning tenements, the name is spelt Bristleton,
and, sad to say, the Chancery lawyers gave it an alias — Burles-
ton. In a will of A.D. 1580 it is spelt Brisingtonne, and seven
years later, in another will, Burstleton. It is in the seven-
teenth century, apparently, that we get the present form,
Brislington. Taken as it stands, the derivation has most
easily been given, without further research, as Bris, the per-
sonal name Brice, and "lien," which means a "fief" — standing
alone in Somerset, as far as we at present discover — and tun^
that is, Brice's fief-town.^

This is historically interesting if it were certainly correct.
Brice recalls a very sad episode in English history, for on
this saint's day of St. Brice, or Britius, on the 13th November,
A.D. 1002, the Saxons, under a weak and unwarlike King,
Ethelred the Second, and at his instigation, murdered all the
Danes in England, who were settling in too large numbers
for Saxon comfort. This soon brought Sweyn and the deluge
of Danes to wreak vengeance. Sweyn in particular would
revenge the death of his sister, Gunhild. " Britius Bishop "

^Edmonds : Traces of History in the Names of Places.

114

is in the English Church Calendar. He was a Bishop of
Tours, and died in A.D. 444. There is a church named after
him in Oxfordshire, Brize-Norton. Brislington is, however,
scarcely another instance of such a connection. The form
Bris-ington would be accounted for as " the place of Brice's
descendants " where Brice is an ordinary personal name,
which is, we observe, still found in the county. This spelling
may, we think, be safely disregarded. We may observe that
the " 1 " is persistent, and must be accounted for in Bristel-
ton, Burstle-ton, and Bristle-ton. These are the earliest forms
we have met with, and they most obviously show that tend-
ency to the interchange of consonants exemplified, for ex-
ample, in the name of the hamlet Stert for Straet, i.e., street
or way — a Roman relic in the parish of Foddington — and the
delightful familiar colloquialism " gert " for great. Bristle-
ton seems to give us the type to work on. The name reminds
us of its big neighbour, whose inhabitants, taught by the
masters of local history, are doubtless all of them aware that
Seyer, in his history of Bristol, enumerates forty-seven
varieties of orthography for the name of the ancient city; but
the only two, it is said, worthy of notice, as leading to a
solution of the problem of its etymology, are Bris-tui and
Bric-stow. The " st " represents^ " gh," and Bright-ric was
lord of this domain in A.D. 1064. The name Brightricius ap-
pears as that of a tenant of the abbot of Glastonbury at least
five or six times in the Domesday record of Somerset. Now,
Brightricius or Brightrics-lea-tun — " the meadow farm of
Brightric" — might by the impatient usage of speech be
clipped down into Brist-lea-tun, just as Brighton is usually
recognised as the lopped form of Brighthelmstone. Now,
this is spelt in the Sussex Domesday Book Bristlems-tone,
and Brightlingsea is spelt Bristlingsea-eye and Brystlings-eye.
A Brighthelm was a monk of Glastonbury, and subsequently
Archbishop of Canterbury, transferred from Wells in A.D.
959. He was buried in Wells Cathedral in A.D. 973, accord-
ing to Collinson. We cannot discover any connection of this
Archbishop with Brislington, though Bristleton would as easily
arise from Brightelm as Brighton from Brighthelm or

■•Skeat : "ght" was a difficult sound, as it represented the Anglo-Saxon ht.
They wrote "st" for "ht" as Lestone for Leighton.

115

Beorthelm, and this last accounts for Burtle's-ton as a form
of spelling. The personal name at its base is therefore
probably Brightric or Brightelm, which becomes Bristelm.

This may seem too much of consideration to devote to
only one name, and such length is only permissible (as it
is certainly of value) as illustrative of the difficulty of tracking
down some elusive names, and also of the fact that it is only
on the groundwork of history, as well as of etymology, that
we can arrive at any certain, or even probable, conclusions
with regard to some names. We may just add that Bright,
meaning illustrious, is still a well-known name, without the
addition of either ric or helm. This would certainly be in
favour of deriving Bristol — anciently, Bris-stow — from Bright,
not as a qualitative, or rather descriptive, name — that is,
" the bright village " — but from an abbreviated personal
name. Bristle-ton reminds us forcibly of the name Bristol.
To what date does the form Bristowe go back? In the Lay
Subsidies of Edward III. it appears as Bristel-ing-ton.

Boss-ing-ton is the name of a hamlet near Porlock. The
Domesday spelling is Bosintona. In the seventeenth century,
in wills, it is Borsing-ton. The earliest spelling thus connects
the place with a Saxon owner, whose name is also found in
the little south coast village of Bosham, on the creek, now
fast silting up, on which tossed Alfred's fleet, and where, in
the most ancient and quaint of churches, is the tomb, on the
chancel step, of Canute's daughter. Bosa was the name of a
Saxon thane or thegn. Por-lock, Port-loc — i.e., the " en-
closed harbour"^ — is a place of considerable antiquity. It
was the residence of Saxon kings, who had an extensive
chase here. Bosa was the name, too, of the first consecrated
bishop of East Anglia. The name, therefore, was not in-
frequent. Bosington is a name found near Southampton.
It is found in Bos-worth, Bos-ley, and some other places;
but these, perhaps, require examination, as, e.g.. Bos-ton is
shortened from Botolph's-ton, and Bosworth is (D.B.) Bos-

'Gerard, in Particular History of the County of Somerset, S.R.S. vol. xv., p. 10,
following Holinshed, derives it "from that notable rover named Port,
a Saxon, who in the year 703 did much infest the coast of England,
and left his name in Portland, PortshuU and Portbury, and other places.
Port-locan signifies the place or residence of Port." The name is
Pohta, and this would account for the spelling Potesbury.

116

word. In Bede occurs the name Bosan-hamm ; that is a
genitive form.

Beckington.—D.B. (1086), Bechintona; T.E., Bekynton
(1291); MSS. (1260), Bekenton; fifteenth century, Bekynton
and Bekyngtone in wills. Baec is a beech tree. Accordingly
Baecantona is interpreted to mean " the town of the beeches."
The Domesday Book spelling is Bechintona. Beocca is a
name found in Wilts, Hampshire, and Dorset, and is here in
Somerset. Bechin is but the Domesday Book spelling of
Beoccan. Thomas de Bekynton, " the Maecenas of his
age," built a " fair conduit in the market place of
Wells," and derived his name from this place. As a pun on
his name, he was called a " burning and shining — beacon."
Henry VI. made him Bishop of Bath and Wells, for, besides
his undoubted learning and virtue, did he not write a
" judicious book to prove the right of the Kings of England
to the crown of France, despite the Salique law"? He was
the son of a Beckington weaver, and sent to Winchester long
before the so-called modern " reform " of scholarships to
school and University made them the perquisites of the rich,
instead of a help to the poor. (It is curious to see how some
wiseacres are just finding this out.) His monument is in
Wells Cathedral, in more than one sense.

Canning-ton does appear to be a tribal name, derivable
from the personal name Cann, which Bosworth thinks arose
from the tribal name of the Can-gi. Their origin was pos-
sibly in the lovely and fruitful vale of the Neckar, for here
is a great town, Cann-stadt or Kann-stadt — i.e., Cann-town.
The same authority thinks that the origin of the name is
originally descriptive of the place from whence the tribe
came, Kan or Ken, a descriptive term like our Kenn, the
Domesday Chen. Cannington is thus the home of the Cangi
or Canns. The names Canning and Cannington survive in
Somerset as personal names. The Domesday Book spelling
is Cante-tona, which does not bear out this theory. Can-
nington with this spelling is clearly a corruption of Centwine-
ton.

Chillington. — The double " 1 " is sometimes a mistake in
decipherment for " tl," and the reverse, and here is an in-
stance of the confusion, as one early spelling is Chetlington,

117

as well as Chellington, Chellinton, and also Chittington. The
occurrence of names of places, in various parts of the country,
of Chillingtons and Chillinghams, spelt with both the letter
" e " and " i," is strongly in favour of the conclusion that
the " t " is an intrusive mistake, and the double " 1 " right.
There is no Domesday spelling, apparently. It is derived
from a female personal name, Ceolwyn, and therefore means
Ceolwyn's farm or tun. Ceolwyn or Kelwyn and Chellin are
easy and intelligible transitions.

Cossington. — Spelt in Domesday Book, Cosintona, and in
the Taxatio Ecclesiastica Cossyngton. In the time of Edward
III. the " fees of Cosinton " were held of Sir John Malet.
In the days of Elizabeth there is a Cossingham as part of the
manor of Cossington. There is a place of the same name in
Leicestershire. Cossington as a place dates back to the
Roman occupation, it is thought, and so the name is British,
or it may be Roman. Cossington has a probable Roman
origin,^ and the name is Cosstantin (Custantin) for Constan-
tine as a name affixed to the place. Cosstantin (900-943) is
a known name or spelling. Cossington is the corruption of
this. If this be true, there is a relationship in name between
this obscure village and the head of an empire, Constanti-
nople, and it is a most interesting relic of the Roman occu-
pation. We do not find any name Cos, unless shortened from
Corsan, found in Corsan-tun or Corston. The Saxon, of
course, took the name, and in affixing the land also affixed
his name to the tun.

Cucklington. — D.B., Cocintona (1086) ; Taxatio Ecclesiastica
(1291), Cokelington; time of Henry VI., Cokelyngton. The
" 1 " thus goes back certainly to the end of the thirteenth
century. It is, nevertheless, probably an intrusive letter.
There are many other place-names arising from the Saxon
personal name Cue-win (the " u " is long), both with " o "
and " u " in the initial syllable, as Cockfield and Cockington,
as well as Cuckfield and Cuckney. Cue-win means the win-
ning cock, and, as a name, lives on in Cockayne and Cocking
and Coker, in Coke, and perhaps some of the Cooks, whose
names may thus have more to do with fighting than basting
or baking. The " u " in Anglo-Saxon, especially before " n,"

^Archtsologia, xlv., 104.

118

is often represented by the Norman " o." Coccel is cited in
Bosworth from an authority as a word used for darnel or
tares, and appears in our " corn-cockle." But Cucklington
is scarcely the town or farm with a special liking for tares.
It is Cuckwin's-ton.

Dinnington. — D.B., Dunintona. In the sixteenth century
wills it appears as Denyngton, Dynnyngton, and Dynynton.
There is very little doubt that this is the same name as Don-
ington, and means the town of Donne, or Dunn, and Dun-
nings, Dinnings, and D'enings — names still found. Donna
and Dunna were known saxon appellatives. We have elsewhere
noted that there is a Dunningham near Wedmore. A field
in the parish of Blagdon is called Little Dinnings. Edington,
in Moorlinch, and Farrington we have also dealt with.

Dillington is a hamlet in the parish of Ilminster, on the
east, and is clearly an ancient manor, as in the seventh century
A.D. a saxon Cartulary contains an account of a grant of
land by one saxon princelet to another, his kinsman. The
ancientness of the name gives colour to the suggestion that
connects it with saxon idol worship. The earlier spellings
appear to be Dilinton and Dylynton. If Dilling is a
patronymic name (there is a Dilingen in Bavaria) the root
Dill is one of the oldest in the language. There is a place-
name Church Dilwyn in Herefordshire, between Leominster
and Hay. Dillington is Dilwyn-ton. It is also an enduring
personal name. Its derivation is connected with a root,
meaning an idol. Dedwol-god is an idol, and the Welsh
delw, an idol, is probably a saxon loan word in that
language. These are connected by Skeat with dol, dull,
german toll, mad, as a weak grade of dwellian, to be stupid,
and welsh dall, blind. It is interesting to note that the
present Cornish for a dreamy, sleepy, stupid muttering is
called dwaling, which is at least expressive enough, as so
many dialectical words are, as well as often funny. We find
Dil-stone, Dill-worth, and a Dillington in Norfolk. These
place-names show us that there is a personal name at the
base — ^Till. Tilwine (Dilwyn) Is a name in the Liber VittB
and Tilhere the name of a Bishop of Worcester. And there
are names Diller, Tiller, Dillicar, Dillon, Tilley (perhaps
Tiley). At Dil-stone, in Northumberland, Bede says that

119

Oswald, armed with faith in Christ, killed a British tyrant.
He calls it Devils-bourne, which evidently bears out the repu-
tation of this place as one where heathen idolatry had been
more or less practised. Dillington would thus be, on this sup-
position, idol farm or enclosure, the seat of Saxon idol worship.
Fiddington.—D.B., Fitington. At the Domesday survey
forty-three acres of moorland are subject to valuation, but its
ecclesiastical value in A.D. 1291 (in the Valor Ecclesiastica
of Pope Nicolas) is not, it seems, worth speaking of. Later
spellings in the fifteenth century do not stray far from those
of the Doomsday clerks. They are Fedyngton and Fyding-
ton; and, time of Elizabeth, Fetington and Ffydington. In
Somerset Pleas, twelfth century, Fitin-ton. There is a name
Fitel extant, and a Fitel-ford in Somerset. Fitin may be
shortened from this name Fitelan-ton, or it is from Feda.
In the eighteenth century we find Finnington. This may
clearly be neglected as a corrupt spelling. The variation of
" d " and " t " is of no importance, as it is well-known that
the Anglo-Saxon " d " (usually printed in that language by
a special letter) varied between " d " and " th." There is a
Fiddington in the neighbouring county of Gloucester, and
Mr. Bosworth, in his well-known Anglo-Saxon Dictionary,
derives the name of the place called Fethan-leage in the 4n^Zo-
Saxon Chronicle (where Ceawlin, King of Wessex, obtained
a victory over the Britains in A.D. 584) from Fedan, an army,
and leage, a meadow. The same is Fretherne, on the banks
of the Severn, to this day. Fedan-ton may thus mean army
town, but as we may compare Fyd-ock and Fidiock (name of
a hamlet in Bishop's Hull), probably it is a personal Danish
name. There was a Feada, or Featha — also spelt Feader
(cir., A.D. 1025) — who was a Danish officer in the army of
Hardicanute, and was killed at Worcester in 1042. The name
survives in Featha, spelt Fether and Feather, as in Fether-
stone, and the like. The meaning, then, is " Feada's tun or
farm," as Fidi-ock, in Bishop's Hull, is Feda's oak. Fydock
is spelt Fydok in A.D. 1391, and Fydeoke in A.D. 1570,
Fydiok a century earlier, and also Fidok as the name of a
manor. This is one of the traces of Danish influence in Somer-
set. Fidiok is a unique name, and we think it is possibly a dis-
guised Celtic name ending in dawg, like Madawg (Badawg).

120

In the absence of variety of early spellings the explanation
given is the most feasible.

Foddington is a hamlet in the parish of Babcary. In Domes-
day Book (1086) it is diversely spelt Fodindona and
Fodintona. In the Court Rolls of 13 Henry VI. it
is Fodyndon, and in Somerset Pleas, twelfth century,
Fodin-don. It is Fodyngdon in the Nomina Villarum (of
1315-16 writs). In wills in A.D. 1572 it is Fordington. This
latter is evidently a corruption in the direction of intel-
ligibility. Foddington is rare. Fords and Fordings abound.
The assimilation is thus easy and tempting. Moreover, the
don is evidently original, and the ton a corruption. The
rareness of the place-name is paralleled by the rarity of the
personal name Fodwine, which, however, is found. A dun
is applied to almost any elevation. The meaning is Fodwine's
down. Both holdings were once of equal importance, i.e.,
Babb's Gary and Fodwine's down. The spellings Ffarington and
Foryington are (if the identification is correct) mere vagaries.

Hamington. — D.B., Hamintona and Hamingtona. In the
ecclesiastical valuation of Pope Nicholas, 1291, or Taxatio
Ecclesiastica, it is Hemyngton. Hama is a Frisian name, found
in runes, on a small gold coin, and not uncommon. Later,
as in the early Norman period, it is Hamo. In A.D. 1084
there was the Manor of Hama, now High Ham and Low
Ham, in Whitley hundred, which is, from this personal name,
tempting as it may be to connect it with hamm, meadow
land, or ham, with a long vowel, a home. In Trent is a
curious hamlet name. Hummer, which is said to be a cor-
ruption of Hamo, but is more probably from the personal
name Humbehrt. A Bishop of Lichfield was so called. Per-
haps this is the same as the commoner name Humbeorht.
We think it is Hamon-ton, or the town of Hama or Ham.
The personal name Ham is still extant, and also Hem-
ming. Haming was a known name in which in it may be
that here, ing is the well-known patronymic " son of." Hamo
may be derived from the old high German Lihhamo, a
body, which later meant merely covering or dress. Such a
derivation is interesting, as it shows us how the commonest
names in modern times, having almost ludicrous associations,
had originally a quite diiTerent significance. " Where did

121

Mr. Ham come from?" was once asked, and the prompt
response of a naughty wag was, " The Sandwich Islands, I
believe." The oddest and most objectionable of such names,
which yet had a really respectable meaning in its origin, is
the Anglo-Saxon name Bugge. People inheriting that name
have changed it. In A.D. 1007 the name of the commander
of the Danish fleet was Heming. There are three Reming-
tons, two Hemingfords, one Hemingby, and Hemingburg in
diverse counties. The widespread occurrence is an indication
of a personal name.

Hardington (D.B., Hardingtona and Hardin-tona) is in
more respects than one a companion name to that of Rem-
ington. The Danish or Scandinavian element is found in both.
Among the Taini Regis Edwardi, King Edward's thanes in
A.D. 1066, we do not find the name Reming; there is Ramon
Fitz-Richard, who was " Lord of Stowey in Chew Rundred "
in the centuries subsequent to the Conquest, and there is a
place-name purely local of Richard's hill, which has travelled
down the centuries since the twelfth. But Harding is of not
infrequent occurrence in Somerset as well as Wiltshire. The
greatest of the three Hardings in the county was Hardinus de
Meriot, who in A.D. 1086 held six manors. Re was also called
Harding Fitz-Eadnoth. A Harding held Crenemella, now
corrupted to Cranmore, under the Abbot of Glastonbury,
and there was a third, who was in attendance on " the lady
of Bath," Queen Edith, at Wilton. He was her steward. The
identity and the pedigrees need not disturb us. It is not a
surprise that the name is part of a place-name of which the
meaning simply is The tun of Harding. The Domesday Book
spelling is Hardintona; T.E., Hardyngtone; in days of Ed-
ward IV. the aspirate is gone, Ardyngtone, and we note in
the east of the county a name Adringtone. Adryington is the
same as Ardyington probably, by interchange of the con-
sonants. Is there a possibility of the name Adrian being here
submerged, and thus a Roman name lost to sight? Ing is
usually regarded as a patronymic of Hard, son of Hard, in
which the name imports just what it says, stoutness of mind
and courage. We believe that the original form of Harden
is Ardwine and Rardwine. There is a Harding-ham in Nor-
folk, Harding's-ton in Northampton, Hardenhuish in Wilts.

122

A Harding may have fought in Somerset for or against the
great Alfred ; may have been at the peace of Wedmore ; and
possibly a Harding may have witnessed the unveiling of the
millenial memorial to the peerless Saxon king, and listened
to the eloquent panegyric of that monarch by the bishop of
Bristol. Names may be dead things; we prefer to regard
them as buttons which, merely pressed, kindle electric lights
in all directions.

Horrington is a hamlet near the cathedral city of Wells not
mentioned in D.B. nor T.E. Later it is spelt Horyndon. In
a will of A.D. 1583 it is Horringdon. In the 17th century it be-
comes Horring-ton. The dun is original. Est Horyndon is
the earliest spelling we have found in the Nomina Villarum,
A.D. 1328 (Kirby's Quest). Now Hornings and Horningdons
abound. In Essex there are three Horndons. In the Isle of
Wight is Horringford, and Horringer in Suffolk. In the far
north of Jutland is the town of Hjorring and a peninsula
called Oringe, pronounced the same as the Suffolk town —
that is, the final vowel is vocal. It appears from Sternstrup's
danish place-names^ that Oringe was in the thirteenth cen-
tury called Worthing, and Oringhburh, Warthingburgh. As
Warleigh (Bath) is Heor-leia, or Worleigh, or Warleigh,
Horrington may be in origin the same name as Worthington,
in which Wortha (that is, Wyrta, an artisan) is a known and
intelligible name. It is to be observed, however, that we
have no indications of this in spellings. It is pronounced Har-
ringdon, doubtless. Leo interprets Harandene and Haran-
dun from the Saxon Haran, the hare. Some of these may be
from the name Florn, but the Wells name and perhaps those
in Essex may be from the genitival form of Heor, a Saxon
personal name ; Heoran, Heoran-don. The name Warleigh,
near Bath, thus gets its explanation. On the principles pre-
viously alluded to, Heor becomes War. This is clear, be-
cause the Domesday name is Heor-leia or Heor's lea. We
are sorry to give up the pretty conceit that, here the hore-
hound once was found in great profusion. Is this medicinal
herb discovered here? —

"An heved hor as horhowne."

^Quoted in a letter by the Rev. Leonard Wilkinson, of Westbury-on-Severn.
f'Sternstrup's Dansie Stednavn, p. 12)

123

A head white (hoar) as the flower of the horehound. To the
student of place-names it may be instructive to note how
the name of this flower has assumed the form of a well-
known word, hound, by adding on the consonantal grip-letter
at the end. The Anglo-Saxon is harhune. Harhune-don
might be attractive etymology though wrong.

Horsington.—D.B., Horstentona; T.E., Horsington. The
spelling has therefore endured since A.D. 1291. K.Q., 1315-
1316, is also Horsington {Nomina Villanim). The names Hen-
gest and Horsa, the Castor and Pollux of our Saxon ancestors,
occur in the county, for Henstridge is in Domesday book
Hengestrich. It does not, however, follow that we can find
the " cult of the heavenly twins " in the places concerned.
For both Hengest and Horsa were names in common use.
The root meaning of Horsa is simply a runner, but that of
Hengest is not exactly known. It was only at a late period
that Hengst in German got the meaning of stallion, for,
curiously enough, earlier it meant a gelding, and further back
than that was an appelative perhaps meaning nimble.

Horsington is pretty plainly a corruption of Horsten-tona
of the Domesday spelling, when already it was forgotten that
horsthegn or horstain was the name of an ofificer equivalent
to marshal as an official designation. The name Horsa is
found in the names Horsleaze and Horseford, Horsey in
Bridgwater, and Horsey Pignes in North Petherton. In the
names of a charter of Dunster monastic cell occurs the name
H or stones- dene} This Horstone is a form of Horsten perhaps.
The name is compounded in almost innumerable names dis-
persed through the country. Horsey occurs in Norfolk, and
there are Horsham and Horsell in Sussex, and a replica of
the name itself, Horsington, in Lincoln, of which the de-
rivation may not be the same as that of the Somerset name,
but another form of Horsa. Of the companion name Hen-
gest, Henstridge is Hengest-ridge ; D.B., Hengesterich ; (Rich.
III.) Henxstrige. In the sixteenth century are the forms
Hendstrendge, Hengestrigg, Henghstrige, Hengystirge, Hend-
striche, Henxtrigge, and Henstrige. Hengesterich has a pre-
cise parallel in German place-names, as Hengst-riicke. Hens-

'Balh Chartulary, Lincoln's Inn MSS., No. 845, p. 170. S. R. Soc, vol. vii.

124

ley and Hensman are, as personal names, shortened forms
of Hengst-ley and Hengst-man. This may be the key to the
transformed Somerset hamlet name called Endestone, now
called Yeanstone, which was formerly spelt " Yenstone."
The half-vowel sound is the dropped aspirate, like yeat for
heat in South Somerset, and so was Hens-ton — that is,
Hengst-ton. The personal names Hengston, Hinxham, and
Hinks are forms of this Saxon name Hengeste which are now
in use. Henskridge is thus Henk's ridge, and Yenstone, En-
destone, Yenstone, is Henks-ton. Yenston is a hamlet be-
tween Henstridge and Templecombe, where formerly was an
alien priory. Hence the local name, " The Priory Plot." We
did not like to separate the Siamese twins, Hengest from
Horsa.

Kilmington, in Somerset, and Kilmington with Kilmeston,
in Devon, point to a Saxon derivation. Cwealm means in
Anglo-Saxon slaughter, and Cwealm-staw signifies a place of
execution, and as in this neighbourhood King Alfred gained
victories over the Danes, it is thought that Cwealman-ton
has historic reference to this. On the other hand, Polwhile
in his Devon has among many other precarious derivations
that of Kilmington from killi, a grove, and maen, Celtic-
Cornish for stone or rock. To follow a fashion once estab-
lished, the neighbourhood was the abode of the Culmingas.
Leo, in his Anglo-Saxon place-names, says that tun is often
united with the names of individuals, but never with those
of families. This is, we consider, the tun of Ceolmund, a
known saxon name. Ceolmund becomes in Prankish, Gil-
man. The "g" and the "c" are distinctive dialectical marks.
By process of assimilation to other names, Ceolmund (and Gil-
man and Cilman) becomes Kilmington. Ceolmund is the
origin of the name Colman. It is a compound word, and
apparently means bulwark, or a keel of vessel. The same
word Ceol is probably found in the common personal name
Keel.

Lovington seems to be accounted for by the existence of a
personal name in the useful records we must needs mention
so often, for there we read of a Thane whose name was Levinc
of Luvinc. He was also called Elfstan. The existence of this
personal name is certified, too, by the charter (if reliable) of

125

king Edward in A.D. 1001, in which mention is made of Lav-
ing or Leoving as bishop of Wells at this time. The name
Leofing is a common name in the ninth and tenth and
eleventh centuries. One of this name was bishop of Worcester
(1038-1046), and another abbot of Winchcombe. Leof is
very common in compounds, as Leofwine (Levinus, Leuvin,
and the name Lewin's Mead) becomes Livinc and Lofing,
and Luvinc and Lovinc. He is called Lif-wing, which, if
right, seems to mean swift-wing, a name therefore arising,
as so many did, from personal qualities. Leovinc-ton is the
tun of one who bore this name.

Luckington is a hamlet in Kilmersdon. The latter name
contains the same often-bafHing prefix Kil. This is, no doubt,
the case where the spellings do not give a clue to an inter-
change of letters in pronunciation, whch is best described as
a corruption, even though it does proceed according to
known laws of speech. Now, Domesday book, as an early
authority, spells Chinemersdon, and this spelling persists in
the County Pleas and Court Rolls, as in the Nomina Villarum
we have the hundred of Kinemersdon, and in the 14th Henry
IV. (1328). That is, it persists from before the Conquest to
the fourteenth century and later. It is in the doubtful time
of experimental spelling of the Tudor period that we find
in the King's books, at the time of " the great pillage,"
Kylmasdon, and in Elizabeth's days Kilmerston. Curiously
enough, there is Killamarch in the county of Derby, which
in Domesday book is spelt Chinewoldemersch, that is Cyn-
wold's marsh, or Kinwald. Similarly Kilmersdon is Cyn-
maers, or Kinmer's dun or down. Luckington, the hamlet
name, has a diverse spelling in the Exon Domesday and the
Exchequer. The Exon book is the first in point of time.
In the spelling of the names of places and persons there are
some remarkable differences between them. This is one of
them — Lochinstone and Loduntune. The former is in the
later Exchequer book, and is undoubtedly correct, as is
shown by the persistence of the name. Lockington,
or Lochantun, is derived from a personal name, Loc (geni-
tive Locan and Lucan). This name, as we find, may occur
in other place-names, such as Loxton, Loc's tun, and
the like. In the Scandinavian mythology is found the name

126

Loki, the Norse god of mischief. He is not quite the
equivalent of the Hebrew satan, as interpreted in the later
records, except that " he is the backbiter of the gods and
spokesmen of evil counsel." " Fair in face is he, but ill in
temper " — a combination not unknown in human kind at
all times— and "fickle of mood," he hath but all that craft
called sleight, and he cheated in all things." " Full oft hath
he brought men and gods into straights, and set them free
by clever counsel." This is the veritable Mephistopheles
portrayed by the immortal poet Goethe in the first part of
the great drama of Faust. The name Loki may have been
the personal designation of some great Viking. But however
originating, it is a personal name, found in other names than
those above mentioned, as Locking, Locksbrook, and
Locheslie (Lock's meadow), as the name of an old Somerset
hundred, which, as a hundred name, has been extinct for
centuries. Other like names are Lockington, in Leicester-
shire; Loxbere and Loxhore, in Devon; Loxley, in Stafford-
shire; Loxwood, in Sussex. Lexworthy is spelt Lochesworth
in the Nomina Villanim, and is of the same origin. Lux-
borough is, however, a shorter form of Loligsberia, and is an
instructive example of the way in which we may be so easily
misled if we proceed without any regard to the history of
the word. It is, in fact, connected with Lullington.

Lullington. — Domesday Book, Loligton. In the Nomina
Villarum, Lollington, and the Lay Subsidies (20 Edw. III.),
Lullingstone. In the earlier Taxatio Ecclesiastica, LuUyng-
don. In early Chancery proceedings there are the vagaries or
caprices of spelling, Lolkington and Holyngton. Loligton
is a spelling by a Saxon scribe with whom the " g " would
be so soft as to evanesce in pronunciation, and become Loli.
However, before A.D. 1000 the names LuUa and Lulling
are extremely common. It is mostly a man's name of pre-
fect, princelet, soldier, priest. Lulla occurs as the name of
a matron, and in a charter of Glastonbury Abbey we read
of Carta Lullae Christi ancilla de Baltonshergc. Lulla lived
at Baltonsberge, and was a " handmaid of the Lord." Lull-
ington, therefore, may have had a male or female proprietor.
The same personal appellation accounts for the place-name
in Somerset of Lilstock (D.B., Lulistoc), and Luxborough

127

(D.B., Loligsberia). Beria is not the equivalent of burga,
burh, although in the name in question it has developed into
" borough." Beorh is a castle, or fortified spot, while borh
is a town. Lulsgate — that is, Lulla's gate — was formerly the
name of St. Catherine's, Felton Common, and the
name still exists in the locality. Gate, we may note,
obiter, may mean a way, or road. This meaning
is still preserved in the north. In Yorkshire lips,
" Get out of my geat " means " Get out of my way " ; " Gang
thee own geat," " Go your own way." As bearing out the
personal origin we note that there are Lullings-tons in Kent,
Derbyshire, and Sussex, a Lullworth in Devonshire, a Luis-
ley in Worcestershire, and a Lol-worth in Cambridgeshire.
The personal name Lowle occurs in a Somerset directory
of to-day, and doubtless elsewhere.

Pointington is an ancient Somerset parish, which was trans-
ferred to Dorset on March 31st, 1896. We, therefore, take
note of it here. In Domesday Book it is spelt Ponditone. In
the Taxatio Ecclesiastica it is Pontyndon. In the Archeologia
we find that the manor of Poynkington was held by John
de Montacute in the time of Richard II. In early Chancery
proceedings it seems, if the identification is correct, to be
spelt Portenton. This is at the time of Henry VI. Earlier,
in A.D. 1198 (Richard I.), we read of Geoffrey of Pondinton.
Pothinton is also a spelling, and it is Pontinton and Pondin-
ton persistently in the Montacute Cartularies.^ In A.D. 1490 and
onward it is Poyntyngdon. The variants are interesting. If,
for instance, Poynkington was our only clue we might easily
go astray, as also with Portenton. But these are mis-spellings
or mistakes, as the type is persistent. The root is either Pund
or Pont — the Anglo-Saxon peond, from which we derive our
word pound, the village prison for strayed animals, which is
now in most villages gone to ruins. In middle-low german,
Beunde is an enclosed plot. This would then mean the en-
closed tun. In Dunster is a hamlet called Bondington. This
is no different from Pondinton. In the Liber Vitce and
Frisian is the name Bonde and the modern English Bond.
To take Poynkington as the clue is to forsake the type for
an isolated spelling. Point is also an Anglo-Saxon name, as

S. R. S. vol. viii.

128

in Pointes-stan. The origin is the personal name Pont, Bond
or Point.

Puckington.—D.B., Pokintona; T.E., Pokyngton; Nomina
Villarum (1315), Pokynton. If the identification is correct,
this actually becomes Perkinton in the Charters of Wardour
Castle (dated 1316). In A.D. 1557 we read of the manor of
Pokington. We may note that in a charter of a grant of land
made in the time of Edward I. there is the name Poke-land in
Cannington. We much desire to connect these, and other
like-spelt place-names mentioned, with the Somerset pixies.
Now, Pwca is a hobgoblin, and Pwcantun would be the town
of the elfs, fairies, or pixies. But why these shy creatures
chose this particular spot might be difficult to explain. Some
Somerset people call a hedgehog by the delightful and sugges-
tive name of a poking. The word is highly descriptive of
this muscular-pawed quadruped, who burrows underground,
and, like politicians of a certain type, only lets you know
where he is by the dirt he throws up from his tunnelled
tracks. They also calls it a " weant," the derivation of which at
present we do not know. Let us observe that Pightley, a
hamlet in Spaxton, is spelt in Domesday Book Puche-lega,
and that in the village of Ash there is a local name, Pyke's
Ash. All these suggest to me quite clearly the personal name
Puca, Pucco, and Puch. Of one of the latter name, a comes,
living A.D. 700, it is related that his wounds were miracu-
lously healed by St. John of Hexham. In Frisian this assumes
the form Buco. The names Buck, Pook, Puck are still extant.
Puckan-ton, i.e., Puckington, as it is spelt by assimilation to
places in ing, is the tun of Pucca. Pightley is spelt Puche-
liga, and is the meadow of Pucca. Pyke's Ash is Pucca's Ash.
Puxton would seem at first sight also to have the same origin,
and mean Pucca's Ton. But in the days of Queen Elizabeth
it is Puckerellston, and earlier, in the time of Richard II.,
it is Pokerleston. Here is an interchange of consonants. A
puckrel is a small fiend or puck, and a puckle is a dialectical
word for a ghost or puck. " She had three of four impes.
Some call them puckrels. One like a grey cat, another like
a weasel, another like a mouse. A vengeance take them ! It
is a great pity the country is not rid of them." So says Gif-
fard's Dialogue on Witches, dated the last year of Queen

129

Bess, in A.D. 1603. It would be interesting to trace Puxton,
Pucklechurch (in Gloucestershire), and Pocklington (in
Yorkshire) to these delightfully mischevious elfs. It is prob-
able that this prevalent superstitious belief in those airy
creatures, who play some part in Shakespeare's dramas, may
have given rise to the spelling of the period, Pokerels-ton.
We regret to think that we must bring ourselves down to
plain and drowsy prose, and find that Pokerles-ton is Pucca-
leas, or meadows, and Puckleschurch short for Pucca-lea, with
tun appended in the one case and circ, or church, in the other.

Raddington. — D.B., Radingetona. Having in memory
other place-names like Reghill, in Winford, Castle-Neroche,
in the south of the county, with the spellings, it is suggestive
of possible explanations to find Raddington spelt Rachington
in the Nomina Villarum, as Reghill is Rachel or Radgel and
Neroche Nethir-Rached, with numerous variations. It is clear
that the " ch " was pronounced soft, and not as a guttural — that
is, Radginton. It is also clear that the second consonant is
intrusive, as the Domesday spelling indicates — that is, it is Rad-
ingtone. In A.D. 1533 it is spelt Redyngton. Rading is another
form of Reading, where the allusion might be to the char-
acter of the soil, as in Redcliffe, Rad-lynch for Red-lynch,
or the red slope ; or as some think it is patronymic, the Rad-
ings. In Luxembourg there is a locality Reding and the
Frisian name Reid and Reid, and this explanation is har-
monious with the Domesday Book, Radingetona. Four miles
from Axbridge there was a " small town " of twelve houses in
1800 called Rades-ham. This is the personal name Read.

In truth, in dealing with the place-names with the prefix
rad, we have an embarrassing wealth of possible roots. Ret-
ford, for instance, is not the red ford, but, according to Bede's
derivation, Arundinis Vadum, it is from hreod, a reed, and
is the reedy ford. Edmonds^ so derives Reading, hreod a
reed and ing a meadow, in the usual superficial way. The
roots jostle one another as eager claimants. In the
well-known mining village of Radstock it is said, in irre-
sponsible local guides, that rad is the equivalent of road. As
indicative of this it is suggested that in the immediate neigh-

^Traces of History in the Names of Places.

". il.rtiWiMMMfaO'.'- '-**^

130

bourhood there is one of the most perfect specimens of a
Roman road known to archsBoIogists. If this were the deriva-
tion we might fairly expect an early indication of it. As a
matter of fact, in Domesday Book it is simply Stoca, and it
has not the distinguishing prefix until long afterwards. It is
Radestoke in the Lay Subsidies of Edward III. — that is, in
the fourteenth century. Now, rad as a prefix occurs in dif-
ferent parts of the country, in places where the red-sandstone
formation is a characteristic, very many times. Sixteen clear
cases are easily enumerated on geological maps. Radlow,
near Hereford, is Raden-low, or the red hill. There is a
Rat-clifie in Notts as well as Somerset.

Rodden, spelt Reddena (we read of William de Radene in
1255, and Elizabeth Radon in 1645), or Red-dene, may mean
the " red lowland pastures," or Rodden, " the clearings,"
according to the meaning given below ; and Red-lea, in Upton
Noble, is the red pasture. Rad-way (with Fitzpaine super-
added) is easily deciphered as the red-way, but an examina-
tion of the Domesday Book spelling confronts us with the
surprising form Rachedeworde, and reminds us of what is
above said as to the pronunciation Radged-worde, i.e., " the
watered farm of Rached or Regenild,"from which it has been
shortened, as we elsewhere note. And this Rachedeworde
may, as in the analogous cases elsewhere given, be a full
name, Regenweard. Regen is indeed compounded with
many names, as Wealh, Wulf, Wig, and many more.
There are other roots besides those mentioned.
As, for example, we know that rood is Anglo-Saxon for a
cross, or rather a stone pillar for a gallows, as well as a cross
in stone with the cross cut in relief on its circular head.
Road, in North Petherton, and Road, near Frome, spelt in
Domesday Book Roda, and later Roode and Rowde, may be
from this derivation of Anglo-Saxon Rod, the Holy Rood or
Cross. In Domesday Book it is Roda. But there is a personal
name, Hrod, known to Saxon antiquity. And Roden means
a clearing, a place where wood has been cut. It is, indeed,
difficult to say which, but the balance of probability is in
favour of the personal name, as ownership was so often the
determining element in naming spots not otherwise so plainly
distinguished as to over-ride this tendency. Is it not so now

131

in common speech when speaking of dwelling-places and
localities, especially when ownership in a family has been so
long continued as to impress the popular imagination? Rod-
huish is Radehewis. What Hewis means is dealt with else-
where, as also Radlet, in Spaxton, spelt Ratdeflet in Domes-
day Book. Rudlake, North Curry, is the Red-lake.

Runnington, a little village close by Wellington (N.W.). —
D.B., Runetona; Edward III. and later, Ronetone; in early
Chancery proceedings, Rowyngton; in 17th century, Rown-
ington, and (if correct) East Rommington, which spellings
are capricious. The village is on the Tone, and it is a very
natural thought that, as the stream is here swift, the place
on its bank is called Runningtone. At least such a suggestion
has been made. The spelling Runetona is by a Norman
scribe. A Rune is a magical letter or hieroglyph. The Anglo-
Saxon run (long vowel), rune, means mystery, whisper, or
murmur, Runa is a secret counsel as in the Welsh rhin, mean-
ing a secret. It goes back to a Greek word meaning " To find
out." Runnymede, as is well known, is interpreted as the
" meadow of the council " where King John signed the Magna
Charta. Rhin, or watercourse, is written runen in a mediaeval
document. In certain inquisitions at Bridgwater referring to
Chynioc, it seems the abbot of Glastonbury had choked up
certain watercourses called runes. Running is Anglo-Saxon
for a watercourse. Running-ton is then the tun on the water-
course. " The town of the council " is also assigned as the
meaning,^ but the allusion is far more likely to the flowing
stream, unless there is some historical basis for the idea that
any council ever met here. Wrington is (as pointed out)
Rhin-ton. Roncombe Gurt in Axmouth Marsh, where gurt
and gurts, which in Celtic Cornish has become gut (and
Somersetshire, gout?), a trench or passage for water. The
allied Dutch is gote for a channel. Roncombe is the water-
course in the combe. In South Cadbury we find Runney's
mead and Rown-ham ferry, near Long Ashton. Wringmarsh
is a regional name and means the Rhin-marsh. Rimpton is
in Domesday Book Rintona, and is referable to the same
root. There are early charters of King Athelstan to the

^Traces of History in the Names of Places.

132

thegn Athelred, A.D. 938, and by King Alfred to Brightric,
A.D. 956, and it is then spelt the same as Wrington. A mill
stream runs through the village. Rimpton is the town on
the rhin, or stream. Rinwell is a flowing spring, as a place-
name in Essex.

Besides Seavington and Wellington, mentioned in previous
chapters, there are the place-names Wallington, Whittington,
and Withrington, near to Stoughton, mentioned in Mr.
Harvey's " Wedmore Chronicle." There is Wilmington in
Preston Plucknett, and the curious name Nugingham. By
the writer mentioned, Wallington is easily derived from the
three syllables Wall-ing-ton. Wall is Welsh for stranger ; ing
is the patronymic children of — that is, it means " the town
of the children of the stranger," or Britons. The Saxon
added insult to injury when he called the race that he finally
displaced vi et armis, the stranger. This explanation
may, in the main, stand, save that the ing is so
often merely an assimilation, and is so in this case
in all probability. It is true that there is the Frisian
name Walle found in the Durham Liber VitcB, with
the existent personal names. Waller, Wall, and Walls. The
Liber Vitce is a continuous record of English names for many
centuries. But this very personal name is probably of the
same meaning, and an indication of Celtic descent. Let us
observe that Wellingtons are on the border lands of Wales,
in Shropshire, and Herefordshire. Wealand actually denotes
the Celtic district of Armorica. In Germany are the place-
names of Wallenstadt (i.e., Wallenton) and Wallensee on
the frontier of the Grisons. Wallachia is the German name
for Bulgaria. And thus Wallenton is the foreigners' town, or
the town of Walle. A derivation has already been mentioned
connecting it with the Saxon god, which is (allowing for the
differences of the mythologies) the Latin god Vulcan.

Warrington. — Curiously enough, the Shropshire Warring-
ton is in Domesday Book Wallinton, and we ask, with some
pause, whether this is possibly the case with the Somerset-
shire hamlet of Warrington. This is, in the presence of the
other hamlet named Wallington, scarcely likely. The name
Werenc is in a well-certified list of Anglo-Saxon names.
Werenc is little different from the Waring given by Kemble

133

or the name Warren, still very common. The doubled con-
sonant is not original. Waeringwick is a very old name.
" War " and " Waer " are no doubt connected with defence
or a root, wern, meaning nationality, as in the old German
name of Warinburg.

Whittington is best known by a famous personal name. It
is not difficult to decipher. Where the feline companion
hailed from may be a more difficult matter. Nor does it follow
that the Lord Mayor of so much fame came from a little
hamlet thus called in Somerset. In the Liber Vita, and in lists
of Anglo-Saxon personal names, is the name, both standing
alone and as a prefix Witta. There was a Witta Bishop of
Lichfield in early Saxon days, and a Witta a follower of Hen-
gist, and a patronymic Witing acted as a witness in Kent in
A.D. 824. Wittan would be a genitive form of Witta, or it is
direct from Witing. There are three possible roots at least -
Wiht, strength ; wid, wood ; and wit, wisdom — the latter prob-
ably in this case.

Witherington. — There is a Widdrington in Northumber-
land. This is doubtless the same place-name. It is a sign of
the south country to soften the vowels. " Wither " is a local
name in Wid(th)eres-cumb. Witherwine (Withrin) is the
name of a Dane, in the times of Cnut, Hardicanute, and
Harold. The name is Scandinavian in origin. The race
that conquered Britain was mixed, as is thus clearly shown.
Other racial names will be treated of in due course.

Wilmington is in Priston in the hundred of Keynsham. The
Domesday Book spelling is Wimmadona. The forms of spell-
ing throughout Wiilminton, Willmyngton, Wylmyndon, and
the earlier spelling, in the tenth century, show that Wynhelm,
Wynnelm, is the true spelling, and ton is here as elsewhere a
mere corruption of don. In a Saxon charter of Stanton's Prior^
Wynlmaeddune occurs twice. There is a local place-name
Woolminstone. This is subject to a variety of spellings, Wel-
mistone, Wollmiston, Wolmeston, Woolmestone. A field-
name in the Hilcombe tithing of the hamlet of Sea is Wilmin-
tons. Here is the place-name become a personal name of
origin, and then a local field name. Wilman is a local name.

^Ba/h Chartulary, S.R.S., vol. vii., p. 27.

134

as in Wilman-leah-tun, and Wilman-ponda. It is, originally,
we think, Wilmund, occurring as early as A.D. 844 in docu-
ments, and is a Wessex name. It is thus Wilmund-ton. The
names Willow, Will, Willey, from an old German " Willo,"
are found among early settlers, and is most likely just our
word " will," in the sense of a resolute person, as a mental
characteristic, and " mund " is protection. Once more the
" ing " is an assimilation when Wilmund was forgotten.

Woolavington, near Bridgwater. Wulflaf is indeed a fre-
quent name, occurring mostly in Wessex, but the Domesday
Book spelling is Hunlavington. Nevertheless the spellings
are so persistent and the name Wulflaf occurs as a witness that
we suspect some confusion, and that this is the true form.

Woolfrington. — Wulfric is a name found from Edmund
the First of Saxon days to Edward the Third of Norman
medievalism. It is Wulfric-ton. It may be from the closely-
cognate feminine name Wulfrun, the name of a Bishop. The
first is no doubt right, and S. Wulfric was a well known
Somerset saint. And the name occurs in the Bath Chartu-
laries. Woolfryngton is surely distinct from Woolverton,
which is Wulfweard-ton. Wulfrige was a Bishop in A.D. 901
to 930.

Writhlington, Domesday Book Writelinc-ton. — There is a
precisely similar form in Wurtemburg, Reuthingen. The
Domesday Book form may be written Ridling-ton, but if the
" w " is original then the name originates in some such name
as " Wryt," which is Anglo-Saxon for artisan, our Wright.
In Essex there is a place-name Writtle, and there is the
modern name Riddle. Yrthling, a husbandman, farmer yields
Rithling by the shifting of the " r." This may be the origin of
the name Riddle. Reutling would in meaning be close
akin, as reuten means to make fertile by ploughing or grub-
bing up. The Anglo-Saxon Rithe, a stream, is sometimes given
as the origin of this name.

Yarlington is spelt in Domesday Book Gerlincton. The
pronunciation of these two words is but little different. The
spellings later are Yerlinton (1270), Yearlington, and the like.
Some attractive fancy etymlogies have been given. Jar or
Yare, as in the river of that name, is water. There is a re-
markable stream here (it is said) that disappears for a while

135

underground. The latest guides do not mention it. Yar and
lyn, as in Lyncombe, are the two component parts. In this
case it is Celtic. Again, Yarl is, of course, the same as Jarl in
sound, and Jarl is the old Scandinavian for a chieftain, or
earl. This would not account for the ing, which the deriva-
tion from a Saxon personal name Gerlac or Gerlinc does.
The personal name locally found, of Girling, confirms the
occurrence of this name as an ancient proper name.

A curious name, Twington, is that of a hamlet in Selworthy.
It is sufficiently peculiar to be puzzling should a significant
etymology be sought from local or other characteristics. The
difficulty ceases when, as might be initially expected, we have
a Saxon's tun to deal with. We find the personal name
Twicga, found in our name Twigg. A Twicga was a moneyer
of St. Edmund; and this may be Twicg-ton, or more prob-
ably as we find the place-name Twyn-ing in Gloucestershire,
Twinehan in Sussex, Twin-stead in Sussex, we have here a
personal name Twyn. Twyn is also said as a descriptive name
to mean a curved hillock or bank. Joined to ham, stead, ton,
not all answering to this description, it is more probably the
name given by Searle, Tuini, as the name of one of Edward
the Confessor's thanes. It is indeed possible that the personal
name originates in a birth-fact, a Twin, as does also Twicga,
in Twiccan-ham.

Here it may simply be remarked that clearly it was cer-
tainly a predominant characteristic of the Saxon to call his
lands by his own name, and it was of the Celt to give des-
criptive names. " Proputty, Proputty, Proputty, I think I
hears 'em zaa," is truly Saxon.

136

CHAPTER XV.
Racial Names — Introduction.

There are more points at which place-names touch per-
sonal names than is usually supposed by the tyro in place-
names. The study of these names is attended with, perhaps,
even more difficulty than place-names. The personal names
are of course significant, and the meaning of the personal
name is assigned to the place. If, as a ready example, a
personal name " Aesc " means an ash, then, though the
place-name was called from the owner, it is supposed that
the place abounded in ash trees. It is not denied that places
did take their names from such circumstances, as Nine Elms,
and Fivashes, and Seven Oaks, from the growth of the trees
named. All we are saying is that there are many cases in
which this ready explanation is not correct as a matter of
history. There is always a tendency to an obvious ex-
planation, and to assimilation of names.

In the introduction of hereditary surnames the late Pro-
fessor Freeman, the historian, discovered the greatest and
most immediate change wrought by the Norman Conquest;
and it produced, moreover, a revolution in Christian names.
Camden was the pioneer in the particular branch of study
which relates to investigations of the origin of names of
people. If we are studying antiquarian remains, we are
under no absolute necessity to visit a museum. The study
of the names of the people In your town and village (and
perhaps your own) — If you are an old collector of such
trifles of knowledge, and value a literary curio as much or
more than one that assumes the solid shape of gold or silver
or ivory — will save you from a needless pilgrimage.

We have no concern here with mere surnames, as such,
in their manifold origins. One thing the professor men-
tioned makes clear is that they bring before us the social
life of the Middle Ages. They took their rise in the
medifeval period. The trades of the time and their titles;

137

various occupations which no longer exist; usages and cus-
toms and peculiarities, social and individual, long passed
away, all gave rise to surnames. Names are fossils, whether
of places or persons, and as interesting to the historian as
the numerous oolitic remains, or those of other formations,
to the geologist.

The main classification is into local and patronymic sur-
names. There are surnames of office and occupation that
explain themselves, as John the Turner, William the Barber,
Thomas le Fleicheur, i.e., the butcher. But of local place-
names there is, as has been rightly asserted, no village in
England, and scarcely a hamlet, which has not given its
name to some dwellers or settlers. John of Leigh may be
taken as an illustration, for " leighs," " leys," or " lys "
are excessively common throughout the country. It is these
that are of importance for Somerset (as for some other
counties), which has its store of names indicating a par-
ticular social phase of feudal landownership and great
estates. It must not, however, be lightly taken for granted
that the bearers of place-names, as personal designations,
can always be at once associated with the families of those
to whom they belonged in the Middle Ages. Nor can they
without more ado be traced to Normandy, and brought out
with the ease with which a saint is made to trot from the
east, or cross from Ireland into Somerset. While this is so,
there are very numerous instances where the reverse process
is the true explanation. Saxon owners fixed their names
on their " tuns." The name was frequently tribal, brought
from Saxony and other parts of the European continent,
where a searcher finds the prototype of the name on the
spots from which the immigrants came. The study of a
single name may throw much light upon the history of
nations and their migrations. The Teutonic races. Angles,
Saxons, Jutes, " left but few cities, towns, villages, pas-
sages, rivers, woods, fields, hills, or dales they gave not new
names unto, such as in their own language were inteligible.""
The names may be naturally varied, but they were originally
made in Germany.

'Versteegfan, 1605.

138

It sometimes requires a hard blow of the professional
hammer to lay bare the internal secret of a piece of rock,
and it is recognised that it is often no easy matter to ex-
plore the history of a name. The most obvious explanation
is, indeed, often the least satisfactory, and frequently the
farthest from the truth. "What's in a name?" A town or
village will flourish or decay as well or ill under one name
as another. If you know the name of the street or country
lane in which you live, and from which you can conveniently
date a business letter, why trouble yourself any more? In
truth, we all have the making of a Philistine in us. What
we most differ in is our view of what is worthy of our atten-
tion, and while philosophy, or science, or art, or music are
distasteful to some, various phases of past history, such as
the science of names, is quite without interest to others.
The romance of the present is not sufficiently obvious to
the ordinary mind. It is even curious to watch the shock
of surprise with which some persons are visited when asked
what is the meaning and origin of the name of your village,
or farm, or your own?

In the Ashmolean Museum, at Oxford, there is a stone
with this inscription : " Earl Odda had this royal hall built
and dedicated in honour of the Holy Trinity, for the good
of the soul of his brother Elfric, who in this place quitted
the body. Bishop Ealdred dedicated it on April 12th, in
the 14th year of the reign of Edward, King of the English."
Earl Odda died in 1056. The stone was found at Deerhurst,
near Tewkesbury. Odda is Scandinavian or Frisian, and
may perhaps serve to remind us of Odin, the Scandinavian
god of war. The name Odstone assumes the form of Hod-
disdon in Hertfordshire, at which place there is said to be
a tumulus or barrow made to commemorate a Danish chief-
tain of this name. There are also the forms Hoddington,
Oddingly, Hodnel, Oddington. We are also reminded of
the personal name of the present day, Hodson. Odda is a
frequently recurring name in the 10th century and in the
11th (936-1055). No doubt Odo is a form of the same name,
and it is compounded in such names as Odwine and Odweard.
In Westphalia and Bavaria we find the Odinga, and the

139

name Oda occurs in the Liber Vitce and Odde in Frisian.
The name is also found in Oddy. In Worcestershire is the
place-name Hodsoak, i.e., Odda's oak, and in Somerset
Odcombe.

Closely analogous is the explanation of the name of the
interesting village of Ubley, a place of rivers and streams
of wandering waters. This characteristic of the locality has
not influenced the naming of the spot, and it is indeed
initially tempting to be content with the surface explanation.
Ub-ley is just up-lea, the meadow on the slopes, for indeed
much of the parish does lie picturesquely on the darkling
sides of many-wooded Mendip. Uptons are numerous, but
in some cases even this is only a popular form of a very
different word, even as " Upton "-on-Severn is a name of
a Roman town with a Roman name put by slipshod speech
into intelligible shape. The old spelling of the name is
variously Oba, Ubba, and Hubba. In Domesday Book it
is supposed to be Tumbeli. An imaginative etymologist
of poetic mind refers to a passage in a canto of
Malory's " Morte d'Arthur." Ubbley-bredes are sacra-
mental cakes. An oble is a kind of wafer cake. " Ete the
obletes and thou shalt have deliverance bathe aboyne and
bynethe." An oblete to our mediseval German cousins was
the like. It is clearly oblata or offerings — " our oblations."
But in what way the village name so called can be so ex-
plained is not so easy to see.

Ubley is clearly derived from a personal name. That the
name was by no means an unknown one is illustrated by the
story of Edmund, King and Martyr. It was a certain Ubba
or Hubba (it was a Wessex and a Mercian name) who was
a Danish or Frisian chief in 870 A.D., who offered life to
Edmund if he would renounce Christianity. The offer was
made in vain. Edmund was steadily faithful. They tied
Edmund to an oak tree, and he was shot by Ubba, whose
bolt lay embedded in the martyr's heart; and it is said that
the actual bolt so discovered is one of the objects of his-
torical interest in the British Museum. It is not, however,
hereby suggested that this bloodthirsty Dane, and un-
righteous slayer of the saints, was the same who delighted

140

in the possession of a pretty little property under the deep
shadow of the Mendip. In the Somerset Pleas (13th century)
the spelling is Hubbelegh. In various existent legal docu-
ments of the parish of Ubley, at the court of the parson,
the name is spelt invariably with an " o," Obley and Obbeley
in the 17th century. In the North, where there is often a
very great and unreasonable prejudice in favour of prefixing
the aspirate to words where it is not required — possibly ex-
pressive of the Northerners' superflous vocal energy — it
assumes the form Hubber, in Hubber's-holme, and even in
Pembroke it is Hubberstone. There is a local name in
Farmborough called Hobb's Wall, which it may be suggested
is a popular corruption of " Obbesal " or Obbe's hill. The
personal derivable names are Hobbs and Hobson.

A very similar instance is also found in the name of a
Danish Viking, Othere. The Saxon otyre is given as a trans-
lation of the Latin liitrichis, the otter. Personal names were
often taken from animals, or the figure-head of a vessel —
in which the ancient seafaring adventurer went in search of
a conquest and a settlement in a pleasant, fruitful pasture-
would give the name to the owner-chief. In the numerous
place-names (of which a fairly large number can be reckoned
in the different counties) beginning with otter, as our Otter-
ford, and Ottery St. Mary, in the neighbouring Devon, and
Otterhampton and Ottersey, whether the name is that of
the Viking or the animal, the meaning is precisely the same.
In Yorkshire Huddersfield is called, in popular parlance,
Huthersfield, which is most evidently the same name.

Baltonsborough has the somewhat rare characteristic of
standing alone in any list of the towns and villages of
England. There is nothing quite like it. This is a personal
name. Its varied spellings are Balstonburie, Baltesburgh,
Balton, Baltonsberghe, Belchinborrowe, and perhaps Balse-
burghe. In Domesday Book it is spelt Baltunesberga. This
is not Ball-tun-berg, but Baldhun-berg, and proves the ex-
istence of the name Baldhun or Bealdhun, as well as Bait or
Baldhere and Beald or Beak and Balthhildis or Balthild.
But, of course, this name has a root-meaning, for " bald "
means bold or swift, and " hun " is apparently a racial ending.

141

Thus the original bearer of the name derived it from his
personal qualities. And we further see that in all such cases
the association between the owner of the soil and the place
became so firm as to leave a permanent trace.

After the Peace of Wedmore in 878 A.D., and when the
genius and moral enthusiasm of Alfred the Great, by his
daily toils, secured peace and good government, then Dane
and Saxon lived side by side, and continued to do so in the
subsequent generations; but the Saxon absorbed the Dane,
as he afterwards did the Norman. When Hobsons and
Hodders (both of which seem to be derived from Obba and
Odda) and Hardinges and Bords had forgotten their Scan-
dinavian descent, even when it reappeared in the physical
traces which mark the race, they remained peaceful
neighbours.

Chard is Saxon. The name carries us back four hundred years
before the Peace of Wedmore. A band of Saxons struggled
and fought their way up from Southampton Water, and slew
five thousand dark-eyed, black-haired Britons on their way.
The Crown then was set upon the head of Cerdric as first
King of the West Saxons (519-534 A.D.). Cerdric became
a frequent name, for it by no means follows that a place
derived its title from a particular overlord whose history we
can now trace. History has not always been so kind. But
this advance of Cerdric was checked. New invasions of a
more determined character, a hundred years later, converted
much of Britain into England. Old Sarum and Bath fell, and
the uplands along the line of the Severn became a prey to
the Saxon, and the Saxon put a large stamp upon all that
he held or acquired, as he does now. Charlton is the town of
the Saxon freemen, or churls ; Charlcombe, or Cherlcombe.

Chard is written in Domesday Book Cerdre and the type
of spellings are fairly persistent. The form "Chard" is a
Prankish form where the " c " is pronounced soft, as " Karl "
becomes Charles. There is a seal of Cherde in A.D. 1400, and
of a Walter Bluett in 1363, which latter is interesting in connec-
tion with the name of Hinton Blewitt. Charlynch, too, is
Chardelynch— Cherdelynich shortened to Cherlynch. Char-
lynch is thus Cerdric's lynch. A lynch, or linch, is a balk

142

of land, a bank, or boundary for the division of land, and
also a ledge or wooded cliff. The element occurs in Moor-
lynch, Redlynch, Stocklynch Magdalen, and Stocklynch
Ottersay. Stock is, of course. Stoke, from stoc, the stem
or main part of a tree, for it was around the sacred tree
the village and primitive hamlet rose, and on which, as among
some savage races, an image of the god was carved. Still
another Saxon noble to keep Cerdric and the Scandinavians
in countenance is Kinwardstone, whose name is changed into
a form the hero (if he was one) would scarcely recognise, that
of Kingweston, that is Cyneweards-ton.

Badgworth is near Axbridge (3 miles). The various spell-
ings are these : — Bageworth and Baggeworth in the fourteenth
century; also called North and Nethyr-baggeworth. The
Domesday Book spelling is Bagewerra. In the same Domes-
day hundred of Bimastone (Bempstone) is Werra, identified
with Weare (over and under) a large village near the
Axe. This is curious, as then Badgworth is Bagwear and
the ending worth, a farmstead (usually watered), is a corrupt
form. It is Baggeworth in 1297, Taxatio Ecclesiastica, and
henceforth. In the time of Elizabeth and onward we find
Badgworth. The " d " appears, therefore, merely a literal
sign of the soft pronunciation of the " g's," and does not
suggest to us Badoc or Madoc. Bougi and Boudi are alike
Celtic Cornish for cattle shelter; while gwer is British for
a meadow. Amid the surrounding damp moors of Wedmore,
where grew the sphagnum or bog moss; the cotton grass
with its white tufts ; the weide or withy ; and where revelled
the snipe; where the moor-hen popped in and out of leafy
shelter ; where the whirr of the wild ducks' wings was heard,
there uplifted itself a place of grass and shelter for sheep and
kine. In the Lay Subsidies we read Upweare cum hamel
(with the hamlets) of Bagworth, Clywore (Clewer) Were
Burgos {i.e., Weare as a borough). In Saxon lists of names
we find the names Bago, Bego, and this is either the name
of the Weare or, assuming the incorrectness of Domesday
Book in light of subsequent spellings, then it is Bag's-worth.
We meet with this personal name more than once. The Celtic
derivation must be abandoned.

143

Churchill is a straggling village situated in a pleasant valley
screened by the steep ascent of Sandford Hill. It is, of
course, variously spelt Curichill, Cheirchil, Chercheile,
Churchull, and Churchill. One of the important words
which Christian technology gave to Celt, Briton, and Teuton
alike was that derived from a Greek ecclesiastical source,
which appears as cyric, circe, kirk, cherche, church. The
forms are not without order. The Anglo-Saxon is cyrice,
and accounts for the first, and this became later circe, whence
kirk. The Middle English is chirche, chireche. The name
indicates Church property, as distinguished from that of the
Baron. At the end of the 12th century, in the time of
Reginald Fitz Jocelyn, Bishop of Wells, we read the name
Robert de Cerceles.i This is identified with Churchill in
Banwell. The name has, however, been connected with that
of Roger de Corcelle before mentioned. There were not six
hundreds of Somerset in which this ubiquitous feudal " land-
grabber " — to use the sweet phrase of the modern Socialist —
had not some interest. In 1086 he held no fewer than one
hundred and eight estates previously held by his father. A
writer who is content with Delineations of Somersetshire,^
confining himself to interesting notes on the north-western
division, tells us that the place derived its name from Roger
de Courcil, or Curcelle, a famous chieftain who came over
at the conquest who, amongst other rewards for his ser-
vices, had the grant of the lordship of Churchill, where he
took up his abode, and assumed the name of Courcil, instead
of the Norman surname de Leon. Collinson, who attempted
to describe the whole county, and thereby took on his
shoulders a burden which the strongest literary Atlas could
scarcely carry, calls this a fable. He appears to be right, for
Churchill as a manor had no existence at the conquest, and
has no mention in the survey. It is apparently included in
Banewella, as the acreage shows. The place arose later, as
the name spellings imply. It was further part of the Bishop's
manor of Banwell — hence its name as an ecclesiastical estate.
At the date of the above item from the Bruton Chartulary
it appears that property here was held by others than the

^Bruton Cartulary, S.R.S., vol. viii., p. 30. ^Rutter.

144

Church. Eyton shows that Courcelle had property hard by^
at Blackmore in Churchill and at " Pantesheda " in Banwell.
This seems to favour the derivation from the personal name
Courcelle, as also do the 12th and 13th century spellings.

Timsbury would clearly appear to have its origin in
a personal name such as the Saxon Timbra or Tinber. The
Domesday Book spelling is Timesberua, and later spellings are
Timsboro, Tymesborowe, and Tymsbrey. In the Bath
Chartulary^ there are gifts of tythes of Timmbres-baur to the
Cluniac Priory of Monkton Farley in Wiltshire.^ This is in
the middle of the 12th century {cir. 1130). In the Taxatio
Ecclesiastica it is Tymbris-barwe. It is known that land was
given for the reparation of churches. Terra data ad aedficia
reparanda, and monastic buildings. Other places in Somerset
are supposed to bear interesting witness to the care our fore-
fathers had for those sacred fanes, " the bulwarks of our
land," such as Timmer-combe (and Timbra-combe) in the
hundred of Carhampton, and perhaps Tentlands, pronounced
Temp-lands, a locality near Wedmore.^ The personal name
is in each case far more likely, and may be regarded as
certain. We have the modern name Timbs, supposed to be
a modification of Tim, short for Timothy. And Timber-
combe is from the Saxon personal name also.

Of Harptree the explanation of a local savant was that by
the water course, where are the withys, the dispersed Jews
hung their harps. To him the English are the lost ten tribes.
Another explanation, less far fetched, is that here was a tree
having much the shape of a harp ; and thirdly, it is derived from
the local situation, from two Celtic roots : hwpp, a slope, and
tref, tre, a village. The man in the meadow calls it " Artre,"
and singularly enough, in an ancient mediseval map this is the
spelling given. Here we are nearer the right explanation
than in the above, or in the further suggestion that this was
one of the places in which a guild of harpers dwelt : the
harpers who frequented the merry board of prince and noble,
and afforded the assembled guests the only musical and
literary entertainment they ever got in those days. In the

'Eyton : Domesday Studies, vol. ii., p. 62. ^S.R.S., vol. vii., p. 32., pt.
'See Dugdale Monasticon, v. 24. * Wedmore Chronicle.

145

Domesday Survey the spellings are Harptrev or Harptreu,
as part of one of the manors (once more) of Episcopus
Constatiensis, already known to us as the hungry devourer
of manors, Geoffrey de Moubray, St. Lo, Bishop of
Coutance. Ar-tre is the compound of ar, cultivated land,
and tre, a village, a clearing in the forest land by which it
was surrounded. Ardar is Celtic Cornish for a ploughman,
and is possibly the original form of the somewhat rare per-
sonal name Arter. But Ar-tre would be unintelligible to
Saxon and Norman alike, while Harptree is a decipherable
name. Who has not found himself supposing that a strange-
sounding archaic word falling from the lips of the villager
is only a corruption of some well-known vocable instead of
being, as it often is, a relic of a vanished mode of speech?
The spellings of Harptre, commencing with Domesday Book
Harpedreu and Harpetreu, giving no indication of the
omission of the " p " save in the map alluded to, that we
cannot set aside this evidence. A personal name lies at the
base, and this is the old name Hyrp found in Kemble's
Hyrpes-ham^ and in the common form Eorp and Earp. The
ending is not Celtic, but probably an abbreviation of a
feminine ending of the name Eorptryth, a ladies' name. There
are also the names South-Harp, a local hamlet name, and
Harpford. There are the personal names in the Liber Vitce,
Earpe and Arpe (Frisian) .^

Somerset has had its uncanonised saints whose names are
in no Church calendar. There was S. Thomas of Ken. Kenn,
the village situate on one of the ancient moors of Somerset,
one of the many pieces of waste given over to nature and
her lonely tribes, vegetable and animal, not deemed geldable
in any ancient survey. In Domesday it is Chen, with the
variant Chent. This also was a manor of the Bishop of
Coutance — a mere bagatelle. "Ipse episcopus tenet unam
terram quae vacatur Chen." It is not worth calling a
" mansis " or manor (but only a terra — a bit of land), as in

'Kemble, 1094. ^This is borne out by the spellings found in the Wells
Cathedral MSS. Arpetru, Est Harpentre, Harpetre, Herpetreu, Arpetre.
There is the singularity Carpetree. The "p" sound is persistent and so is
also the "r" sound. This rules out the conjectural Celtic derivations.

146

other cases of his immense landed possessions. Its extent is
only half a hide. It only has one servum or serf on the spot.
Its value is five solidi. But now the church of Kenn — which
did not exist in the eleventh century — is surrounded by a
parish of over a thousand acres of whilom moorland. So
much for the physical circumstances. There is a Kenn situate
on a river of that name near Exeter, and there is another
river called the Kennet. Chen, if Celtic, is short for Cefn,
and this abbreviated from Ken-y-vigyn, a mound on the
moor, a ridge of land rising out of a flat and boggy place.
A frequent saxon name is Coen, also Cen and Ken, simple
and in compounds. This may be the origin alike of the
place-name and the personal name Kenn. The saintly Thomas
Ken, Bishop of Bath and Wells, the pure-minded and un-
worldly prelate in a time-serving age, was a descendant of
the family which possessed this estate for four centuries, from
the thirteenth to the seventeenth, in fact. It is clear they
took their name from the place. Kennet, in the Cambridge-
shire Domesday Book, situate on the river of that name,
is spelt Chenet. The village of East Kennet in Wiltshire is
situated upon a river of that name, which joins the Thames
at Reading. It is stated that the Berkshire Kennet is derived
from an old form Cunetis. Cynwydd, in correct sequence,
is a Welsh river name. The origin of the name Kenn as a
river name is not clear. In reality Kenn may be simply
the qualifying word for Afon — the head river. In
all these cases the river name is the oldest, and probably des-
cribes the river, as in the Somersetshire village, Kenn des-
cribes the place.

The designation Breach Hill — a picturesque slope that
leads from the grassy vale of Chew Stoke to the mysteriously-
named village of Nempnett Thrubwell — is a lesson in place-
names. When you look down into the combe it is a palpable
breach between you and the village you descry. The descent
into the combe and the climb to the church, if a straight
course were taken, would prove a somewhat serious per-
formance. Wings would be a convenience, or, as we have
fancied, a car running on two wires stretched between the
two points. When mid-way you would look down a dizzy

147

height. No more straightforward explanation could be found
than this, the hill is called from this breach. And yet it would
appear to be misleading. In our love of saints "we think of
St. Brychan, of whom so many legends are told in the land
across that water which you may decry shimmering in the
summer sun from the top of Knap Hill. There is no clue to
a saint here. But we are told that the manor of Nempnett
Thrubwell was early in the possession of a Flanders family of
the name of Bretesche.^ Indeed, the lord of the manor of
Thrubwell had the audacity to trespass — it does not appear
that he was " in pursuit of conies " — in the Royal forest of
Cheddar or Winford. It was as far back as 1177 , in the
reign of the feudal reformer Henry the Second. He was duly
fined. Bret-esche is good low German, as Breit-esche is good
high German, and Broad Ash good English. From the days
of William the Conqueror Flemings were encouraged to settle
on the land, and bring with them their profitable wool-
stapling industry. Later on, in the days of Edward the Third,
this trade developed on a larger scale, and it was in these sub-
sequent days that the wool-staplers' mark — a pair of shears —
was carved on the north wall of Stowey Church. Richard de
Bretesche may have been or may not have been the first to
hold this estate of Thrubwell, and perchance of Nempnett.
But he has evidently left behind the family name in Breach
Hill. Bret-esche became Bretche, and Breach. We think
that this case may help us to give serious consideration to
many other names for which facile explanations are so
tempting.

"Gerard spells it Britische, who anciently possessed Bag-borow. Richard de
Bretesche died in 1198 at Thrubwell. They had large possessions and
a mansion. Gerard, p. 49.

148

CHAPTER XVI.

Racial Names (continued).

The Saxons were very fond of the intoxicating beverage
called mead. It was made from honey. And so it is declared
that it is by no means an unlikelihood that place-names
such as Honibeere and many others are due to this fact.
Honey was a staple produce. Thus Honiton, as a well-
known name, was, it is cheerfully said, a place famous for
honey. This is soberly said. The land flowed with milk
and honey, like Canaan of old. Bea-minster, on this theory,
might well be a place famous for its productive bees. Ex-
planations of this kind are clearly unscientific, and merely
popular catch-straws. Place-names such as Huntworth, in
North Petherton, Huntsile, in Chilton Trinity, Honewyk,
in Pitcombe, Huntspill (Honyspill), Honestone, in Brimp-
ton, Honybere (Frome), Houndsborough, Hounstone (Hun-
derstone, Hunstone), Houndstreet (Honistreete and Hun-
street), are too numerous and varied to be thus accounted
for. The personal names Honnywill (Hunweald), Humphrey
(O. G., Hunfrid), and many more are indicative of another,
and certainly a racial origin. It is probably Huntsile that
assumes the form Hunsell, given as a Mercian name.
Whether so extensive as to be tribal settlements is another
and separate question, on which we do not feel so confident
as some enthusiastic theorists.

Honibere, in Kilton, is an alteration and assimilation, as
the history of the place-name shows. Honibere is joined
with Lilstock. It is D.B., Hedenberia, and in the Ex-
chequer Book, Hedernberia, according to Mr. Whale's
identification of manors. Mr. Eyton regards Hedernberia
as an obsolete name, and this identification is not by any
means certain. In one spelling there is an indication of the
change. It is Honibeere, which becomes Honnybeare and
Honybeare. Heddern means a hedge or house. But we have

149

no similar name elsewhere, which renders this derivation
precarious; while in Wales we have the significant name
Edeyryn, and Llan-edyern, in Glamorganshire. Romney
Church is dedicated to S. Edern, and Hedern. The place is
on the Bristol Channel, and so may possibly have been in
touch with Welsh sainthood. It is thus part of the hagi-
ology of Somerset, and this name gives no sign either of
honey or the racial Hun. Honibere, as it stands, must be
taken as a racial name, a form of Hunbeorht or Hunburh.

Huntspill. — The Pill is no doubt the pwll, creek or pool,
of which several examples occur and will recur. Hunt's
pool seems plain, but in Domesday Book the spelling is
Hunespil. In 1284 (Henry IV.), and the T.E. of the next
decade, it is Hunespull and Honespulle. Evidently in the
further history of the spellings the " t " is intrusive. It is
Hunspill in days of Elizabeth, varying now with Huntspill,
in which what is supposed to be the sense-giving consonant
appears, and tends to persist. The meaning is clear, it is
Honi or Huni's pool. Huni is the name of a man. It is
Hunni, Hunno, and appears as a prefix to many compound
personal names. Hunweald (Honnywill) was the name of
a Mercian Bishop. It is in any case a racial name. Holnecott,
in Selworthy, is another instance which is also D.B., Hone-
cota and Honnecota. It is almost a surprise that it did not
become Nunnecota, as the Domesday tenants were two nuns,
to whom this was given as alms, and set apart for their
support, when people paid willingly for charitable deeds
and prayers. The spelling Holne occurs first in the time of
Edward III. Later, in the days of Henry VII., it is Hony-
cote, and Honnicotte in a will in 1587. Only in the 17th
century does it become more definitely Holn, and the de-
rivation from holegn, the holly, finds favour as in Holne,
in Devon. Thus it is interpreted as holly-cottage. In
reality the name is Hun, and the cott is a corruption of
gyt, or geat. Hunngyt was the name of a queen and
abbess, and the name of a female landowner about 900.
Hunnagyt has become Huncot and Holnecot. There is also
a Honeyburna in a charter of the Priory of Witham in the
time of Henry II., also a Honestone Manor, and in Frome

ISO

the curious name Honeyreere-Froome. This looks like a
relic of the roman name Honorius, but we want some his-
tory of the name.

In such names as Houndstreet, which is between Chelwood
and Compton Dando; Houndsborough, as the name of a
hundred ; and Houndestown, in Odcombe, Hundwood (D.B.
Hunteworda, Hounteworthy, in the time of Richard II.),
in North Petherton, the forms arise from the forms Hunt,
Hunting. The name Hunta existed as a Mercian name in
765. It seems likely that Hunt is in reality a primitive
word, meaning a captor or taker of prey. Hence the German
hund and our hound, a dog. Numerous compound names
of places with Hun and Hunt are found in North Germany,
and the Huni were a teutonic tribe. The well-known name
Humboldt is O. H. G. Hunbold, and in Baden there is
Huntingun, from the name Hunt. There is also a local
name Hund-comb in the charter of Witham Priory, time
of Henry II.

Woolavington, mentioned in the series of place-names on
ington, is in D.B. Hun-lavington. This is curious, as Hun-
lavington is a really distinct name. We suspect some con-
fusion in the identification of Woolavington and Hun-
lavington.^ Hunlaf is a Wilts and Wessex name. Hunlafing
is even given as the name of a Jute warrior, where
lafing is shortened from Leofing, and this is the
same name as Leofwine as the name of the Bishop
of Bath and Wells (999). Such names as Honeychurch,
Honeychercha, and Hunnesan (Hunna's Ham) occur. A
detached part of Monmouthshire is called Hunts-ham-
shire. Hunstilla, in Chilton Trinity, is (D.B.) Hustilla,
and is from a personal name, Husse, Hose, and so
means Hosett-hill. In the Somerset D.B. is the
name William Hosatus, as an abbot of Bath and
abbot of Glastonbury, and it is the name of a thegn of
William I. Hosatus is, of course, latinised. Besides those
names that afford some evidence, the weight of which is
variously estimated, of Hunnish, Jutish, and Wendish im-

^Eyton : Domesday Studies.

151

migrants, there are others which in the extraordinary mix-
ture of race elements have gone to make up the stamina of
the conquering race that has won a world-wide empire. The
particular races are not always distinguishable by the names.
The continent of America is, in the present age, the theatre
on which analogous phenomena are being exhibited. There
is a startling admixture of races, the results of which will in
due time develop. How far a practically new race will emerge
is in the hidden womb of time. Every admixture does not
result in strength, as the Eurasians of India show. An in-
quiry of this kind is not merely of etymological interest,
but is ethnologically and historically of importance.

Ulfilas was the great Arian apostle of the Goths, and, as
already indicated, the name is probably Gothic in Woolver-
ton (Ulfertona in D.B.), in Willton hundred, and in one
near Road. Ulvert is the name of one of the tenants of
the abbot of Glastonbury in the pre-conquest period, and
in 1066 and 1086. Ulfer and Ulvert are shortened forms of
Wulfweard. The name of the Bishop of Hereford (9th
century) is spelt thus and in the form Uulfward, and Wul-
ward (Woolard). Woolford's-hull, in the Manor of Banwell,
is mentioned in documents of the reign of Edward III.^
Another name is Ulmaer, found in Woolmers-don, in North
Petherton (D.B. Ulmer's-tona). Ulmar was a thane of Queen
Edith, the " lady of Bath," and Ulph is again discoverable
in Ulftona, Ulfetona near Witham in the charter above men-
tioned (D.B. Ulftona and Ufetona). There is a Woolstone
near North Cadbury which is the name Ulfstan, Wulfstan, and
Ulphstane. In addition, we have Wilmaers-ham, in Stoke
Pero, on the borders of Exmoor, and as the hundred is
Winemaers-ham this is from the name Winmaer. Wine
means a friend, and maer, strong; and Mr. Chad-
wyck Healey^ tells of a William Winmaer as late
as 1325. Woolminstone, in Crewkerne, is Ulmund or
Wulfmund's-ton. Woolstone is not Ulfstan, in Bick-
noller, but is spelt Ulwardstone (D.B.), and so is trace-
able to Wulfheard or Ulfheard's-ton. Eard or hard means

^Bath Chartulary. S.R.S., vol. vii., p. 145. ^History of Part of West Somerset.

152

brave, and this is the origin of the hamlet name in Compton
Dando called Wollard, Wooleard, i.e., Wulfheard. Ulward
occurs as the name of a Saxon thane in Ilminster in A.D.
1066. Wulfward is the name of a tenant of the Bishop of
Winchester, and another of Roger de Courcelle. It occurs
fifty-eight times. Let us observe the differences caused by
dialectical spelling. Our William is the Frankish Gwillaume,
as a simple instance. Ulf, Wolf is the Frankish Guelph. Is
not this the Royal Family name?

Redghill, Regill, or Ridge Hill is again a complete disguise.
It is a hill and a ridge. In D.B. it is Ragiol, and earlier, say, to
1000. Scarcely removed from this we read of John Sprot (a de-
lightful name), of Raggel, in 1287. In 1304 " Norton, Raggel,
and Wodewyk, and Hundes-ligh (a name which may be
added to the above list in this chapter) juxta Raggel." In
1318 it is Ragel. These are all clearly abbreviations. The
folk there now call it Radgel or Rudgel, with the modified
sound of the vowel. Hard by is an old manor place called
Regilbury, in Nempnett, and there is very little doubt that
both the names are traceable to personal designations. On
the one hand, Redghill is a shortened and intelligible change
from the female personal name Regenhild, Ragenhild, a
name found on Danish runes, the daughter of King Thurstan,
and as late as the twelfth century. Who knew Regenhild?
Ridge Hill, which seems a needless re-duplication and a
tautology, a ridge and a hill, is in reality a form of Regen-
hild, and Regilbury is another shortening of the same name.
Regenilda burh easily becomes Regil-burh. It is true that
A.S. wrycg is a ridge and rhigol a groove or notch. The
compound Regel-bury is fatal to this explanation. In the
curious spelling Rochelsbury it is evident that the pronuncia-
tion was Rotchel's burg.

153

CHAPTER XVII.
Racial Names — Saxon and Norse.

Very much like Regil is the extraordinary name in the
south of the county, Castle Neroche. The word Roche is
quite Ike the Norman French Roche, a rock. A rock
it is, and what more do we want in explanation? But
things are not what they seem only too often for our perfect
comfort and ease. Mr. S. George Gray^ has collected an
extraordinarily large number of spellings of Neroche and
Rach, extending from the thirteenth century to the present
day. There are sixteen of the Rach type, and the remainder
with the prefix "ne." The people, who preserve the tradi-
tions, call it Ratch, very much as Ridghill, near Winford,
is Ratchell, and the like. The meaning of the " ne " seems
clear from the spelling in the time of Richard II., which gives
Nethir-rechich. This becomes Nere-rechich and Nerachiche.
The forest of Ne-rachist was the property of the abbey of
Athelney, and one of the five Royal forests of Somerset.^
These are Norman spellings of a forgotten Saxon name.
Comparison Is useful. A Rachedes-worde of D.B. has be-
come Rexworthy, in Durleigh, according to Whale, and by
Eyton is identifiable with Rakes-worth. Rach is a persona!
name, as already given in Rachenild and in the female name
Rachtrida. It is no different from Rich, as in Richere.
Rachwig becomes Rachich. Rhwych is Celtic for a wide,
open country, and Rig is Celtic-Cornish for a heath, but
these words could never have developed into such surprising
forms. Rachedes-worthy (Rexworthy) is this same personal
■name, Rachride (and rithe) — an extant name, also in the form
Rachtrida, the name of an abbess (786). Neroche is
therefore short for Nether-Rachrithe. Only a personal name

^Somerset Archcelogical Society's Proceedings, vol. xxix. ^jhe others were
Northpetherton, Mendip, Selwood, Exmoor, and the Warren of Somer-
ton. " It is called Neerechist, and fifteenth Edward the III. Neerhich
and Sithence by corruption. Neroche and now Roche, a. dirty soile
enough it is." Gerard, Particular Description, p. 144.

154

accounts for the number of spellings of an otherwise un-
intelligible name.

Among local place-names which originate in a personal
name are Planesfield and Perleston. The name Planesfella,
now Planesfield, in Overstowey, is a corruption of the Saxon
name Blanda, Blanda's field, a name cognate with blend, a
mixture, as in the names Blindman, Blinman. It is Teutonic.
" Perlestone, now Pardlestone, farm is Perlo's tun." Perlo is
the name of a Saxon thane in the Somerset survey.

Wiveliscombe is a better-known place than some of these
obscure local names. It is a combe : a gentle eminence in
an extensive valley. A comic explanation (as it must be con-
sidered) is that of "wifeless combe," with the suggestion of a
monastic establishment to account for such an origin. Failing
this, it is said to mean weevil's combe, from the abundance
of a particularly interesting species of beetle, curculio, the
barn-weevil, the curculio granarius. The artful and sly
weasel has also been called into requisition, and
also guivel, a widgeon. In reality it is, we think
from the name Wifhelm, a known name. This be-
comes Wifel in Wifels-ford. In 925 there is a Bishop
of Bath and Wells called Wulfhelm, which might easily
account for the form. In D.B. it is spelt Wivels-combe, and
in T.E., Wyvels-coma. At various times the word has been
diversely spelt — Wivis-combe, Wils-combe, Wivellis-combe,
Welles-combe, and perhaps Wines-combe, which last is a
mere confusion of copying. A spelling Wrodis-combe is a
sheer blunder. This is another combe, in which the per-
sonal name Hrod appears. A curious circumstance is that in
Cambridge Place-Names a name Wiveling-ham (probably
Wiflan-ham) is subject in documents to similar varieties of
spelling. Wifelingham appears as Wenelingham. When you
note that this is Uiu for Wiv, it is easy to see how mis-
reading occurs in such forms. Wiveling-ham is now called
Willingham, as our place is called Willscombe. That all
these are personal names is clear from the less-known place-
names Wiflehurst, Wiflesford, Wifleshali, Wifles-lake. It
may, after all, be an independent name, Wifela,
a javelin, and so a Viking name, or, as I prefer,
from Wulfhelm, the bishop, as first suggested. It

155

is the popular pronunciation that shortens it to Wils-
combe, and so it appears in a will (1624), varied by
Wells-combe. Is Wills-neck to be so explained? It is possi-
ble that this was episcopal property right on from Wulf-helm,
as it certainly was at Domesday part of the estate of Giso, the
saxon bishop of Wells. Will's Neck is, however, explained as
the Weala's neck, that is, it marks a boundary of the Wealas
or Welsh. In King Alfred's will the counties of Somerset,
Devon, and Cornwall all appear under the name Weal cyme.
They were in documents called Wealhas, and their territory
the Wylisc, and so Wills' combe would be the Weala's combe.
This is the almost natural explanation unless some name
which has undergone abbreviation is discoverable, a thing
by no means unlikely to have happened.

Sheerstone is in the parish of Petherton (Domesday Book,
Sireds-tona). The Saxon owner bore the name Siret or Sired
in the time of King Edward the Confessor. In the time of
King Edward III. (in Kirby's Quest and the Lay Subsidies) it
is still Siredstona. But Sired is an abbreviation of Sigered or
Sigred; and it is a female name, Sigrida. We are beginning
to see, from these numerous female names, that women
owners were of some account in Saxon times. In the same
parish is another Anglo-Saxon name, now obsolete — Siwold's-
tona. This is Sireweald in full, and is also a known man's
name. Sig means victory, and red is rede, or counsel, while
weald means power or rule. This wald is frequently mistaken
in place-names for the descriptive word wald, a forest, or
weald, a heath. In the parish of East Harptree is a local
name of a hamlet Shrowle. Without the history of the spell-
ings it seems impossible to make much of this. Shrowl does
not exhibit early spellings apparently, but in 1387 grants
in Shrowle, East Harptree, the name is spelt Schirwold, alias
Shirwell and Shyrold. In 1405, in a British Museum
charter feofment. it is spelt Shirewold and Sherald. Then
later it becomes Sherrol, in which the " d " sound is dropped.
The final clipping is Shrowle. The name Sirewold, Syrewald,
Schyrewald is the name of one of Edward the Confessor's
thanes, and another of the name is owner of Cricket St.
Thomas in the Domesday Book survey, and yet a third the
owner of Hallatrow.

156

The personal name Wintr is found very often com-
pounded with personal names in Wilts and Dorset. It is also
discoverable in Somerset. The name Winestoc for the hun-
dred of Winterstoke given in Domesday Book is probably
meant for Winta-stoc. Winta was the name of a son of the
mythological Woden. The name Wintr, Wintar, is not in-
frequent. Hereward "the Wake's " handyman, with the
sharp axe, brought with fatal effect on a foe's brainpan, was
called Winter. It is still a known name, which, of course,
never originated at all in the season-name, winter. Wint is a
regional name, variously explained. It is really the name of
an owner, and is probably racially allied with Windisch, and
Wendisch. The name is Norse, and may be tribal, as in-
dicated by such a name as Winterbourne. Wintret is now
Winterhead, as the name of a hundred, and is probably
another tribal mark ; or it may not be the head, as the region,
but the name Wintr-heard, shortened to Wintred.

Willet is a local name. There are such names as Williton,
Wilton, and Wiltown, in Curry Revill, Williton in St. Decu-
mans, Wilton near Taunton, and a well-known Wilton in
Wilts. The name Willett is from an ancient compound name,
Wilhild, also spelt Willehilt. Wilyt and Willett are racial
names. Wiltshire is often explained to mean the shire of the
Wilts.

As a Scandinavian name we also have that of Cottle in
Cothelstone, or Cottle-town. The Danish name Chetol ap-
pears also in the form Kettle, and Chetolwald as Kettlewell
both in place and personal names. Chetol is the name of a
Somerset Saxon thane. It is possible that a Chetol was one
of the eight thanes, set down in Domesday Book, who held
Cottlestone under Archbishop Stigand at that time (in 1066).
Kettle is a name not uncommon in compounds in the Danish
districts of England. Anketel, Anscytel, was one of the com-
panions-in-arms of Guthrun, the Danish antagonist of King
Alfred. After baptism and a treaty Guthrun, we may be sure,
did not depart without leaving some followers behind him.

Carnicott, in Camerton, is in Domesday Book Creedlingcot.
This is also spelt Creedilcot. It is illustrative of a growth.
The personal name Cridagot, or Cridagaud, has received a
euphonic consonant and become Cridalgot. As "got" was

157

meaningless to the popular tongue it became cot, as in many
other cases. The development of " ing " is too common to need
remark. Creoda is the name of a son of Cerdric, as also was
Cynric. Now we can understand Cynric becoming Carnicott,
but not how Cridagot so developed. These personal names
which became common are still found in such shapes as
Crowdy and Griddle. In the hundred of Frome, further, is
the name Criidde Medes (Meads), and in Worcestershire is
the obsolete name Criddes-hoe, i.e., Crida or Creoda's Hill.
It is worth while observing, by the way, to account for some
transformations, that the hard " cr " in a dialectical Prankish
change becomes " hr," and there is thus no difference in point
of ultimate origin between Crida, Creoda and Hrida, Hrod,
as in Hrodney (Rodney), Hrod (Road), and the like names.

Bathealton is in Domesday Book Badehelton. It is in the
hundred of Milverton, on the River Tone. It is quite easy to
split this curious name into three parts, viz., Bath, hel or heil,
healing, and Tone, the river name. But are there any pre-
tensions that this spot by the riverside has been or is a
Bethesda? It is a metamorphosis of the name Beaduhild, a
female name originally borne by a daughter of King Nidhad.
The meaning of Beadu is war, as in the name Badman, which
therefore, as a personal name, does not describe the moral
quality of its owner. Also it is an element in Biddulph, i.e.,
Badulf or Beadeoulf. We should say Badhelm, a known
name, was the origin, if in the spellings there was any trace of
the consonant " m." There is a spot in Cheshire called
Baddil-ley, i.e., Badhild's lea. The spellings referred to above
are Badhelton (1086), earlier Badialton (Edw. III.), Badyal-
ton in 1408. This same name (here again mentioned for
the advantage of comparison) Bed (long e, i.e., Bede), Beadu,
we have already found in Bidston, Biddes-ham, four miles west
of Axbridge, Bet-ham, in Combe St. Nicholas.

Chaffcome is spelt in Domesday Book Caffecoma, and in
Taxatio Ecclesiastica (1297) Chaftcombe ; and Charffcombe in
uncertain spellings of the 16th century. It is Charcombe in
the amusing item from a will " to John Grumble of Char-
combe I give my young sucking colt which now goeth with
him to pasture." His name ought to have been Nebuchad-
nezzer. The peasantry still call it Charcombe. But for the

158

early spellings this might easily lead us to infer Charlecombe,
that is Ceorl-combe. But the name of a place from
Ceorl-combe, or Charles-combe, or Churle's combe
(Domesday Book, Cerla-cuma) is still found in a separate
item. The " f " in Charf must be taken account of. It is in
truth a part of the personal name Ceofa, still found as Cuff and
some similar names. Collinson derives it from " gaf " sharp
as an etymological guess. Such conjectural explanations of
interesting names are of course numerous. There ought for
their acceptance to be some fair background of evidence.

As an illustration, in such a name as Battleborough, for in-
stance, it is conjectured that this means Battle Brow, or
Battleburh, from an occurrence of a fight there. It is close by
Brent Knoll. The Wessex men, it is said, made use of this
spot as an important and invincible stronghold, and King
Alfred, ever worthy of the name " Great," here defended
himself against the Danes. In reality it is another female
name, Bethild. The spelling Batil-borough, or Batil-berga,
means Bethild's hill (berg). Sometimes this word battle is a
form of the Teutonic biittel, a village, hamlet, or dwelling,
and not the proof of whilom fighting.

How the name " Bill " became an affectionate and familiar
designation for William is at least interesting. The immortal
ruffian " Bill Sykes " is disguised as William. Certainly
Sykes never ought, having regard to etymology, to be prettily
and affectionately called Bill, for Bill and Bille are ancient
names that appear to be more connected with billing, as well
as cooing, than with murder, arson, and burglary. There is
a name Bil-ric, which ought to mean mild rule, and it is
found in both Nailsea and in Witham as a quite local name,
Bellerica, and has even travelled to New England, and is
mentioned by the original-minded but conceited Thoreau in
his book, " A Week on the Concord, as ' Bellerica.' " There
is Bilbrook, in Old Cleeve ; that is, Billebroc. A compound
personal name as Lydbrook is Luth-broc. Bill occurs in very
varied compound names, such as Billnott, Billstan, Bilswith,
Bil-thegn, Bilweald. Some of these names in altered form
may be found on grave-stones in the ancient churchyards of
Somerset. Billing is, of course, a common name as a pat-
ronymic.

159

CHAPTER XVIII.
Racial Names (continued).

The names into which the word " ash " enters are worthy
of some further notice. They are too widespread to permit
us lightly to dismiss them with the assertion that they uni-
formly take their origin in the growth of a well-known
timber tree. The various spellings in D.B. are curious: —
Asc, Aissa, Hetse, Aisa, Aisxa, Esse, Esk, and Ese all appear
as Ash. The root in old high German is essisc, and middle
high German is esch, and there are the forms ax, axen,
aschs, asc, and aschi. Ask or asc is the Scandinavian form.
It is to be observed that many continental, and particularly
Swiss, names are derived from the same root. Mythic lore
is perpetuated, or at least hinted at, in some of them. Aesc
was the name of a son of Hengist. Esa was the forefather
of the Kings of Bernicia. The ask, aesc, was a tree associ-
ated with divinities, just as were the oak, the elm, and the
lime with war. This may be recognised in the poems which
hand down to us the old German fables; and in runes and
runic-poems. In some of the Swiss forms it is said, on some
evidence, that the root meaning is a meadow enclosed by
brushwood. It is certain that some of the place-names are
derived from personal names. In the Somerset Domesday
there is the old liberty of Ascleia identified with Ashill,
which latter is more surely the same as Aissella or Ashill.
The name at the base is Ascytel, which assumes the form
Askill and Aschetillus. Ascelin (us) is the name of a Somerest
thane. Asclei is a Normanised form of this, and of course is
only too readily interpreted as ash-lea. We have the hamlet
name Ashwick, which is most clearly the personal name
Aescwig; one bearing the name was an early Prior of Bath
Abbey in the 10th century. The name Ashway, in Hawkridge,
is not the way adorned with the graceful ash-trees, but this
more prosaic personal name Aescwig. Ashington is Domes-

160

day Essentona, and may mean the tun of Esa or Asa, already
mentioned as a personal name in the names ending with
ington; as is also Ais-coma, Ashcomb, in Weston-super-Mare,
and Aisecota, Ashcott, which, however, is a compound name.
As-got (compare Ascott). The place-name Ash is Aissa or
Aisxa, as given in the case of Ash Priors. In the
North the Scandinavian form appears in the village name
of Asqwith or Askwith. Ask (Aesc) is softened to Ash in the
south, as noted previously. Askwith is the personal name
Asquid; Ascuit in D.B., i.e., Ash-wid or Ashwood, and is
not a wood of trees at all. Warlike spears were made of
the ash.

Allercote, Allermore, Allerton, and simple Aller may go
together. Allerton is Alwarditone (D.B.), from the personal
name Alweard, which is itself a shortening of Aelfweard, and
is therefore Aelfweardton. The spelling Alverton is another
proof of this origin inasmuch as Alverd is the mere abbre-
viation of the full name. Aller is spelt Alra in D.B. (it is
Aire as late as the reign of Henry VII.), and Allerford is
Alresford. The present pronunciation is Oiler, and in the
17th century are the forms Auler and Awler. Alra is the
curt form of the name Alhere, which in full is Ealhhere. It
goes without saying that such hard forms were unpronounce-
able by Norman scribes. Ealhere is we think the original
form of the puzzling Aller. There is Aller in Somerset
hundred which has been read as Aure and confused with the
name Oare, of " Lorna Doone " fame. There was another
Aller in Carhampton hundred. The curious name Oare
must wait its turn. Now all these are in D.B. spelt Alra,
and, in addition, so is Allerford, in Hill Farrance, simply
Alra, while Allerford, in Selworthy on the Horner, is Alres-
forda (D.B.). And besides these is Aller, or doubled name
Aller Butler, in Sampford Brett. Aller is an interesting vil-
lage not far from Langport. It witnessed the baptism of
Guthrun after his defeat at Ethandune (879). Alington,
in the parish of Weare, is spelt at large Allerington. Aller
is evidently an abbreviation of a longer name. The name
Ealhhere is a Wessex name. This easily assumes all the
shapes this place-name has taken. Allar, Awler, Aire, Auler.

161

This is tiie most likely origin of the present Somerset personal
name, which seems meaningless, of Horler. The aspirate is
nothing. Ealh-here has a meaning. The Allerford put
doubtfully in Hill Farrance as a Domesday estate, has an
alias, Alra or Scobinalra. This is a remarkable double.
Scobban-byrigels is cited, and the rare name Scop, Scoppo,
Scobey, is a name we know of a living person. Possibly a
farming name, Schobar, a rick. Scop occurs as an element
in Betscop, which, it is hastily assumed, is only Biscop or
bishop. It is worth while noting for comparison. Aller as
Alra is often simply explained as the alder tree. Alder has
certainly abounded in the Somerset swamps, and Aller-ford
would thus be the " ford of alders." It is the recurrence
in various situations that suggests that these fords and tuns
were named after owners. It is easy to see how Aller could
become the name of a hundred as an owner's name.

As Aller is Ealhhere so the ancient name of a hundred
Andersfield is Andere's felt, velt (Dutch), or field. And here
it drops to Andar and then is confounded with the old Greek
proper name Andrew (adopted by Jews). Andrew is not
in names of Saxons or early place-names before they were
Christianised. Andres-ey is quite probably of the same
origin, though later there was the Church " Sancti Andrew."
Andersfiield is a hamlet in the parish of "Gahers," and spelt
Andres-field in Kirby's quest. Gahers has blossomed into
Goathurst, or Goathurst dropped to an unintelligible dis-
sylable Ga-hers.

Spargrove is in Batcombe. It is not in the Domesday list
of names, but in Kirby's quest as a medieval spelling it is
Spertgrove, Manor of Spertgrove (Henry VI.). Sprot, Spret,
and Sprott is an Anglo-Saxon name found in lists. It is
probably Spreot, a spear, as to meaning — a warrior name.
The consonants are interchanged, Spert-grove. The names
Sprat-ton and Sprat-borough are found. The Anglo-Saxon
graef is a collection of trees. In some names it is spelt grave,
and then people ask, whose grave? Then a legend grows up.
And graf is also an ancient Teutonic word meaning a com-
mand, and even a district, and so a count and county.

Sparkford, near Yeovil. In D.B. it is Sparche-ford. Later

162

spellings are Sparke-ford and Sparcke-ford. Very consistent.
Besides there is the local name in the county, Sparkshayes
or Sparks-hay. These all indicate a personal name. It is
the name Spraga of the Liber Vitm, and in other lists extant.
It is the old Norse Sprakr. The name is cognate with the
colloquial word sprack in the sense of nimble, lively. We
do sometimes also speak of a "young spark." In Spart-grove
the " t " was dropped in the 16th century, and then, as an
illustration of the purely etymological explanation of place-
names, minus all history, it was interpreted as bar, meaning
a house or dwelling-place, a place with a bar.

Pawlett wears a Norman look. Yet it is good old Saxon.
The aristocratic air disappears on investigation. In the Carta
Athelardi Regis de Schapwick of Glastonbury Abbey it is
spelt Pouholt, that is, Pow's wood. Pou is still a personal
name in the county. The word Pfau means a peacock, and
was a 6th century word in German and Saxon. It may have
been the cognizance of a Viking, and then his name. It may
have been Peacock wood, but the name is clearly personal.
Then we find Pouholt shortened to Poult. By the date of
the D.B. book it had become Pawlet. But before this, as
early as 705 (if the record be genuine), in a grant of
King Ina to Abbot Beruuald (Berwald) of land on the river
Tone and at Pouelt (Pouholt) ; and in 729, grant by
Ethelheard, King of Wessex, to Glastonbury Abbey of land
at Pouholt. In the reign of Henry VI. this becomes Paulet's
land. These are among the " devices to turn the vulgar to
the genteel by the change of a letter," as Miss Mitford
shrewdly remarks in Our Village. As a specimen of trans-
formation, note that Bagsholt has become changed to Bag-
shott. In the Polden Hills, Polden is possibly a shortening
of Pouholt-down.

How fallacious some initial syllables in well-known place-
names may be when taken merely at their face value is clearly
illustrated by the name Pitminster. This has been explained
as the minster in the deep valley or pit. In 938, how-
ever, it is called Piping-ministra. In 1086 (D.B.) it has be-
come Pinpeministra, while the Taxatio Ecclesiastica makes
it Pypminstre and Pypenministre (1297). In the 16th century

163

it is Pyttemista. These three spellings indicate the genitival
form Pipan of the personal name Pippa or Pipe. The vowel
is short. There was a Pipe or Pippa who was a saint
and a bishop. The two things are not uncommon,
and the name is found in the forms Pippen and Phip-
pen. In 1086 there was a Pipe or Pippa tenant of the
Abbot of Glastonbury in Winscombe. Near Pitminster
is a spot now called Piper's Inn, which is surely a
corruption of Pippa or Pipe. Piple-pen, in North
Perrott, is perhaps Pippa-Pen, in Piplepen Thames cmdr
Pipplepen-Downe. In Somerset dialect a piplin is a popular
tree, and the names may be descriptive. We are more in-
clined to connect Piple with Pople, as in Poble-lowe, Pub-
low. Pipe-and-Lyde is a curious compound name for a
parish in Herefordshire, probably indicative of double owner-
ship, and Pipe is said to be the first Saxon saint to whom the
church is dedicated. The Norman suppressed the Saxon saint
and called the church after St. Peter. Lyde is also a Somerset
name.

Pitcot, in Stratton-on-the-Fosse, is D.B. Picota, and this
is obviously the name for which no unimpeachable account
can be given, namely, Piggott, Bigot, and Bigod. The most
probable is that it is an Anglo-Saxon name. Pieced, which
represents the form Pichad, Bighad (quite likely the origin
of the name Bigwood and Bidgood by easy interchange of
consonants in pronunciation). The name Picota occurs as
a witness to a deed of gift, by William de Moione, of the
Church of S. George of Dunster to the Priory of Bath.^

All these names in Pit, as Pitney, Pitcomhe, Pitt,''' in Tim-
bercombe, and Sutton Montis, Ped-well, in North Greinton
(D.B., Pede-Villa, and in 1102, in Charter of Glastonbury,
Pede-well) are interesting as connected with the Anglo-Saxon

'Bath Chartulary, No. 34, p. 38, S.R.S., vol. vii. "From a Bath Charter it
appears the monks of Dunestorr gave to Richard le Fort land in
Timmercumbe and La Pitta in the 13th century. This is probably the
personal name still extant and well known. A coalescence of the article
with the name would produce a crux in place-name etymology " Lapit,"
There is a " Pitt" in Odcombe, where "Sir Thomas Phelippes built a
mansion at it in a place well deserving the name 'Pitt.'" Here the
name is taken from the situation. Gerard, Particular Description, etc.,
p. 103.

164

name of Peoht (Peat, Peada), and as this is closely allied
with Pect, in Pectgils, Pechthelm, Pectwald, and other
similar names, it is indeed possible that this name (which
was not made in Germany and then travelled to England, but
originated here) is connected with the racial name Pict. But
then it is held that the Picts were racially Teutons. Pitney
is, D.B., Peteneia, and in 1315 it later became Putteneye
and Pytteneye. As Pitney in its ante-Domesday condition
appears to have been an appanage of the Abbey of Muchel-
ney (of St. Peter of Muchelney), it is not unnatural to connect
them. Peteneye is thus considered to mean Peter's island.
Hadspen and Godminster, in Pitcombe, belonged to the
same allegiance. The former presence of fishponds is still
marked by the embankments which remain. After all, the
names are older, and these and Petworth (D.B. Petewurda)
are traceable to Peada, or more probably (if these are not
the same) Peoht. Panborough is short for Padenbeara, al-
ready mentioned as perhaps a trace of a Celtic saint. The
name into which the word Piddingbeara, in Sussex, Pidding-
ton, in Northampton, and Oxford Pidlea, in Huntingdon-
shire, are traces of the same name.

165

CHAPTER XIX.

Racial Names (continued).
Blacks and Browns, Goths and Huns.

From the evidence already given in the preceding pages,
that some names of places were derived from tribal or clan
names can scarcely be doubted. The question is. How far
may we go, and what amount of certainty is there in the
evidence? And even these tribal names were derived
ultimately either from personal names or local names, and
these designations themselves had their meaning. If these
meanings are discovered or discoverable, that is clearly the
explanation of the name, whether a personal or place-name,
or both. Names were doubtless here, as elsewhere, intro-
duced by the conquering or dominant race. The Saxon
names and the Scandinavian names were from their homes
in various parts of the continent of Europe. All kinds of
adventurers arrived to take their share of the milk and honey
which was reported to flow in abundance in the land across
the sea. The good things were to be had by tbe bold and
adventurous. Was it not so in the advancing tide of im-
migration to the newly-discovered world across the stormy
Atlantic? Is it not so now? May not a band of Somerset
seekers of a new home desire to find something in their
native land, and so at least call the new spot by a much-
loved name of a Somerset village or hamlet? Melbourn
(in Milborne Port and the old hundred of Melebourne) is
a name in this county as well as in Cambridge, Derby,
Yorkshire, and elsewhere. Mel is Melda, a Saxon name
sometimes becoming Middle, which came across the sea here,
and has gone across a mightier sea again. The loss of the
" d " after " 1 " is regular in Norman-French.

Old names and new names exist side by side for long, and
so we may find Merrimac, or Sturgeon river, alongside
London or Bedford, and the lake Winnipeg alongside
Framlingham or Taunton, in the new Anglo-land. But

166

Winnipeg is a poetic word, " the smile of the great spirit " ;
a designation that Is as full of poetic fire as the word
Aeschylus put in the mouth of Prometheus when at last,
after impatiently listening to awkward consolers, the rivals
of " Job's comforters," he at last breaks forth into apos-
trophe and speech of " the many dimpling ocean " —

The spring's of rivers and of ocean waves
That smile innumerous.

It is quite like this that we occasionally find the old Celtic
name alongside the new Saxon or Norman name, and the
one supplants the other. When we reflect that some of these
place-names were but transplanted, transferred from the
original homes of Jutes and Saxons, Goths or Huns or
Northmen, we are led to look for parallel cases in these
continental corners, and, of course, we find them. A theory
is founded on the settlement of the Saxons and their tribes.
The period embraced is from the middle of the fifth to the
middle of the seventh century, according to Bede, writing of
course, on traditions handed down through six generations.
Anthropological evidence is called in to support and sup-
plement the theory. It is the theory of place-names as in-
dicative of great tribal and racial settlements. The Blacks
and the Browns are adduced as evidence of racial marks of
distinction, while other names point to Goths and Huns.

The Hunsings were Frisians, and the Goths and the Getae
were Jutes. Certain tribes of the Wends were called Wintr
by the Scandinavians. Relics of these settlements are looked
for in such district names as Winter-stoke, before-mentioned,
the name of a Somerset hundred, in Winter-bourne in
Gloucestershire, and along the banks of the Thames.
So Barrington, Barton, and the like are supposed to conceal
in themselves remembrances of the former denizens, the sons
of Bera. Bera means a bear, and was perhaps, it is suggested
by this theory, originally a by-name or a tribal cognizance.
According to this theory, if we look for the racial character-
istics of swarthy peoples we find them recorded in place-
names involving the verbal elements of black and brown.
Of examples there are instanced such names as Blackford,
in Wincanton, and another Blackford in Wedmore. Similarly

167

Blagdon (D.B., Blache-don), Blake-down in Kirby's Quest
1315 and 1343, is Black-down, Blackenhill, Blackland (Blake-
land 1408), Blackmore, in Cannington and Churchill,
Blackwell, Blackamore, in Carhampton hundred, an obsolete
name, Blackesalla, in Andresfield hundred in Enmore. Thus
also of Browns there are Brunfella (D.B.), Brunfeld (Edward
III.), which is Brownfield, now spelt Broomfield, and by its
form tempting us to derive it from the Planta Genista or
Broom ; also Brown, in Treborough. The derivable personal
names Blake, Blakeman, Black, Blacker, Brown, and so
forth, are, of course well known.

It ,is, however, by no means a certainty that the name
Black and its congeners are to be traced to a root meaning
swarthy, or that Brown or Brun refers to colour. Some of
the modern bearers of the name are not dark, which might
be accounted for by admixture of blood. No doubt bearers
of the name Black or Brown were among the early settlers.
A man named Blecca, which is modern Blacker, was the
governor of Lincoln in 627, and Blac is a Domesday
name, though not in the Somerset list of owners and occu-
piers. Curiously enough, in meaning the root is more likely
the very opposite of dark. Blic, found in some old German
names, actually means to shine. Thus Black as a name means
light rather than dark, curious as this sounds and seems.
It is easily seen that the name White is from colour ideas.
It may, however, often be derivable from wiht, which means
wit, or wight, meaning little, as in the name Wightman,
sometimes the name of a big man. Little John, Robin
Hood's companion, was, it appears, a big man. The name
was, of course, only given ironically. Nor is Brun neces-
sarily the colour of a dusky race. It may be Brun, Born,
Brunner, Bourne, a spring, the Gothic Bruna, and old high
German Brunne, from Norse brunnr, a spring. All that,
after all, can be affirmed with any certainty is that at the
base of these names are the words Blecca and Brun, which have
become personal names. A Blecca was an alderman of
Lindsey, in Lincolnshire, " converted " by Paulinus, and
Blaecman, the son of Ealric, or Elric, of Bernicia. The
obsolete Somerset name (Blackesalla) mentioned above is an

168

indication. Blackes-all or Bleceas-all is, in the reign of Edward
III., spelt Blackesole, whether hall, hill, or hole is doubtful.
The Blackamore mentioned is not now identifiable with any
known manor. It is either the name Blec or a descriptive
name, as Bleakmoor. At anyrate, as we are not now busied
with an ethnological investigation so much as philological,
this knowledge of the names is sufficient for an explanation
of the place-names and their origin.

The Goths and Huns of Somerset are of considerable in-
terest if we can find them. Gothi, Getae, and Guthi are
said to be all names of the same people. The Jutes were of
the same race as the northern Goths. King Alfred was
descended on his mother's side from the Goths and Jutes
of the Isle of Wight. Ulph, Ulf is a Gothic word of which
an instance has been given in Woolverton, Ulferton. It is
assumed, in the search for gothic tribal and racial names,
that the traces are to be found in many if not in all words
beginning with God, Godi, and Geat. Goda and Geat, it
is asserted, mean a Goth or Jute. In such names for in-
stance as Godstow, Godmanchester, Godmeston. In Charl-
combe, in Somerset, we meet with the name Gautheney
(D.B., Godelega), Goathill naturally reminds us, as does
Goathiirst, of the goat kept for milking purposes. Goathill
is D.B. Gatelma, and Goathurst is very curiously Gahers.
In addition is Godney Moor. These are all claimed as signs,
proofs, and indications of a Jutish occupation of the fertile
fields of Somerset. Gautheney may be identifiable in a
manorial survey with Godelega of Domesday, but the names
are not so as they stand. Gothen-ey might be Goth or God
Island, or a form of Goden-hay, and Gode-lega is Goth or
God-lea or meadow. Goathill is a decided corruption and
abbreviation of the Domesday spelling Gat-elma. Geat,
Geta was in Scandinavian mythology the son of Taetwa,
ancestor of Woden, according to Kemble's Saxons, and
similarly Geat was an ancestor of the Goths. But Gaethelm
is a name of a similar type to Aldhelm. It is easy to
see how this significant compound name has become Gatel,
and then made into Goathill. And then, of course, the
explanation is given that it was of yore a famous place for

169

goats ! In 1270 it is Godhulle. In 1315 it is Goathill, and
Goatehull in the 15th century. Godhelm or Gotelm is a
name which has by popular corruption assumed the profane
and ludicrous form of Goddam, a wonderful personal name
of which it is difi&cult to feel proud.

Goathurst is in the Domesday form Gahers. According
to Hope's Glossary of Dialectical Nomenclature, which pur-
ports to give the popular pronunciation and is not an index
of meanings or etymologies, it is usually pronounced Go-
thurst. If so, this preserves the first syllable of Ga-hers, and
here we scarcely find a Goth or the personal name Goda.
In 1166 we read of Hugh, son of Malgar de Gaherste, hold-
ing one knight's fee in the Barony. In 1343 (Nomina Vil-
lariim, Kirby's Quest) it is spelt Gaurste. In 1315 in writs
it is Gathurst (compiled in time of Elizabeth). Now Gahers
and Gaurst are unintelligible forms to the popular appre-
hension, and the name appears to have developed into a
recognisable word, Goathurst, a goat-wood. It might be
Celtic caher, the same as caer, a fortress, and it is indeed
like the form Caerews, in Montgomeryshire, and Cahors,
in France. Gahers is in reality the personal name Gaer and
short for Ansgar. This appears to be an almost incredible
transformation, as incredible as that Grantabrig should
change to Cambridge.

Godminster, in Somerset, is variously spelt. It is in the
parish of Pitcombe. Mr. Weaver, the most able editor of
Somerset and Dorset Notes and Queries, gives the following
list of spellings taken from original sources. In 1250 God-
manneston, in 1316 Godmaston, 1327 Godmanston. The
16th century spellings vary between miston and maston. The
earliest date for the full-blown word minster is in 1836, and
is that of Mr. Phelps, the historian of Somerset, while Mr.
Hobhouse, another reverend authority, relying on the form
munster, suggests that here at one time there existed an
association of missionary priests. But this name may be
Godmerston. Godmer and Godmaer is a personal name, or
as there is no sign in the spellings of the " r " it is with far
more certainty the well-known name Godmunds-ton, from
which the other transitions are easily explicable. God is an

170

ancient name, as we have seen. God was the name of an
English writer of the 13th century. Gode has become Good,
as such a name God would sound irreverent to English ears.
Among the witnesses to a charter of Ethelred is God,
minister, that is an official. It also appears in the less
startling form of Codd. The various spellings of Godney
Meare, the moor near to Glastonbury, suggests to us that
this is God's Hay, or enclosed field, for it is Goden-eya in
1344 and Godden-hay in the 16th century. But that " eya "
is doubtless " ige " of the Saxon, Godenige, that is God's
island, the abbot of Glastonbury had jurisdiction here, and
so its origin may really be God's island in the divine sense
of God, and not the everyday man's name of Good. In
Dunweare there is Godwines Bower, and we also find Gotton,
a hamlet in West Monkton, while four and a half miles
from Bridgwater is Gothewif (" the water-mills at Goth-
wif "), usually supposed to be a surname derived from a
woman's name. There is a name on record in the county of
William Goodwife. William was thus both husband and
undeniably "wife" also, without the need of disturbance of
domestic bliss and household peace. Remembering the
dialectical interchange of " f " and " p " in various periods
this is probably the same name as Godwip. It is the name
wip or wippa found for instance in the modern name
Whipple. There is a local name cited of Wippanhoh,
Whipp, Whippy, Whiff, Wipple, Wipping, and Wipkin.
The Wippinga (so called) were early settlers. Wip or wif
means woman. This name easily accounts for Wapley, in
Gloucestershire. Of course, the easiest etymological ex-
planation is seized upon, and it is supposed to mean the
weapon lea, where the Saxon territorials drilled in the days
of yore. In the midnight hour is heard the clash of ghostly
weapons. A Wipo by name was chaplain of the Emperor
Conrad II. (1040). The name is thus not unknown. In a
14th century list of men's names in Somerset we are amused
by the nicknames William le Wop, as well as William le
Rat, William le Coiner, Hugh le Blod-leter, Adam le Pud-
dying, and John de Smallfish ! It may be supposed that
le Wop is for wopse, and not the genuine name Wippa.

171

The Terra Colgrini, Colgrin's land, mentioned as an obso-
lete name is put, in arrangements of manors, in Charlinch,
D.B. Cerdeslinc, i.e., Cedrics-lynch. Terra Tedrici, the land
of Tedric. Tedric is the same as the well-known frankish
name of the eighth century, Theodric. A Tedric was a thane
of Ford (Eford, D.B., i.e., Eadfirth), in Norton Fitzwarren.
Theodwulf, Theodwig, Theodfirth, Theod-red also occur.
From these it may be fairly inferred that in Terra Olta, Olta is
the relic of a personal name, which Asholt preserves. Ash-
holt, taken at its face value without further inquiry, means
Ash-wood. In reality it is the doubled personal name
Aescwald, and became Ashald and then Asholt. This seems
to corroborate Eyton's identification.^

Cholwell is the name of a small district in the parish of
Temple Cloud, as a part of Cameley. We find, in the list
of field names in Blagdon, a spot called Cholwell. And
there is at least a third in the south of the county mentioned
in the boundaries of the cell of Dunster, Codecomh apud
Chaldewelle. This is a spelling of 1201, and later, in
the Pedes Finium, it is Cealdville and Childwelle. The little
district we best know is usually bleak and cold enough, as
it is all along Glutton Slade, or Slatt and Sleight as they
call it. Obiter, Slade is a word with a meaning; it means a
breadth of greensward in a ravine or a wood. But what
Slatt means who knows? Why corrupt names? It is done,
as the student of place-names knows, without either why
or wherefore, by the etymological slattern. I am hoping to
see on a farmer's cart " Slade Farm " some day in place of
Sleight. It is cold enough, we say, to be derivable from
Ceald, cold. We do not know where the well is to make
it mean Cold Well. Weald, we find, does occur in Somerset,
(if Mr. Pullan is right) in the name Monkton Weald (West
Monkton?), but it is so rare that we are not disposed to
make Clutton Slade into a Wealden. We have always to
bear in mind that the influence of what is originally a
frankish pronunciation affects the form of words. And
thus hard letters are softened; " c," for example, into the

'Eyton's Domesday Studies.

172

soft " ch." Whether the initial letter assumes this form or
not seems to be almost a matter of caprice. Thus, Ceol is
Keel ; in Ceolwine it has become Collin, and after the usual
fashion adds a ridiculous sibilant. Collin has an etymo-
logical meaning, but Collins none. Hill means something
as a tribal name, but Hills is ludicrous. Ceol, too, becomes
Chel and Chal, and Cholwell in the three instances given —
with doubtless others — is the personal name Ceoldwald, and
Chelwood, with its Domesday spellings, noted, is Ceol-
worth. Chelwood is a very late corruption, for the place-
name is spelt Chelworth when Stowey and Chelworth were
joined together in one ecclesiastical charge. The Domesday
spellings of Cellewert and Celeworda are thus become Ceol-
worth. Wrda and urda are usually forms of worth, a
watered farm, but wert and worda in this case seem to give
indication that the original name is Ceol-weard, and Ceol-
weard is a Mercian name, but here found in Wessex. Ceol-
weard is a known and intact name, answering precisely to
the D.B. spellings. In the same neighbourhood there is in
Compton Dando a local name, Chel-grove ; that is, Ceol-
graf — graf as before explained. But this is still further soft-
ened in local pronunciation to Shelgrave, and people may
well wonder what Shelgrave means, who he was, and when
Shel was buried. There is also Chel-lynch in Doulting, which
may probably have this origin.

173

CHAPTER XX.

Racial Names (continued).
" In Gordones-Land."

Some place-names have, from various reasons, inevitably
given rise to almost interminable discussion. One of these
is Gordano, and another Silver Street. The latter may be
sometimes, but is by no means certainly, a personal Scan-
dinavian name, not unknown of Solfra and Solvar. It was
the name of a Danish chief. We reserve the consideration
of this interesting name, merely saying that a fairly wide
induction does seem to point to the fact that there is water,
a stream, and ford where the name mostly occurs; adding,
however, that the name is found in the form in which it
is spelt in Somerset D.B. in the Alps, as Tauber, in his
Ortsnamen (place-names) shows. This gives us pause.

Gordano is a district rather than a place-name. The dis-
trict is within the limits of the hundred of Wynstok, now
called Winterstoke. It is an intermediate district between
two ridges. One terminates near Clevedon; another, pass-
ing north-east, ends at Portishead. From the situation and
shape there are given some attractive and plausible ex-
planations which we only unwillingly let go. For example,
the area included is wedge-shaped. It is in shape a veritable
gore, as dressmakers use the term. Undoubtedly, denu
and dene are originally Celtic words, meaning vale, or at
least low-lying ground. So it is stated to mean, the tri-
angular vale. It is still true certain parts that do not lie
in the real triangle are styled in-Gordano. Similarly it
is said that Battle Gore, lying between Williton and
Watchet, is named from its being the site of a battle, and
the existence of a gore of sand comes into view at low
tide. These are local names, as Gore Hedge, in Frome,
and Gore House. Another very pretty explanation is that
it is possible that the name is derived from the Celtic word
gyrwe, a marsh, and the aforesaid word dene is com-

174

mon in the county. Again, the district of Gordano is
limited by a ridge which so pleasantly overlooks the
shining Severn sea, where, under a hedge you may enjoy
yourself " with a book " (on place-names) " in a nook."
Accordingly, what is to hinder us regarding the derivation
as deducible from a double Celtic word (which is cer-
tainly preferable to the above-mentioned hybrid), and say
gor means a limit, which is actually the case, and denu
a vale? Either of these, the marsh-vale or the ridge-vale,
are correspondent to facts. There are other ingenious and
suggestive explanations. It is said, for instance, that once
upon a time there was a fishing wear or were or waer or
Gwaer, and it is Gwaer-don. This is very far-fetched and
forced. We might also say Gyrwa is Saxon for fenny land.
This is true to fact in part. The prose of fact is often a bitter
descent from the poetry of the imagination. The truth is
that no history of the place-name bears out these conjec-
tures, however delightfully plausible. The facts seem to be
that if we are to go back to remote Celtic or even later
Saxon for the geographical and etymological explanation of
the name, we in vain search the records available. We
might, as in other cases, fairly expect to find some relics.
But, as far as our research goes, Gordano as a district name
does not appear until the thirteenth and fourteenth cen-
turies affixed to this locality. In 1270 it is described as
Gordeyne. In a thirteenth century list of landholders was
Thomas de Gardino, who held a knight's fee in Side and
Gardina. The place-name is not in D.B. or mentioned in
the Taxatio of Pope Nicholas (1297). In the 14th century
we find the description " in Gordones-land." And grant
in 1404 (Henry IV.), and in 1430 Earl Mortimer held the
manor of Easton in Gordano. The name occurs elsewhere, as
in the Historia Walteri Hemingford Walter was a canon of
Gisselburne. It is a history, in Latin, of the reigns of
the three Edwards (I., II., III.), and is in point of fact
copied from the original work of that prince of archsE-
ologists and hagiologists, William of Tynemouth, to whose
ceaseless and prodigious labours we owe nearly all we know
of the medieval saints of England, Somerset included. He

175

was a marvel for his era. And it is he who tells us of Wil-
helmus de Gardina and Humfridus de Gordino, the first of
whom perished cum valentibus, i.e., forces numbering one
hundred and sixty, in the Scotch border wars; and
the second was, with Adam Gordoun, in the first
line of battle among the Scots who were worsted by Edward
III. at Berwick (1333). It is a coincidence in date that in
1330 Edward III. we meet with the name in Gordano. It
is in origin a personal name. As these men were Scotsmen,
the name would seem to be as north-country as the sur-
name Gordon. Now, in the Somerset Domesday Book this
name, nearer perhaps to its original form, does occur.
Godroano was the lord of Carnicot, in Camerton. In a
later charter the name is spelt " Godrenes land." Now,
Godrene is as explicable as Godwine, Godhold, and Godric.
The prefix god we know, and " rene " means " pure " in
Scandinavian. It occurs in the name Rainhold, the name of
the priest who was confessor to the pious King Edward himself
called the Confessor. And we also find Rainelf, Renewaldus,
and is there not the place-name Rains-worthy, in Glouces-
tershire? Now Godrene is a known Saxon name. It is
much like Godrun. In the place-name the consonants have
interchanged, Godrene has become Gordene, while the
aristocratic Norman becomes Godroana and Godrano. The
name is not Norman save so far as it is the name of a
Northman. The curiosity of this name would appear to
consist in the application of a personal name to a whole
district, but it does not stand alone as Winterstoke testifies.
If D.B. Winestoc is correct, the personal name Wine, as
in Winsford, is the explanation of the first syllable, or the
name Wintr, previously mentioned. That the name does
not appear until the medieval period is strong evidence
that Gordones, namely, Godrene's land, is no mistaken ap-
pelation, but arises from some circumstance of possession,
of which we do not appear to be able to find any precise
account. A Celtic compound is not likely to shoot up
suddenly after this unusual fashion. It is needful, in such
a case, as in Silver in Monksilver and Silver Street, to enter
into a detailed explanation.

176

If Godrene is Scandinavian or Norse, Clappa, in Clapton-
in-Gordano, is Clappa's-ton, Saxon. A Clappa was a King
of Bernicia. An Osgod Clappa was father-in-law of Tofig
Pruda (1064). By the way, we may express our wonder that
Tofig or Tovey, has not left a mark in local nomenclature.
The personal name is still tolerably frequent in Somerset and
the neighbourhood. The name Clappa, therefore, was extant
and well-known. And there are several place-names in
Somerset that show this. There is a Clapton in Crewkerne,
another in Cucklington, a third in Midsomer Norton, and
a Clapton-wick and a Clypton in Marston Bigot. We may
compare Clap-ham, so well known for its railway junction,
and in Norfolk we find Clippes-ly, and Clippes-ton elsewhere.

177

CHAPTER XXI.

Racial Names (continued).

Publow is a baffling name treated merely etymologically.
The Ajiglo-Saxon word lowe is more usually applied to arti-
ficial tumuli than to natural mounds, but later it acquired a
more general meaning : —

He is, he seide, ther, he is won
With our shape upon the lowe,

says an ancient distich. In some names it is difficult to tell
where, when there is a compound, we are to divide the syll-
ables. Is it lowe, or Norse, haugh, a hill? As early as 1258
we read " At Westminster in the octave of the purification
John de Sandlands (St. Lo) querent and Peter, abbot of
Keynsham, for the advowson of the Church of Pubbe-lowe
or Puppel-lowe. John quitted claim to the abbot. It is
spelt Pobbe-lewe in 1315-16 in the Exchequer Lay Subsidies
(this is from the Harleian MS. written in the time of Eliza-
beth, but doubtless maintaining the earlier spellings) as
copied. Unfortunately we have no Domesday spelling or in
the Taxatio Ecclesiastica. The form Puppel-lowe is an in-
dication of the suppression of the double " 1 " in the later
forms. There is a Popple-ton in Yorkshire, and a Popple-
ford in the south. This last name is locally and popularly
derived from the pebbles that line the stream called the
Otter. The word Papolstan means a pebble stone. A pap-
pel, too, is a poplar, but there are no signs of any unusual
quantity of stones lining the ripling Chew at Publow or
of any unusual abundance of the poplar tree to give rise to
a descriptive name. We think that these spellings might
indicate the derivation Poble-lowe and not " Pobe "-lowe.
Poble is probably a form of the Celtic name St. Peblig.
Poble indicates the ultimate derivation from populus. Pop-
ple, people. And so Pople-lowe would then mean the peo-
ple's or common land. But let us see. In TintinhuU there

178

was a priory called Bablew Priory. It was two miles from
Ilchester and annexed to Montague Priory, which, being
alien, was early suppressed (2 Henry V.). According to
Strachey there was in the time of Henry VIII. a licence to
Sir Thomas Wyatt (who had the grant of Montague Priory)
to alienate lands in Balhow (evidently a variant and corrup-
tion or mis-spelling), in Bearcroft, and other lands in Tintin-
hull to the use of Elizabeth Darrell, and later (6 Edward VI.)
a licence to John Light to alienate the capital messuage
called Bablew Priory, in Tintinhull, to John Cuff and John
Timbresburg. This name helps to the solution of
both. It is the known name of an owner, Babilo and
Pabilo, names which are still perhaps akin to Peplig. The
interchange of " b " and " p " is easy and frequent. Thus
neither of these place-names are compound words. Babilo is
cited as an extant name. The name is, of course, Babil or
Papil, and it is possible that the place-name is Babil-lowe or
Babil-haugh, there being no difference in the meaning, i.e.,
hill. As already hinted, the local name Pipple-pen may
throw additional light on the subject. Papil, Babil, Piple,
and Pippel are forms of a name. We met a labourer named
Poble, and when first greeted with it we pondered it much.
It seems to be a very rare name even now. Thus the puzzle
of Publow resolves itself into the rarity of a personal name.
Pipple-pen farm stands on an eminence close to the road
leading from Grey Abbey Bridge to South Perrot. In the
time of Richard I. there were the De Pipple-pens of Perrotte,
and, in the days of Henry III., Thomas de Pupel-pennes.
This is clearly the same name. Pen means a headland, Poble's
headland, as Publow is Poble-lowe or Pople-haugh, if not
just the one whole name Pabilo, as above suggested.

We have perhaps a change from this series of Saxon and
Scandinavian names in that of Discove, a hamlet name in the
parish of Bruton. The Domesday spelling is Digenescove.
Cofa in A.S. is first a bed chamber and then means generally
a hut. In the Valor Ecclesiasticus (Henry VIII.) this has got
spelt Discowe. In 1428 it is Dishcove. It is also spelt
Dickenscove, which is interesting. Diga is a monk's name as
early as Ethelred. And Dycga was the name of a priest in the

179

diocese of Hereford in the year 803. The name is, we think,
Celtic, and the same as Tigawny or Digawny, i.e., the name
of a Welsh saint. But it is found in Saxon compound names
and may have been originally of Teutonic origin. Perhaps
Dycga was an early Somerset hermit. Is Digene the origin of
the name Dickens as the above spelling at least suggests?

Bolestan is the name of a hundred, and it has been derived
from bole, meaning the stump of a tree, very much like
Bempstone is the beam or hem, meaning a pillar : " I led
thee by a pillar of cloud " is " In Bem of cloude Ich ladde
the." Bolestan is in fact Bula's stone, or even the whole per-
sonal name Bulstan, of which, however, we discover no
example or an existent illustrative personal modern name.
Bula is no doubt the modern Bull, Boley, Bui, which is not
from the animal name. The same element is found in the
local Somerset name Bellysmere, which is a twist of the man's
name BuUmaer. There is a Bols-ton in Glamorganshire,
and a Bouls-ton in Herefordshire (where no explicative stones
are found), all of which are interpretable on the same lines.

Bempstone may be a corruption of Bins-tone, as in Binegar
as elsewhere suggested.

Alfoxton, in Strington, is Alf ages-ton in D.B. In 1498 it
appears as Olfoxton, later as Alfoxdon. Alfage is in
971 Alfegus. The stem fag, in the place-name as a double
name, Fage and Vage, and the modern Fagge, is taken by
Foerstenmann to be from the Gothic Faheds, A.S., faegen,
agreeableness or cheerfulness. The name is really Aelfegus or
Alfegus, as Aelf-red or Alfred. This name Vage, Fage, Fag-
gus, and Veggus, as it is variously spelt, was the name of the
legendary highwayman of the West who is said to have had
his robber's retreat at Oare. The author of Lorna Doone was
the son of a former rector of Oare. Was Vage the prototype
of a Doone?

Emborough is not, it appears on examination, simply Elm
borough, because of the presence of the wide-spreading,
shallow-rooting ornament of an English landscape, the tree so
called. We have no very early spellings. We find in D.B.
the spelling Amelberga. Three centuries later, in the Nomina
Villarum, it is but little different, Emeleberga. In 1419 we

180

have, perhaps, a freak of spelling, Empnebergh.^ Clearly Em-
borough is an abbreviation. We might suppose that amel is
for hamel, an old French word of which hamlet is a diminu-
tive. In the lists of manors cum hamel is not infrequent. And
as berg is a hill, this would yield us the amel, or village on the
hill, which it is. But, plausible as this seems, the hamel
meaning hamlet is a later word. Imela is another name, and is
the dipt form of the female name Imhild. But the first vowel
shows no variation. Now, Amal is the name of a mythical
forefather of the Goths, and, quite in the usual way, this
name was used both singly and in compounds, as in Amal-
heard, Amalgaer, Amalbeorht. This is Amalberga, probably
the name Amalburh. The modern names are Hamill and,
perhaps, Hamling and Hambling. Amal is Gothic.

In Thurlbeare we find Scandinavian. The name is not in
D.B. It is spelt Thorlbeare in 1270. " Manor of Thorlebere,
held by William de Monte Acuto." In Kirby's Quest it is
Thurlbear. A sixteenth century spelling is Thurelbare. In
a map of Somerset published in 1799 the name is spelt Thrul-
beare. This reminds us of the place-name Trull, also near
Taunton, two and a half miles south-west of this town, as
Thurlbeare is three and a half miles south-east of it. Nor is
this in D.B. Nor in the lists of vills and manors. There is a
spelling Trowle. Among the names in the Somerset domes-
day is filius Turaldi. This is Thorold. Thorold is also found
as Toral. The full name, with significant syllables, is Thor-
weald, or Thorvald. The steps are seen. Thurl and Trull
are the same word differentiated. Bearw is flat land. Trull
has been explained as a Celtic word, a huddled-up form of
Trev-Uan, the village church. Why this should be called the
village church more than any others does not appear. It is,
we fear, an etymological prettyism. Trull is the Somerset
way of saying Thurl. Thurlbeare we have heard in that vil-
lage called something like Drullbeer.

Thurloxton is a similar name. It is Thorlac or Torloc's
tun. Thurlac and Durlac and Thorlac are names for which
evidence is producible, as mentioned previously. It is inter-

'See on Nempnett where is the suggestion that this may be an original spelling.

181

esting to bring these names with the old Scandinavian god
Thor, as a part of a compound name, into juxtaposition,
albeit we may not infer that Thorlac was some great and heroic
person, or that place-names with Thor were scenes of idol
worship. There are some names that are very old and ultim-
ately Gothic that have come to us in changed shapes. A very
old high-German name which has reached us with a Norman
or Prankish tinge is that in the place-name Wedmore. It is
surrounded by moor, but the higher land scarcely answers to
this description. Farmers must have wondered why the
plough land was called moor. On account of its surround-
ings the interpretation wet-moor easily occurs as an explana-
tion; as also does Weide-moor, because weide is in modern
German a heath, and is an ancient word. Because a most
interesting event took place there, and the peace of Wedmore
was signed a thousand years ago between King Alfred and his
Danish foe, Guthrun (or Gudrun), the place was called wed,
a pledge, and, of course, the moor explains itself. But it was
doubtless so called before this interesting historical event.
Having regard to other place-names with the ancient
word wade in them as a personal name usually con-
sidered to be from wado, to wander, this name of
Wedmore is the old name Vadomar, now known as Wad-
more. The name Wada occurs in the Liber VitcB, and its
Frisian form is Watto. We know Watts, both with and with-
out the sibilant. Wado is a frequent name. It occurred then,
for in D.B. there is Wido, a presbyter of Long Ashton, hold-
ing under the Bishop of Coutance " a virgate of land belong-
ing to the Church." Vadomar, or Wadomaer, is com-
pounded of Wada, and maer means famous in this and other
names (Kinmaer in Kilmersdon). The moor land attached to
the manor of Vadomar was merely an expression at domes-
day. The land called Mark-moor (from Maerc, a boundary
of proprietary rights) was truly a wet-moor, for it was prac-
tically a sheet of water in the winter, while the land which
was originally Vadomar's stood high and dry. There is here
the place-name Mark and the old fosse-way across it, called
mark's Causeway, and the abbot's Causeway, still remain as
memorials of the time when spots, previously unapproachable

182

save by boat, came to be visited by dry-shod pedestrians. The
name Wedmore's land in 1242 was really right in the use of
the possessive — William de Wedmoresland — and is as evi-
dently historically correct as the expression " in Gordone's
land."

Other cognate names are Wadbury, a hamlet of Mells.
Wembdon is in Domesday Book Wadmen-dun. This is, in
fact, Wadmund, as in Edmund with the like meaning of
" mund." This has been explained to mean "women-down,"
the reason for which, it is further said, is not now known.
Again there is a Wadford near Neroch. They say it is the
" ford that can be waded." Most fords can. It is Wadafrid,
as Winford is Winfrid.

Traces of a very ancient name with its easily interpreted
(and not in this case so incorrectly as in many other instances)
modern representative Gold and Gould as personal names
is discoverable in the hamlet-name Goldonscott, Goldenscott.
It is also spelt Gildencota. The forms of the name are Gild,
Gald, and Gold. The D.B. spelling is Goldencota. It is Gil-
dencota in 3 Edward I., and was a tithing. In 1069 the name
William Goueld occurs. William Guald and Brien, both
counts of Bretagne, two of the Conqueror's lieutenants, de-
feated two sons of Harold, the only time these elder two sons
of the unfortunate Saxon appear in English history. They
were leading an Irish expedition against Devon. The name
Goueld occurs in reference to lands the property of St.
Saviour's Abbey, Bermondsey. In the Liber VitcB is the
Anglo-Saxon form Golde, and the Frisian form Giolt. The
origin does appear to have reference to value, but not neces-
sarily metallic value. Gelten means to be worth. It will be
seen that the sibilant is intrusive. It is not Goldson. Nor
are we sure that Coat is here a cot, or house, any more than
in some other cases. Cot is often the Anglo-Saxon form of
the Gothic gaud, god, geat, and " Goldengyt " thus may be
a compound name, as Sidcot, in Winscombe, Sidagaud, or
Sida's cot. Sida is the old German name Sido, and there is
the local name Syde-mann, Sidewine, and Sideflaed. Siden-
ham is in North Petherton, and has, we know, become a per-
sonal name taken from a place, and not given to it. There

183

is a curious name, Nightcott, in Brushford. How easy to say,
"A place of night refuge for some now unknown reason."
It is the name Noedt, Nytta, Nette (Frisian form), Nith in
many names compounded in the customary way with heard,
weard, mund, and perhaps gaud, a Goth, Nihtgaud. And so
in Ashcott, in Horethorn, is aesc, the personal name " ask "
and cott, Ascquid. And Wal-cott would thus, by analogy of
these forms, be the personal name Wealh or Wall, from
meaning the stranger. It must not be forgotten that the word
Welsh is itself Saxon.

There is also a Will-cot in Alms-worthy (Eahlmundes-
worth). The prefix Wil corresponds to a Wiltoun in Curry-
Rivel, a Wilhayne in Combe St. Nicholas. There is no more
frequent element in personal names Wilmund, Wilhild, and
a dozen or more others. And in this case, the name Wille-
god occurs. Willcot is this name disguised, and Wilhayne is
not a hayned up place any more than Pighaynes is a place
of enclosure for pigs. Wilhayne is Willehun, as Pighanes is
Pighun. Pigo is an old German name, but it has nothing to
do with swine, but with the sword. Grimm says the word
hun became a synonym for a giant, and a metrical writer of
the ninth century describes the giant Polyphemus as the
" groose hun," the great giant. Pigou is a name we know.
Wilhun is known as a Mercian name, and here inWessex, too.

How nearly connected this name is with Will, Wills, Willa,
in such names as Wil-helm, Wil-frid, Wil-maer (as in Wil-
mers-ham) may be seen from the Prankish spelling of the
place-name Williton, in St. Decumans, and as the name of a
hundred, "Williton and Free-Manors hundred." Willet
Hill is in Elworthy, already mentioned. The Frankish spell-
ing in the form Gilletona, precisely as William or Wil-helm
is in French Guillaume, and in Welsh Gwillym. It was in
1170 that Reginald Fitzurse inherited his father's estate of
Gilletona, and in this twelfth century that Reginald Fitz-urse
(of Becket fame) granted to his brother, Robert Fitz-urse, a
moiety of Gillestone. In Henry II. 's reign this grant is con-
firmed of lands in Willeton. In 1192-1205 Bishop Savaric of
Wells allows that a chaplain shall reside in the vill of Wile-
tone. In the fourteenth century it is Willi-tone and Wyle-

184

ton. In 1403 is a grant near Terra Templariorum. This is
worth note as bearing on names with Temple, as Temple
Combe, Temple Cloud, and Temple Hydon. The names
Wyly and Willy are extant names of people in Somerset with
whom we are acquainted.

Foxcott is on or near the well-known Fosseway, and so we
might say that thus it gets its name. The D.B. spelling is
Fus-cota. In 1291 it is Foxcote and Fors-cot. The name is
Furs-a, as in Furseman, a modern name. This name occurs
elsewhere, as in the Fescheford, now Freshford, of which this
appears a not unlikely explanation, but as it is situated near
the confluence of the Frome and the Avon the puzzle of the
spellings may find some other explanations.

A pretty instance of the tendency of the popular tongue to
get a good grip of a word is seen in a mysterious local name
in Nunney, near Frome. It is Trullox Hill. Now, we should
say this was Thorlacs Hill, as in Thurloxton, if it were not a
sixteenth-century spelling (as would appear) of earlier forms,
Tricox (which means Tritox, by confusion of the old form of
the letter " c ") and Trotox and the spelling Truddox. This
is Drud, or Trud, as Drud-here (Drury), the same as Trid,
Trit and Trot, and the name Truttuc existed in A.D. 706.
Drudhere or Trothere has become Trotter, and you wonder
why your friend bears such a funny name, " Tom Trotter."

185

CHAPTER XXII.

Doubled Names.

The double names are mostly manorial. The Saxon cared
less about the poetry of a waterfall, which the Celt would
designate by a descriptive name, than he did about broad
acres on which he would stamp his name. The Norman
came, and with him a more perfect subinfeudation of his
dependants. The aelh, or hall, of the Saxon thane gave place
to the castle of the Norman baron. Lands are held on the
tenure of serving in the wars in a gradation from the monarch
to the man-at-arms. Many of the harsh laws of feudal times,
rendered needful where armed watchfulness was the condition
of a safe life, lasted until quite late times, like some other
so-called relics of feudalism. When a Norman with a dagger
in his throat might not infrequently be found in a lonely
woodland path, to be armed and ready, and to send the tur-
bulent Saxon early to bed, by sound of bell, was a prime
necessity. The Manor, with its over-lord and gradation of
ranks to the cow-herd, lasted for some centuries; and the
names added to the original ones indicate the system at work.
In this case, where the personality of the over-lord is pre-
dominant, the name is a sign of proprietorship, and, taken
in connection with the first name, advertises us of an altered
ownership. Now certain names become dominant in the
county or neighbourhood. Occasionally the double name
appears to be an appellation added principally to distinguish
a place from another with the same name. The names are
cameos of English history. In no county are double names
more numerous, so far as our observation extends, than in
Somerset. In certain cases they are family names imported
from Normandy and Brittany. Ruins of old castles in these
and other parts of France still bear the titles; soldiers of
fortune who came over not merely at the conquest but in
successive centuries; able soldiers and statesmen who were

186

raised to position and possessions for their services to their
liege lord, the king. More than once were the ownerships
shifted at successive crises in national affairs. Rebellious
nobles with their retainers in strongholds were as thorns in
the side of a monarch, and in civil strife the plunder went as
usual to the victors, and the vanquished were rebuked, de-
graded, and beggared. The wheel of life, of war and of
politics has raised the lowliest and depresesd the highest.
Blue blood is as much a fiction as the epithet is shockingly
misapplied and physiologically absurcj. The peers are the
people and of the people, and raised from the people. The
inheritor of a foolish face yields place to a commoner with a
wise one often enough in the history of this land. The sur-
viving names make you ask the question : " Where are their
descendants?" And the answer is often enough : " Dispersed
among the people, in shops of trade, in shops for manual
work, even in lowly cottage homes."

The names, too, remind us of religious conditions that have
long since passed away. We follow the tracks of monastic
institutions, and the surviving names are fossil marks, like
ferns in coal shale, or trilobites in oolite rock, of conditions
of village and land over which the waves of time have swept.
Occasionally they are descriptive, geographical, and personal
rather than merely manorial or monastic. In all respects
they are interesting. Sometimes they wear the appearance of
being the products of vaulting ambition. The name is lowly,
but is capable of exaltation. The ginger-bread is plain, but
it may be edged with gilt. Human vanity and the craving
for distinction, the wish chiefly to o'ertop your fellows no-
where comes out into clearer light than in names. Breed is
not to be despised. The record of a race is of immense value.
But breed wears out, and needs renewal. How long on an
average does a great family last? Neither one good custom
nor one good family is allowed to corrupt the world. With
some such reflections do we ever and anon pause in the study
of these added names. As far as possible, we take them in
alphabetical order.

Abbas Combe is also called in the Taxatio Ecclesiastica
Combe Templer, and the name Temple Combe has ousted

187

the older name. The names strike two strata of his-
tory. Abbas Combe is in reality Abbess Combe, for
the land of this manor was at Domesday in the pos-
session of Lenora Abbess of St. Edward, Abbess of
Shaston, Abbatissa Sancti Edwardi, who was the
Domesday tenant in capite. Abbas has become Abbots
Combe in some documents. Combe Templer, now Temple
Combe, is a name of considerable interest, because connected
with the famous order of Knight's Templar, founded early in
the twelfth century. "The Master of the Temple" in those
days was not a cassocked and surpliced clergyman holding a
dignified position in the Temple Church in London, but the
head of a dignified military order set apart to guard the ways
to Palestine, and to protect the holy places. The earliest
Preceptory known in England was in 1136, at Cressing, given
by Maud. Within fifty years of this Serlo Fitzado founded a
preceptory of the order (1185) at this Combe. In 1309
Clement 5th suppressed the Knight's Templars, and their
lands were given to the somewhat older order of Knight's
Hospitallers, so called because they began with the building
of a hospital for pilgrims at Jerusalem. These were sup-
pressed by the burly monarch, Henry VIII., in 1540, and in
the 35th year of Henry VIII. the manor of Temple Combe
was granted to Lord Clinton,^ and of course a " grant " — for
a consideration — made to a useful person. Of so much in-
terest is this name, which is also doubtless shared by Temple
Cloud. John Strachey, in 1730, places this as a cell of the
Templars' house in Temple Street, Bristol.^ Other names of
like kind elsewhere are Temple Brewer, in Lincolnshire;
Temple Newsom, in the county of York; Temple Beverley,
in Westmoreland. There were only eighteen in the country.
Other relics are Temple Down, in West Harptree, and the
name of Temple-Hydon, also called Hydon Grange, or Char-
terhouse Hydon, where the lands were possessed by the
Knights Templars. Temple-Hidon is in the register of lands

^List of the Religious Houses in Somersetshire. Strachey, p. 663. 'Bristow
was one of the chief seats. The owners of Temple Combe may be
found in Somerset and Dorset Notes and Queries, iii., 88 ; Somerset
Archaeological Society's Proceedings, XHV., ii., 63. See also Gerard,
pp. 163-4, and Mr. Bates-Harbin's note.

188

belonging to the Preceptory of Temple Combe. It is in the
report for 1338, Camden Societies' publications, " Knights
Hospitallers in England." Templeton, in Devon, and
W estcomh eland, in Buckland St. Mary, and Clayhanger, on
Somerset borders, are also in this list. A picture of the re-
mains of the Chapel of the Preceptory may be found in the
fifth volume of Somerset and Dorset Notes and Queries. The
British Museum charters contain records of a grant of land
in Heidune to Bruerne Abbey in A.D. 1180-1190. In the
time of Henry III. there was notification of an exchange for
land in Hidon with Bruerne Abbey. This Bruerne, or Tem-
ple Bruer, or Brewer, must have been the one mentioned
above in Lincolnshire, and not the Cistercian one in Oxford.
This the name Temple tells us. The Charterhouse Hydon is
land connected with Charterhouse Hinton, probably, where
there was a Carthusian monastery.

Abbot's Leigh formerly belonged to the Hundred of Bed-
minster, and when the Church lands were confiscated, it, as
was commonly the case, was transferred to another hundred,
that of Portbury. It was only Lega, or Lea, in D.B. Robert
Fitz-Harding gave this part so indicated, and another part to
the Augustines, of Bristol. And so it acquired its distinctive
name. Other names — ^Abbots Camel, Abbots He, Abbots
Buckland — occur, and are mentioned hereafter under their
more modern designations. There is also found in the
boundaries of the manor of West Norton (Edmond the Elder,
946, to his thegn Ethelwod : " Dunning-lea, leading to
Crich-hulle," the boundary through middle of Abbing-leah,
i.e., Abban-leigh or Abbots-leigh, to the Dulting stream. The
name has been changed to Mapleaze, probably a corruption.

Ash Brittle. — We have observed that in D.B. Ash is not uni-
formly spelt. This is no wonder, but here the variations are
suggestive. Ashley is spelt Asc-lea. Ash Brittle is Aissa, Ash-
combe is Aisecoma, of which the spellings in the Nomina
Villarum Hesecombe, Hececombe, and Hetsecoma are
variants. Ash Priors is Aisca and Aisxa; Ashcombe in
Weston-super-Mare is Aisecoma; Ashcott, Aisecota, Ashing-
ton, Essentona ; Long Ashton, Eshtuna ; Ashway in Hawk-
ridge, Ascwei ; Ashwick, Esewice. Now the personal name

189

Aesc, Aes, As, Aesc, Aescmann, is thus variously spelt, and is
found in numerous compound personal names, As-cytel (Ash-
kettle), Aescbeorht (Ashbert), and the like. In those very old
names when the Saxon thought more of his personal posses-
sions than physical features of his ownership, the name, as in
Ashton, is personal, i.e., Aesc-ton. This same element is in
Ash-with. Asec was the name of the son of Hengist. No
doubt ultimately you get back to the tree for, mythologically,
the origin of the name is in the " conceit " that man sprang
out of the ash tree. Further, it was the wood out of which
spears were made, and the name secondarily imports warlike
strength and vigour.

From this to the second name Brittle (though the two are
commonly written as one word Ashbrittle) is from mytholo-
gical Saxon to a Norman name probably having a Celtic base,
for words of this origin are as common in the stretch of country
once called Armorica as in Cornwall. In D.B. the subtenure
was that of Brittel de St. Clare. In 1343 the name is read as
Esse Britel, though in D.B. it is only Aissa. Montague Bretel
derived his cognomen from a ville in Normandy. But the
name is Celtic; Brithyll is Celtic Cornish for a trout. It is also
Welsh. The root idea of Brith is that of " dappled." The
name was appended very early, if not continuous, from the
conquest.

Ash Herbert is probably the place now known as Ashington
(D.B., Essentune). The super-added designation is that of a
Saxon name Herebeorth. A penny of Lincoln coinage bears
the solitary name of Heribert, who was an ealderman. It is
of frequent occurrence in the eighth and ninth centuries, and
usually of those who were leaders of men. Har is " army " or
soldier, and Beorht bright or illustrious, which appears in the
name Bright, Bertrand, and the like. Ashington is situated
in the hundred of Yeovil, and here Herbertus was a sub-
tenant under Alured de Hispania, Roger de Corcelle, and
Wm. de 'Ou. The Saxon name in the county has, whether
continuous or not, shown a remarkable persistence.

Ash Priors, or Priors Ash, Aissa in D.B. Esse Prior in
Taxatio Ecclesiastica (1297). It is doubly surveyed in D.B.
Part of the land was, in the time of King Edward the Confes-

190

sor, under the feofdom of the last of the Saxon bishops of
Wells, Giso ; another part was held in chief by Roger Arundel,
who gave it to Taunton Priory. According to Dugdale, this
was a priory of Augustinian monks, and according to Speed,
a nunnery, founded by Henry de Blois, Bishop of Winchester.
A prior Stephen is mentioned in the Wells Register in A.D.
1175. The vicarage of St. Mary Magdalen had some dozen
chapelries attached to it, among which was Ash Priors. The
name, accordingly, may be, as the connection certainly is,
hoary with age. In 1438 in B. M. Charters is " Compotus of
lands of Taunton Priory of Esse," in which it will be noted
the descriptive name is not given.

Ash Mayne is in Martock as a local name. If this is a per-
sonal name, Mayne, it is a very old one, for the name
Maanus and Meinus is found on old Roman pottery, and is
Celtic, or more probably Gothic, and a word indicating
strength. The forms are Magan, Main, Magnay. In German
Mehne, and French Magne, Italian Magini. We have some
suspicion that it is the same name as Moione (of which
Gerard considers Mohun a corrupt spelling^) of Domesday
Book. De Moione of Dunster was not only a considerable
owner of landed estate in the county, and Sheriff of Somerset,
but also King William's custos of escheated estates for the
Conqueror, of which a manor in Martock, primarily owned
by Queen Edith, was one. As it is " in dominio," it is just
possible that Mayne may be the remanet of the full word
desmesne, but scarcely likely. Of other names with the pre-
fix ash are Ashley, near Bath ; Ashway, in Ashill, Dulverton,
probably from the tree, as also Ashcombe and Ashford, in He
Abbots; Ashold, also spelt Ashault. Aysseholt is ash wood.
On the other hand Ash-wick, as we may here again say, is a
compounded personal name, Aesc and Wig.^

Long Ashton, with Ashton Keynes within its borders.
There are tythings Ashton Dando and Ashton Alexander,
from Alexander Dando. Rutter^ says it was called Easton,
because east of Portbury, and the most important place this

'S.R.S., vol. XV., p. 19. ^See also p. 42. ^Delineations of the North Western
Division of the County of Somerset, by John Rutter. Lond., 1829.

191

side the river. But this is a mistake, for in D.B. Eshtuna is
the spelling. The prefix Long is fairly descriptive of the vil-
lage street. It is length without breadth. But "Long" is
said to be a corruption. In the Lincolns Inns MSS.^
it is simply Aixton and Axton, and Axston (1250 cir.). The
original name from which Long is said to be derived is that
of Lyons. It was Lyons Ashton. No doubt Ashton Lyons,
Ashton Dando, were tithings. The Lyons family date from
the 14th century. It is doubtful whether the whole parish
was ever called Lyons Ashton. Ashton Theynes was possibly
the original name of the picturesque village under the lee of
the hill. In the D.B. survey the land was held by three
theynes, thegns, or thanes, as we more commonly call them.
They held pariter.^ A family called de Theyne existed up to
the time of Edward the Third. Lyons is said to be a name de-
rived from the French town of that name. In the Bath Char-
tulary^ there are signatories mentioned named Edward de
Lyonis, and others of the same name in the 13th century
and early in the following. Some family may have come over
here during the French wars, and become duly anxious to be
descended from some plunderer who " came over with the
Conqueror." It is just possible that the name is really a form
of Lewins (Leofwine). A name wide-spread needs accounting
for. Anyhow, the name did not become connected with Long
Ashton until quite the end of the 14th century, and in two
more centuries gave place to the ownership of the Choke
family (1454, Richard Choke, Chokke, and Chocke, of Stan-
ton Drew), a Lord Chief Justice of England. In Chew Magna
is the local name Chalks. This is the origin of it ; but Chalks
is puzzling enough as there is no lime about. There was also
later a manor Ashton Philips, now Lower Ashton Court.
This manor existed in the time of Elizabeth. There was a
Hugh Phelippes concerned in a dispute as to the right of
Rownham ferry, with William, abbot of St. Austin. This
Philips is said to have derived his name from this locality.

^Two Chariularies of Bath Priory, S.R.S., vol. vii. "According to Eyton's
Domesday Studies, vol. i., p. 171, pariter merely implies that the status,
degree, or quality of the tenure of the co-tenants are equal, and has no
reference to the extent of the holding. ^Page 173.

192

The reverse is more likely. The family is of importance in the
Tudor period.

Barry Gooseford, or Barrey Gosejord is an obscure name
little known out of its locality. It is a hamlet name in
Odcombe. The hamlet and local names must not be left out of
account. What they lack in importance is made up for in
etymological and historical interest. Goesford is not the goose-
ford. Gose is possibly a form of cors a bog, and Celtic ford,
the way or road across the marsh. Gosemoor, in Broughton
Regis, is then a doublet, for Gose already means a moor. Barry
Gooseford and Barreys Goseford is a name found in British
Museum charters of the time of Edward I. It goes so far back
as the 13th century. We find no such name in Somerset D.B.
Gosford is more probably the Saxon name Gosfrid and Gos-
frith, or Gosa. The name is wide-spread — Gosfield in Essex,
Gosford in Oxford, Gosforth in Cumberland, and also in
Northumberland, Gosport, Goswick. Gos is a supposed high
German form of gaud, a Goth. The English name Casswell is
the old German name Gausvald, or Goswald. In 1294 we are
informed of an Anthony de la Barre, and Christiana, his wife,
in a question of property in East Luccombe, that is in the time
of Edward I. We cannot absolutely determine whether Barry
is the original place-name or a personal name. Barry is some-
times derived from the Welsh with the prefix ap, and is the
same then as Parry. This to us is doubtful.

Barrow Gurney. — A barrow is, shortly, a mound of any
kind. It has come to mean often, specifically, a " burial
mound." This is a specialised meaning. The words " par-
son " and " person " are precisely the same word in origin.
The middle English of Bergh, a hill, is Berw. The modern
German is Berg. The high road through Barrow Gurney un-
mistakably passes under the lee of a tolerable " mound," and
alongside an intolerable streamlet. We need not look for the
bones of the dead. The D.B. spelling is Berua, and, needless
to say, with no addition of manorial owner. The final vowel
is only the Domesday speller's trick of a final vowel, as in
" tona," for " ton." It is thus precisely Berw. It is Barwe in
1304; " feofment in Le Barwe." Barough and Berghes in the
time of Henry VIII. At the time of the much-mentioned

193

survey, Nigel de Gurnai held a sub-tenure of it under
Geoffrey de Moubray, Bishop of Coustance. Notwithstand-
ing this early connection with this family the name did not
become inseparably affixed in documents until a much later
period. In 1297 the Taxatio Ecclesiastica has only Barwe in
the Deanery of Redclyfie.

Barrow Minchin is another name for Barrow Gurney, or
for some manorial portion of it. The explanation of this is
that a Benedictine nunnery was founded there (it is said) as
early as the reign of Richard I. In 1296 we read of a question
arising : " East Harpetre and the Prior of Muneschinbarwe."
In 1316 Joanna de Gurney was elected prioress, and in 1511 it
appears this nunnery at Minchin Barrow, as it is called, had
a pension of two marks out of the appropriated tythe of the
church of Barrow. Speed says it was of Black Nuns dedicated
to St. Mary and St. Edwin, built by Gournay. It is called
Minchin Barrow in the time of Elizabeth, and as late as 1768
in a will. Minchin is A.S. muncen, a nun. A nunnery at
Brittlemore was called " the minchery." Munkin is short
for monachina. The root, of course, ultimately is Greek,
monachos. It is found also in Buckland Minchin, also known
as Buckland Sororum (" of the sisters ").

The original family of Gurneys in the male line appears to
have died out. Eva de Gurney married a Thomas Fitz
William Fitz John, of Harptree, and the latter took the name
of his wife, Gornai. It is from this time and family that we
get the names of Barrow Gurney, Farrington Gurney, Gurney
Slade.i The latter name " Slade " is of frequent local occur-
rence. We have seen that it is applied (from A.S. slaed) to an
elevated open country, as in Glutton Slade, corrupted to
" Slate," as in " Slate Farm."

In the hundred of Whitley are the geographically-distin-
guished names of North Barrow and South Barrow, in the
south of the county, represented in D.B. by Berua and Ber-
rowena. In Wincanton there is a local name, Barrow lands, and
there is Berrow in Row-berrow. Between the village and the
beach on the Bristol Channel there is a natural barrier of high

'There is also Gournay Street in Canning:ton. The original name is from
Gyvernay, in Normandy.

194

and extensive sand hills, or dunes, or barrows. Row, the prefix
is ruh, which means rough, as in Ruborough, alias Money
Fields, near Broomfield. Some regard this as the probable
site of the famous battle of Brunanburh.

Bishop Lydeard, or Lydeard Episcopi. — We may con-
veniently bring together all the place-names which have this
affix or suffix in the county. Such are Compton Bishop,
Bishops Hull, Bishops-worth, Bishops Wood, Bishop Sutton
(Chew Episcopi), Huish Episcopi, and in the Axe Drainage
Commission of 1810 we find Bishop Axbridge. Not all the
places that belonged to Bishops have preserved the record in
the name. The principal Episcopal landowners of Somerset
at the time of the survey were the bishop of Wells, Giso ; the
bishop of Coutance, Geoffrey de Mowbray; the bishop of
Winchester, Walcheline ; and the first of these is credited with
about eighty thousand acres. Among the manors belonging
to Giso were Chui, i.e.. Chew; Huish, Lidegar or Bishops
Lydeard, Compton Bishop (as part of Banwell), while
Lydeard St. Lawrence, Otterford, and Bishops Wood in
Otterford, some part of Bishops Lydeard, and Bishops Hull
were parts of the manor of Walchelinus, bishop of Winches-
ter, chief tenant on the Domesday survey ;i at the time of
Edward the Confessor the latter place was held by eight
thanes under Stigand, the Saxon archbishop of historical
fame.

Lydeard in both names mentioned above is a personal
name, Lidhard. Luidhard is the name of a bishop of Senlis,
chaplain to Queen Bertha. The D.B. spelling is Lidegar (pro-
nounced Lide-yar), and the T.E. Lidiard. The Saxon name is
a compound of Lid, Leod, found in other place-names and in
modern personal names as Lloyd, Lyde, and Cornish Floyd
and Geard, Yeard, or Yarde, also an ancient name of a person.
There is a place-name Lyde in Yeovil. How early is the oc-
currence if this name is seen from the interesting fact, else-

'Called Bishop's Lydiard " ever after King- Edward the Elder, during tbe
rule of ye Saxons, gave it to the bishopp of Sheirbourne, but when, as
the Bishopricke of Wells was taken out of that church, this amongst
other lands fell to that bishop." Gerard : Particular Description of
Somerset, p. 54, S.R.S., vol. xv.

195

where noted, that the earlier name of Montacute was Bishop-
ston, and that its still earlier name was Lodegars-bury, and
this is sometimes given as Logderes-don by an interchange of
the consonants that might easily lead us on the wrong track.
Lodegar is the same as Lidigar, and is the same personal
name, Leodgeard. Further, there is supposed to have been
a prelate of that name associated with the place, which gave
rise to the name Biscops-ton. The chief tything and a street
still bear the ecclesiastical name. Drogo de Montague was so
called from the name of his seat in France, Mont Ague.
Count Robert of Moretain, half-brother of the Conqueror,
had just one hundred manors in Somerset, and Bishopston
was a manor purchased in exchange with the monastery of
Athelney. Gerard gives the name as Logwersbroch, " of one
Logwer, whose name was inscribed in one of the peramides
that stood in the churchyard of Glaston Church." It is also
written " Legios-berghe," and so he is inclined to find the
Roman " legion " in the name. This is William of Malmes-
bury's spelling. A local name " Legcott " he supposes to pre-
sume the same manorial. The Saxon origin is correct.

Bishops Hull is curiously spelt at different periods Hill
Bishops, Hill Bishop, Hillbrische, Hullbishops. Of these
Hill-brische is the most curious. Bishops-worth is early spelt
Bishport, 1315, and the fact is, it is so called to this day,
while the usual documentary spelling is Bishops-worth. The
Domesday spelling is Bisheurda. Bish and bisp are curtailed
forms of bishop. Urda finds in other cases its modern represen-
tative in worth, but it is possible that urd really is intended for
a form of ord or ort, which means a corner, starting from the
idea of a point of a weapon, and hence the spelling Bishp-ort.
In any case, the meaning is clear, " Bishop's Place."

Bower Ashton. — ^There is Bower (Boure, Bowe, and
Bure) simply; East Bower and West Bower, North Bower,
Bower Henton (Hinton, Bourehenton), Bower Mead in the
parish of Martock, Bowerwaie in Thorne St. Margaret, Bour-
ton (Flax Bourton), Bour-ton or Burton in Compton Bishop.
The Domesday spellings are Bure, Bur, and Burw. Burw is
a cottage or dwelling. Ashton became a personal name,
and may be so here, as the name is found in the time of

195

Elizabeth. In Bower-Hinton or Hean-ton (Hea-ton), Hinton
is probably Hean-ton or high-town (Hean, Celtic high), and
is compound. But Hinton also became, and is, a personal
name. These place-names transformed to personal names
arose from designating, as is well known, persons by their
abodes, John atte Bower or William de la Bure, which be-
comes Bury. When the additional names were very late
they often thus arose. In Domesday there is a tenant Hugo
de Bures, which now, of course, would be Hugh Bury.
These names Bures, Buri, or Burs are noticed in the first
volume of Domesday as synonymous with Coliberti. In Du
Gauge's Glossary this word Coliberti is derived from Roman
civil law as meaning tenants in free socage, free rent, a
middle sort of tenant between servile and free. If this be
so, the various Bowers and Bures are relics of ancient modes
of tenure.

Flax-Bourton is not separately mentioned in the Survey,
and there was no cause for its separate valuation in the
Taxatio Ecclesiastica. In Historical Manuscripts of the time
of Henry VI. (1422) it is mentioned as Bourton only in a
grant of lands. In the time of Queen Elizabeth, in a
calendar of Chancery proceedings, we have the distinctive
name Flax-Bourton. But it is clear that the name originated
late from some special circumstances connected with the
place, and nothing is so likely as the connection with the
priory of Flex-ley, in Gloucestershire. The Prior of Flexley
had an estate at East Brent valued at twenty marks a year,
in 1444, and possessed lands in or near Regill.^ The origin
of Flex-ley is not far to seek. Flaec or Flecg is a personal
name, with the modern form Fleck. It is rather Scan-
dinavian than Saxon, Floki. And this is borne out by the
occurrence of the word in the North Country place-names —
Flex-by in the West Riding of Yorkshire, Flax-ton on the
moor in the East Riding, Fleck-ney in Leicestershire. The
basis is Flaka, a rover, perhaps a viking, and the word flag,
indicating the iris waving in the wind, and our word flag,
an ensign, are connected etymologically. The plentiful

'Strachey : Religious Houses in Somerset.

197

growth of this plant will of itself hardly account for all these
separate instances. Flax Bourton is Flex-ley Bourton, and
the personal name originated with Flex-ley in Gloucester-
shire, or Flecg's meadow.

Bratton Seymour is simply Broc-tuna in 1086. Broctuna
also in T.E. 1297, and in 1315 in the Nomina Villarum also,
and in the Bruton Cartulary passim. Broc is a brook, and
brock a badger. But broc, a badger, became, like so many
animal names, a personal designation from some supposed
resemblance in appearance and character. There are numerous
place-names with the personal name Broc, as Broc-ley, Brock-
hampton. Brockington is a patronymic name. The Broc-men
were East Frisians, and, adopting this, the explanation of the
names is racial. Broctuna evidently becomes Brot-ton by
assimilation of the consonants, and Brat-ton is but a Somerset
twist of the vowel. Some may still prefer to think of a brook,
especially as a brook rises there, and note that Broctons
become Broughtons all the country through. But this
prevalence of the name is an argument in favour of the
racial origin, rather than that from the local circumstance of
the existence of a brook, or the possibility of badgers. The
additional name of Seymour must have arisen at the end of
the 14th or beginning of the 15th century, when a Roger de
S. Maur, a great-grandson of Wm. St. Maur, apparently by
alliance with the Lovells, Lords of Wincanton and Castle
Gary, brought to the Seymours this manor. Thus, later in
became distinguished by this family name. Wm. St. Maur,
it is explained, took his name from St. Maur-sur-Loire, in
Touraine. Another place-name, with the addition of Sey-
mour, may here conveniently be considered. Kingston Sey-
mour is so called in the T.E., that is in the 13th century.
In 1197 this manor was granted by Richard I. to Milo de
Sancto Mauro. This was, therefore, earlier than the former.
It must not be forgotten that Semaer is a Saxon name.

Bratton in Minehead is in D.B. Bradeuda. Bratton has
thus a twofold derivation. Whatever the explanation of
this may be, if the identification is correct, Bradeuda means
Broad-wood. There are several Brattons, but they are con-
fined to Wilts, Devon, and Somerset. The one in Wilts is

198

famous as identified by some with the historic Eddington-
down. Probably they are Broad-tons, but the history of the
place-name spelling needs investigation before a conclusion
worth so calling can be arrived at.

There is also a little-known local name in Somerset,
Bratton Lyndes. Lyndes may be a personal name. In
the Pedes-Finium, beginning of the 13th century, there occurs
the name John de la Lynde and the name Lynde-cumb.
Lin and Lind is a Saxon personal name. This explains Lyn-
combe. It is found in compounds as Lind-win and Lind-
wulf. " La Lynde " becomes a local name, like some others
with the article La. Bratton and Lynde were separate manors.^

Brympton D'Evercy. — No one would guess that what the
Domesday spelling gives as Broc in Brock-ley and the like
is by some supposed to denote a racial distinction. Accord-
ing to this the Brocmen were East Frisians. Nor would
Brympton as it stands in its modern form suggest another
real or supposed racial distinction. What is meant will be
readily seen when we remark that the Domesday spelling of
Brympton is Bruneton. This becomes Brempton in 1297.
That is, Brune is Normanised into Bremp as a nasalised
pronunciation. Brun is simply Brown, and Brun alone and
in compounds as Brunhelm and Brunhild, Brun-man and
Bruning (as a patronymic). Browning is prevalent from the
seventh century onward. Racially, its members were of a
brown tinge. There is a Brown in Treborough as a local
place-name. Broomfield is in D.B. Brunefella. Besides,
there is King's Brompton, and the old hundred of Brompton
Vicecomitis are all spelt Brune-ton, and Brompton Ralph
noted below. Brom-ley in Stanton Drew is Brun-lea. The
name is Brampton in Henry the Third's reign. In this reign
the manor of Brympton came to the family of D'Evercy.
Peter D'Evercy was patron of the church in 1321. It is pre-
sumed that the family sprang from Evercy, a place situate
a few miles from Caen. The family was found in England
at an early date. There is a Robert Evercy who obtained

'See Mr. Bates-Harbin's note, p. 195, Gerard's Particular Description of
County of Somerset, S.R.S., vol. xv.

199

confirmation of grant of lands in Yate, and it is likely that
in 1226 Thomas D'Evercy purchased Brympton. The
Gloucestershire and the Somerset families were one. The
previous possessor was Richard De Cilterne (Chilthorne).
Sir Peter d'Evercy, Knight, sat for Somerset in Parliament
summoned to meet at Carlisle in 1306 and also in the Par-
liament which met at Westminster in 1314, and was also
returned for Southampton in the Parliament of Edward II.
in 1318.

Brompton Ralph,^ alias Fulford. — Ralph de Moione was a
descendant of the great Domesday lord, William de Moione.
At that date there existed a hundred of Brunetona Vice-
comitis. This dignitary, the Domesday sheriff of Somerset,
was William de Moione. In the Taxatio Ecclesiastica it is
entered as Brompton Radi and Brompton Rauf, and valued
at twelve marks. Radi is short for Radulphus. Therefore, from
the thirteenth century onwards it has this name Rauf. Radi
and Rauf are short forms of Radulphus. Another title is
Brompton Fuljord, a title which it derives from a family
Fulford. Sir John Fulford, Kt., was in possession in the
time of Elizabeth.

Brompton Regis (T.E., 1297), or King's Brompton, was
a Royal demesne of William the Conqueror. "The King
holds Brune-ton," displacing the Saxon owner, the Countess
Gytha, widow of Earl Godwin. In the time of Henry III.
Ralph Fitzurse held two parts of a knight's fee. In the reign
of Edward III. there is a grant by, and to, John de Fitzurse,
the parson. Curiously enough, it is called King's Brunton
in a will of the days of Edward VI., and also King Brimton.

Buckland Denham. — Buckland is of frequent occurrence in
local nomenclature. There are twenty fairly well known,
besides many of not sufficient importance to find mention in
name-lists. Of these twenty, all but four are in the West of
England, and none are in the Northern counties. It is a
name descriptive of a particular kind of tenure. Boc means

'Gerard derives from the abundance of the "broom" plant. It was
"encrew'd with broom." So are many other spots. "It's called
Brompton Rafe because Rafe Fitzurse held it.'' (14th Edward 1st.)
S.R.S., vol. XV.

200

a book or parchment. But copyhold has apparently refer-
ence to the manorial tenancy which arose subsequently, the
"tenure of estate by copy of court roll." These rolls were
of the nature of court memoranda. Buckland is spelt Boche-
land in D.B. Charters were granted by Saxon kings to
thanes free from all fief, fee, fines. Boc-land is said to be
land taken from the folc-land and held in private tenure.
Now in the time of Edward the Confessor a Saxon thane
held this estate, whose name was Donna, Donno, Dun, or
Dune, and continued tenant in chief under the Conqueror.
It is, however, simply called Boc-land in A.D. 1297, and
the name Denham is not traceable clearly to this Donno's-
ham or home. This name occurs in the charter of King
William (1068), restoring Banwell to the Church of St.
Andrew of Wells, as Dinni. This Dun had IX. hides, and
the local name may have continued side by side with that
of Boc-land. In the time of Henry III., Geoffrey Dinant
was Lord of the Manor, as we find from the grant of a market
at Michaelmas. It looks as if the descendants of Donnus or
Dun continued, and (of course) Normanised their name,
and " came over with the Conqueror " from Dinant.^

Buckland Minchin, also called Buckland Sororum, " The
Sisters' Buckland," owes its name to the existence of a
nunnery. But it has another name, which arises from an
earlier fact, Buckland Prions, the Priors' Buckland. William
de Erlegh founded here a priory and a convent of seven
canons of the Order of St. Augustine. The canons killed
the steward of their founder, and Henry II. (1182) placed
in their room a prioress and eight sisters of the Order of St.
John of Jerusalem. The Notitia Monastica mistakes it for
Buckland St. Mary, whereas this place was in the parish of
Ling, four miles from Bridgwater and two from Borough-
bridge. The tything is in the hundred of N. Petherton, and
called Buckland Fee. Its subsequent history has no influence
on the origin of the interesting names, and we are therefore
not concerned with it. It appears also to have been confused

'" The noble family of Dyrham deducted their descent from Little Brittaine in
France," says Gerard, p. 199.

201

with Buckland Monachorum, in the hundred of Rodborough,
county of Devon.

Buckland St. Mary (Sainte Marie Bokelande) explains
itself. It is St. Marie Bokeland in 1346 and earlier.

Butleigh Wootton. — ^This is sometimes found written the
reverse way, Wootton Butleigh. If we trace the spellings
we find that this is an abbreviation of a Saxon name, Bodeca.
D. B. it is Boduceheleia. Boducche and Bodeca are alike
forms of an old German name Baudo-char, in which the
first component is bod or bud, an envoy, correspondent to
the modern German bote, a messenger, and char or gar is
a spear. The modern name Bodicker still occurs, though
rare. In 1297 it is Bodeclegh. In a charter of Glaston-
bury it is Bodekeleia. There are " Market Pleas of Bode-
clegh," 8th and 9th Edward II. Release of a wood in
Buddecleye in Glastonbury Abbey, in British Museum
charters, in 1355. Butleigh is, therefore, originally, Bau-
dogar's Meadow, in which name the part Baudog pre-
served its identity for some centuries. This was one manor.
There is some doubt existent among authorities as to the
present counterpart of a Domesday manor, Bodeslega, of
one hide only. Whale identifies it uncertainly with But-
leigh Wootton. Collinson also says Bodeslega is Butleigh.
The etymology plainly is not unfavourable to this view. It
is only a little variety of the longer name. Wootton is
another, and the two names are conjoined. Whether
Wootton is in some cases a family name or not, here it
probably took its rise in that " release of a wood " men-
tioned above. For Wootton is spelt Wodeton in one in-
stance of its occurrence. "Grant of land in Wodestone, by
King Edmund, to the thegn Athelnod in 946," in the Cartu-
larium Saxonicum; the Domesday spelling in the case of North
Wootton and Wootton Courtney is truly Somerset, viz., Utona
and Ottona, for now a wood is, to the peasant, only a " udd."^
Utona is North Wootton, and the property of the abbot
of Glastonbury, in the hundred of Whitstone. Athelnod

'It is possible, as sug'g'ested earlier, that this is the personal name Uta, Uto,
Utt, a known name.

202

is shortened to Alnod, the name of a tenant of the Abbot,
just as Estan is short for Athelston and Eahlstan, the name
of a Bishop of Sherborne in A.D. 871.

Wootton Courtney^ may as well be disposed of here, to
avoid repetition. Courtney is a family name going back to
the Domesday record in Somerset. It is said that this
second name is traceable to the William de Courtney who
founded the Priory of Worspring, now Woodspring, who
was descended from William de Tracy (one of the assassins
of Thomas Becket), or, according to some, of Reginald Fitz-
urse, and his last descendant. In 1297 it is in the official list
of T.E. only Wooton. The fact is these second names mostly
originated when the feudal system in its original rigid mili-
tary form had given way to the later mediseval manor, and
the holder became an owner, and marked a stage in the
development of the modern squire.

"' It was first called Wooton Bassett until that Philip Bassett gave it to John
de Courtney," Gerard, p. 13.

203

CHAPTER XXIII.

Doubled Names (continued).

Camel Abbots, also Queen Camel and East Camel. Besides
this, there is West Camel. It is convenient also again
to recall the name Camerton, which in full is Camelarton.
These are situate in different hundreds, and it would, in
spite of the prevalence of Camel as a river name, appear
that they are derived from personal names. Camel is spelt
Cantmael in an ancient charter of Muchelney,i and this
must be Kentmael. In that case we must take it that the
river names are taken from the personal name and are not
Celtic. This is in a Confirmation of Royal Charter of Ethel-
read the Unready in A.D. 995. Cameleia is Cameley or
Camley, and there is every probability that this is a relic,
as to its first component, of the Celtic gam, cam, already
mentioned under river names, and this is the name of a
bending, tortuous stream like the " many winding Wye."
Gamal is the present-day personal name Gamble, and has
nothing to do with stakes, cards, and games of chance. The
consonant is brought in to strengthen the word. Cameleia
thus appears to mean the Cam Meadow. There is, however,
a bishop of Llandaff name Camelge-geag and Cameleac.

The designation. Queen Camel (East Camel) (Cantmael),
also less known as Cammel Rumara. This name was derived
from the family Rumara. Of this family was William de
Rumara, the founder of Cleeve Abbey .^ It is at the same
date (1277) called Estcammel. It is entitled to this designa-
tion by a double right, for Queen Camel was, in the days
of Edward the Confessor, the property of Gytha or
Guitda, the widow of Godwin. However, it really derives

^Chartulary of Muchelney, p. 70, S.R.S., vol. xiv. '^Ibid. Intro. -. p. 7, also
p. 44.

204

its additional appellation of Queen from the fact that Ed-
ward the first granted to Queen Margaret the manor of
Cammel, of which the "letters patent" are still found in
the British Museum. This was in the 32nd year of the reign
of that monarch. And in the Lay Subsidies the hundred of
Somerton Forum is headed Domina Margareta Regina, and
it is called there Cammel Regis, or King's Cammel. The
doubled consonant is accounted for by the derivation from
Cantmael, which becomes Cam-mel. Cant and mal or mael
are names found, but I have found no instance of the com-
pound form except this. The manor of Cammel subse-
quently came into the possession of Henry the Eighth,
through the Countess of Richmond. In deeds of the 16th
century it is often simply called East Cammel.

Camel Abbatis (or West Camel), also in old records called
Cammell Downhead, because there the hill begins. Downhead
is a hamlet on the western slope. The origin of the designation
goes back to the time of King Ethelred, who confirmed an
earlier gift of Abbot Leofric of certain lands at that place.
Mr. Bates-Harbin regards the name Cantmael as a joke, " the
point of which is not now apparent." Surely it is the Saxon
name. The abbot was that of the famous Muchelney Abbey.
It is entered as the manor of St. Petrus (Peter) de Mucelneia.

Chapel Allerton. — The full spelling of Allerton is (D.B.)
Alwarditona, this is, Alward's town. But Alwgrd is an abbre-
viation of the significant compound, Aelfweard, which is a
name of frequent occurrence. In 990 one of this name was
Abbot of Glastonbury. Allerton was therefore Aelfweard's
town. A trace of this is found in the spelling Alwerton
in charters of grants of land. In the reign of Edward
the Fourth, Alwartone. The " Chapel " dates from an earlier
time than the additions made in the 17th century to
the church. There were then rectors or chaplains of the
libera capella, who in the great number of instances were
canons residentiary or priests' vicars, whose duties at Wells
came first and at Allerton second. This was in the 15th
century. The libera capella was in existence in the 13th
century, and there was a chapel standing in 1247. It is not
improbable that this free chapel existed in the days

205

of Aelfweard of Glastonbury, and possibly earlier. There
are other " Chapels," as Chapel Cleeve, and Chappie Hayes
in Claverham, which last was dedicated to St. Swithin. With
Chapel Cleeve an interesting story is connected. An ancient
chapel once stood on the cliff called St. Mary le Clifi. It
was destroyed by a landslip in the reign of Edward IV. An
image of the Virgin escaped destruction. In recognition of
what was thought a miracle King Edward granted a charter
for a market and a fair, the profits of which in tolls were
to go to support the new chapel which the abbot of Old
Cleeve (David Joyner) commenced to build further inland.
This is Chapel Cleeve. It is now, however, merely a man-
sion. It was a rainy time like that of 1910 which swept away
the Cliff Chapel.

Other chapels, or kappella, are mentioned in Valor
Ecclesiasticus of Henry VIII., Capella de Comage or Comb-
wich, Capella de Blakedown. In the Hundred of Taunton
is Chapel-ligh or Chippel-ligh. In 2 King Henry IV. Gilbert
Hareclive gave to Joan Panes, prioress of Barrow Gurney, and
her successors for ever a meadow in an enclosure called
Chapel Mede, in Barrow Gurney, of two acres in extent.

Cary Fitzpaine (in Charlton West, or Makrell, Castle
Cary). — Both are in D.B., Cari. The spellings are Carith,
Kari, Careis. The Carey river is a tributary of the Parret.
It takes its rise at Castle Cary at the base of the hill where
the castle stood, called Lodgehill, and runs through Cary
Fitzpaine, West Carlton, Lytes Cary, Somerton, and Bor-
oughbridge, through Sedgmoor, into the Parret. The river
name may be derived from its place of origin, and Cary
may be connected with that widely-spread root, meaning
stone or rock, found in such widely-extended words as
carrara, the famous marble, and the Celtic carag. The
examples from various languages are too numerous to men-
tion. From this it gets the meaning of stronghold or castle,
and thus Castle Cary is in significance a doublet. Down to
the time of Edward III. (Kirby's Quest) it is simply known
as Kari, and in the Bath Chartularies. It is Castle Cary in
Drockenford's Register. On 8th July, 1328, there was an
institution of a vicar of Castra Cary by the prior of Bath.

206

In an institution in 1402 it is only Gary. There are,
however, earlier instances in the 13th century : Castell
Cairoc, and later " Richard Lovell, lord of Caricastel."
Cairoc is suggestive, as this looks like a reminiscence of
Careg, rock. The name Fitz-paine is interesting. Paine is
an old name Paga (Baga), Pago, Pagan, in which the "g"
is elided in pronunciation. Probably its root is bagan, to
contend. Pagan becomes Paine or Pane, and Fitz-Norman-
ises the Saxon name. In 1084-6 there is an Edmund Fitz-
Paine, a " servant of the King." He was a king's thane,
an officer of the Crown or royal sargeant, and in spite of his
Saxon name he is put down as a Norman thane (Francus
Thegnus). The name is thus ancient in the county, but it
is later attached to this Gary, as also to Cheddon Fitzpaine,
Rodway Fitzpaine, and Staple Fitzpaine, not earlier than
late 14th century apparently.^ A useful example of an
absolutely unintelligible abbreviation of this name Is found
in the days of Queen Elizabeth. It is called Phippens Cary,
Phippens Gary Farm, and Cary Phippen. The historical"
method shows this as an abbreviation of Fitz-paine. Much
etymological ingenuity might otherwise be exercised in vain.
Cary Tuckares, or Tucker's Cary, is another name, seemingly,
of the same place. Whatever Tucker may have been, his
name is old Norman French Toquer, to beat, which became
the name of the cloth-beater or fuller. Hence the local name
Tuckingmill, and perhaps, Tuckmarsh, in Frome. Bab-cary is
Babba's Cary, and Lyte is a personal name. Lyte is probably
the same as Lyde. It is an old Frisian name, and may be
ultimately Celtic. In the Durham Liber Vitce are Lioda and
Ludde.

Cheddon Fitzpaine, or Over Cheddon. The Exeter and
Exchequer Domesday spellings show that some mistake has
arisen difficult to account for. Cheddon Fitzpaine is spelt in
two ways, Ubcedina and Opecedra, that is Over Cheddon

^In 1308 the hundred of Cannington, with the castle and manor of Stoke-
curcy and the manor of Radwaye, were committed to the charge of
Robert Fitzpayn (Close Rolls, Edward II.). In 1322 the manors of
Cary, Charleton, Radwaye, and Stokecurry were settled on the family
of Robert Fitzpayn (Pedes Finium, 16 Edward II.).

207

and Over Cheddar, and Lower or Nether Cheddon is also
Succedena and Cedra. This is a part of Cheddon Fitzpaine.
In British Museum Charters we have " bond concerning the
manor of Cedene," and also in the T.E., 1297, and this name
has persisted. The spelling Cedra, i.e., Cheddar, must be a
lapse of a scribe. Cheddon is correct. Ceddan-leah is a
local name, as also Ceddis field, old and new forms of geni-
tive. The name Ceada, Ceadda, Cedda, and the better-
known form Chad, is widely spread, both as a simple form
and united with other names, as Ceadwalla, Ceadman, and
the like. In place-names there are such forms as Chadmede,
Cedda's mede, and Cedda's marsh. It is found in Chedzoy,
Chad's marsh. In 1328 Richard de Fitzpayne, Kt., is the
patron of the living of Cheddon.^ In 1310 Robert Fitzpayne
is the patron of Staple. The names are frequent as patrons
and witnesses. As owners of property they appear in the pre-
ceding century The additions are therefore 13th or 14th
century.

Fitzpaine is also attached to the name Staple, in Staple
Fitzpaine. Staple means a prop, support, to begin with, but
in the middle ages it was applied mostly to places, buildings,
towns in which commodities were stored. The old French
estaple, low German staple, a heap, then a store or emporium.
How far this is borne out by historic facts in regard to the
Somerset names Stapleton, Staplegrove, and Staple Fitzpaine
may be difficult to say. We may note that staple is spelt steeple,
that Stapleton is perched on the high shoulder of a hill
from which the view is very fine, that Staple Fitzpaine is on
the steep, and the derivation is from the A.S. steap, high, and
that a stepel is a lofty height, and hence the specialised sense
of steeple for a church tower. The low German is stipel.
Stipleton is the spelling in 1355. These Fitzpaines were all
added permanently in the 14th and 15th centuries. In the
Somerset Writs we find one issued to Johannis Fitzpaine in
1315.

Queen Charlton, Charlton Adam, Charlton Makrell,
Charlton Musgrove, Charlton Horethorne. There is a Charl-

^Drocienforas Register, p. 291, S.R.S., vol. i.

208

ton also in Wraxall, and one in Creech St. Michael and one
in Doulting.

Queen Charlton. — Queens have certainly been connected
with this small village near Keynsham. It was an appanage
of the Saxon Queen Edith, Eaditha Regina, the lady of Bath.
In 1179 there is evidence given in the Archseologia of land
belonging to Bath. But the epithet " Queens " does not date
so far back. It was Crown property (Rex in dominio at the
Conquest), and in the time of Henry VIII., who granted it to
Catherine Parr. In 1573 Queen Elizabeth made a royal pro-
gress through the village, and granted it the privilege of a
fair. A culprit in the days of Queen Elizabeth confessed to
having appropriated a quarter of an acre of " Queen's lands."

Charlton Adam, or East Charlton. — ^Adam is a personal
name. This village is near Somerton. In the 8th year of King
John, William Fitz-Adam, gent, claimed all his right in the
advowson to the prior of Bruton. It is called Cherleton Adam
at this date in a grant of an acre of land to Bruton.^ With
regard to the name Adam, it is too easily supposed that this
was derived from the Hebrew name of the first man. It is
found in runic characters on a coffin lid in the tenth century.
Scripture names were not common even among monks. It is,
in some cases, at any rate, an abbreviation of Aldhelm and
Adhelm, which uttered rapidly easily becomes Adam. This
ancient name has very likely in some cases also dropped to its
final syllable Elm in place-names. Adam, too, arises from
Atte-Ham, that is, probably, " at the Ham."

Charlton Mackrell. — D.B., Cerleton, or Churl's town.
This is the spelling in all the cases of its occurrence. Charl-
tons are numerous. This Ceorl is one of the numerous refer-
ences to gradations of personal rank in Saxon civilisation.
Above the servile class or the thralls, the nation was broadly
divided into eorl and cheorl, all of whom were freemen, the
former gentle-born and possessing privileges of precedence
which gather round certain families. Charlton Makrell bears
this name in the Taxatio, which shows that in 1297 it was of
some ecclesiastical value. The name is found in a deed of

^Bruton Chartulary, S.R.S., vol. viii.

209

the 12th century. The last of the family, Herbert Makarel,
died without heirs shortly before the assize of 1242-3.^
Maquerelle is a word of unpleasant, meaning, but when
we remember how prone the Normans were to all kinds of
nicknames, applied even to Norman kings, and sometimes
disagreeably suggestive of some personal defect, or patent
lack, this is no stumbling block. In 1483, in Caxton's Cato
Magnus, we read : " Nyght his hows dwellyd a maquerel
or bawd." It would be pleasanter to think of a saint
rather than a sinner. In Cornwall there is a parish with the
name of the church dedicated to St. Macra. Macra would
soon become Macral to get a firm grip of the final syllable.^

Charlton Musgrove. — Musgrove is a changed form of a Nor-
man name Mucegros. There is a place-name Mucegros near
Ecouen in Normandy. A Robert de Mucelgros is mentioned
about 1080, who was a tenant-in-chief in Herefordshire,
where he has left his name in Lude Muchgros. Charlton
Musgrove in Somerset was held by Richard de Mucegros in
the time of King John. In 1231 in the Close Rolls is the
name Richard de Mucegros in Thrippe. This is perhaps
Thrupe (Thorpe) in Croscombe. He was also "farmer of
taxes of Gloucester " in the time of that king. Robert de
Mucegros married Heloise, one of the co-heirs of the barony
of Malet. The name is found in other counties. There was
a branch of the family in Westmoreland. The name is
traceable through the reigns of Henry III., Edward III., when
the manor passed into the hands of Hawisia, wife of John de
Ferrers. It is a name possessed of some local vitality, and a
striking instance of the length of time, in centuries, that a name
may be associated with a parish, since Dr. William Musgrave,
a distinguished physician and antiquary, was here born in
1657, and died in 1721. It is this Dr. Musgrave, writing in
1718, who supposed that the stones of Stanton Drew number
thirty-two. The derivation of Mus-grave from Mews-graf, the
keeper of the hawks, is thus absurd. It is more likely that

'S.R.S., vol. xi., p. 904. ^" Why soe or called (Mackrell) I assure you I can-
not tell, yet it hath continued that name ever since Edward the first's
time." Gerard : Particular Description of Somerset, p. 228.

210

Mucelgros should remind us of Mucel-ney and Muchelney.
Shalford, a hamlet name in Charlton, is earlier spelt Shalde-
ford.^ This is probably the name Scyld (as Schyld-)frith, and
not Shallow-ford.

Charlton Horethorn is also called earlier Charlton Canvil.
This ceorl-tuna derives its name of Horethorne from the
ancient hundred name. In documents older than the Domes-
day Inquest it is Haretuna. In 1086, however, this Hundred
was called Meleburn, and Horethorne is a revival of the
ancient name, and appears as the name of a Hundred in
Nomina Villarum, Edward III. The origin of the word is
traceable to the idea of a boundary tree, like the Haranstanes
or boundary stones. Trees of peculiar sizes and beauty, often
carved with the figures of birds and beasts, for some special
reason served the purposes of delimination in the days before
ordnance surveys. A hore-thorne was a boundary thorn.

'Archseological and Natural History Society Proceedings, vol. 1., p. 94.

211

CHAPTER XXIV.

Doubled Names (continued).

Cherlton Kanvil. — In Kirby's Quest, Nomina Villarum,
time of Edward III., this is spelt Cheltone Kaunvil, while
earlier, in 1297, it is Cherleton Camoyle. These changes from
Ceorl-tun to Charlton and the omission of the consonant in
a softer Norman pronunciation in Chel-ton give rise to the
suggestion that some of these mysterious syllables, chel and
chil, which trouble the etymologist so much that a consider-
able authority says that they are uninterpretable, probably
have arisen in the same or a similar way. Chel, that is, is
sometimes ceorl. Camvil, Cauntvil, is said by the author
of The Battle Abbey Roll to be derived from Campville,
near Coutance. The advent of the family to Cherlton dates
back to the reign of King Stephen. But now let us note that
in the Milbourn Hundred, at the date of the great land in-
quest, Ralph de Contivil is named as Walcheline de Douai's
tenant at Ateberia, now Adber, in Trent parish. In the
Pedes Finiiim in the thirteenth century the place-name was
Cantivile. No doubt this is the same name. Whether the
family came from Normandy or not the name is Conti, which
is, after all, probably the name Kenta, Kennta, found in the
Liber Vitee and in lists of Saxon names. There is a John
Canvill, Canon of Wells, in 1401.

Chilthorne Domer and Chilthorne Page. — The prefix chil
above all needs careful attention to the earlier spellings as
well as the later. These are in D.B. Cildetona for Chilton
Trinity, Cilela for part of Chew Stoke, Cilletona for Chilton
Trepit, in Cannington, Ciltorna for Chilthorne in Chilthorne
Domer and Chilthorne Vagg, Citerna for Chilton Cantelo.
It is easy to say, especially where the local circumstances, as
in Chilton Polden, are favourable, that the derivation is from
chill, cold, the cold spot or town.

Chilthorne Domer and Chilton Trinity both carry the clear
marks in D.B. of the prefix child. The latter is cilde-tona.

212

and the former cilde-terna, " chilterna." Chiltona Domer is
Chiltene in 1297, and Charlton, in Shepton Mallet, is Cerla-
tona (D.B.), and Chilton in 1297, T.E., also called Charlton
Dolting, a member of the same manor. Chilcompton is Cont-
tuna in D.B., and in T.E. Childercompton and Childecomp-
ton. In Kirby's Quest in two words. Child Cumtone. It is
Childecompton in 1384 and 1419, and Chyldecompton in 1397.
In the Nomina Vilarum {Kirby's Quest) we have Chilterne
Dunmere, Chilton Trinity (in which the consonant is already
dropped). In the list of villas we have Chilton Cauntelow,
Chilterne Dommere, and Chilthorne Vage. It seems clear
that in some cases, as mentioned, chil and chel are softened
abbreviations of ceorl, and in others of the significant prefix
child. Child is the Anglo-Saxon cild, meaning an infant.
Child is again a Prankish form of hild, war. The aspirate of
the Saxon was frequently changed to the Norman soft " ch."
This was one of the peculiarities of the Prankish dialect, and
especially, it is said, during the Merovingian period. Thus the
Cedric and Cedre of D.B. and Ceadd become Chard, Chad,
and the like, as when Hilderic changes to Childeric, Hildebert
to Childebert, and perhaps in the place-name Cheddar from
Ceodre Cedric rather than direct from Chad, Cead. Child
thus became a title, as in Parmborough and Compton Dando,
the owners under Edward the Confessor, Edric and Aluric,
are respectively designated cild, not infant, but knight.

Cild is translated into the Latin puer, in the sense of youth-
ful knight. It then passed into a personal name. The sur-
names Domer and Page are both personal or family names.
"The village of Dummer, anciently called Dumere, Dunmere,
and Domer, near Basingstoke, was the berceau from which
the Somersetshire Dummers originally sprang."^ And this
latter village derives, it may be added, its name Dummer
from a Saxon name, Domhere. Dom is the Anglo-Saxon
dom ; Old High German, tuom, corresponding to our doom.
Domhere is the Doom Herr, or doom-lord — judge. Herr in
Old High German is Here and Hero. Fage is also a personal
name, as our present names Pagg and Pagge show. In his

^Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society Proceedingfs, vol. xvii.

213

Alt-deutsches Namenbuch, the great authority, Foerstemann,
derives it from a Gothic root— faheds, joyfulness; Anglo-
Saxon, faegen, joyful, with a correspondent Celtic stem, as in
the Irish name, Fagan. In a Montacute charter of reign of
Henry I. it is found as Cilterne Fageth and Faget.^ Early
in the 14th century is the name Robert Faget. The double
name is very early. Fage becomes Vagge in pure Somerset,
as fire is pronounced vier. Hence the name Chilthorne Vage
in Nomina Villarum. Then the name occurs of Johannes
Vage. There is a place-name Vagge in Yeovil, " John Clarke,
of Vagge, in Yeovil."

Skeat explains Chilton in Berks, found spelt Cilda-ton in
1015, as children's town or farm, and says the allusion may be
to a farm carried on by young men whose parents had died.
He explains Childerley (in Cambridgeshire) spelt Cilderlai
(D.B.) as meaning children's lea. Cild has a double genitive,
cilda and cildra. Childern is the true plural of it, of which our
"children" is a corrupt form. Hence Chiltern Domer would
be Children (there is no tun added here) whatever the explana-
tion of children may be. Also Chilford (1168 Pipe Roll) and
Cildeford (in D.B.) is explained as the children's ford, because
of its shallowness,^ and is analogous to Ox-ford and Swin-
ford. We confess to a preference for the explanation as to
the Somerset names that Childthorne is a true form of Chil-
tern, and that the place-name Thorne elsewhere found has
the prefix " Child " as a form of Hild, as in Childhey, near
Crewkerne.

Chilton Cantelo. — Collinson derives from Ceald, meaning
cold, but it will already have been seen from what has been
said that this is Child, too, as a personal designation, as in
Chil-compton, and Childcombe in the Montacute Cartulary.
The word is repeatedly found for Knight in Chaucer's Canter-
bury Tales. Cantelo is interesting. At the beginning of the
reign of King John, Walter de Cantilupe granted the whole
ville of Childeton to Robert de Cantelupe subject to the usual
feudal service. In the time of Edward I., Richard de Cante-

'S.R.S., vol. viii., pp. 122, 135. ^Skeat : Cambridge Antiquarian Society,
No. xxxvi.

214

lupe held the fief. In the days of Edward IV. it passed to the
Wadhams. Cantelo is thus a shortened form of Cantilupe.
The first baron was William de Cantilupe in 1239. It is Cild-
tona only in D.B. It is Cannteloos 2 Richard III., and varies
between Cantloos and Cantloye in the 16th century. In the
Pedes Finium, 1201, we read of " Walter de Cantilupe for all
the ville of Childeton."

Chilton in Moorlinch, or Chilton-Polden. Polden is the
name of a range of hills dealt with in the names of Mount and
Marsh in the county. This Chilton is identified with D.B.
Ceptona by Eyton. In Whale's Somerset Domesday the name
is given with an index number which fails to be found in his
list. Certainly etymologically there is no connection. Later
it is spelt Chitton. Assuming that Chilton is right, this, too,
is probably. Child-ton.

Cilela, in Chew Stoke, is now called Chilly Hill. The
spelling is by a saxon clerk, distinguished by a particular style
of writing " et," according to Sir Wm. Ellis.^ The hill may
be chilly, but a Saxon scribe would scarcely have so spelt it.
It is the name of the owner, Ceola, which was a known name.
A messenger of St. Boniface (Wynfrid) was so called. The
lea is added — Ceola-lea, and this becomes Chilly Hill, when
Ceola was softened to Cheol, and when the name was utterly
forgotten. This is no doubt the explanation of Chelshill, near
Chard (Ceols), and Chelecote, in Bultecote — Chelecote in the
Lay Subsidies, 20th Edward III.

Chilton West, in Cannington, is Cilletona in D.B., and
Chilton in 1315, N.V., and is called Chilton Trepit; also
spelt Trevet. These spellings and Chillington, Cheleton,
yield no trace of the prefix Child, and the origin is thus
diverse. It may be Ceol. This diverse spelling may point to
the personal name, Cilli, found in the list of names. The
name Trepit, Trefit, Trivet, Cilli, and Cill occur in the
Cartularium Saxonicum. Trivet is probably a form of the
name Truefit, and this of Treufot, i.e., a trusty runner.

Combe Florey. — This is a Combe that has added on a dis-
tinguished name. Of names with the addition Florey there

'Introduction to Domesday.

215

are also Nynehead Florey and Withiel Flori, all of which are
included as members of Taunton in D.B., and are all within a
few miles of it. The name de Flory is found in 1212 as pos-
sessor of " four hides of land in Ubbele," and, 1215, the name
of Simon Fluri, fee of one knight, in Leigh. In 1268 (Henry
III.) a carucate of land in Hamme, belonging to Philip de
Flori and William de Hamme, John and Giles de Flory,
carucates of land in Clafiord, 1271, and two carucates of land
in Midsomer Northton of Wm. Gowiz in 1271-2. It is cer-
tainly Combe Flori in the writs of 1315. The name might
originate from the place-name Fleury, on the Loire. But
then in what did this place-name originate? In the Montacute
Cartulary are two signatories that give the clue-name Robert
Flore (13th century), and another the longer name R.
Floghere. This is A. S. Flohere, and gives origin to the ex-
tant names Floyer, Flower, and Flowry. Floghere has per-
haps more to do with flying (fliegen, to fly) than buttercups
and daisies. Then it takes on the Norman shape in Fleury. It
is not in D.B. Corneflowry, Comflory, in the time of Eliza-
beth, and the like, are amusing spellings. Collinson's account
is that the name Combe is derived from the situation in a rich
vale, well wooded. A family de Combe, anciently possessed
it, and an owner, Hugh de Fluri. After him came Ranulf de
Fluri, from whom it received its additional appellation. This
appellation is, like Combe in " De Coomb," itself significant.
The other Florys, Nynehead and Withiel, are of diverse
origin. Nynehead is near Wellington, and Withiel near Dul-
verton. Unfortunately for the easy interpretation that this
means a ville of nine hides, the strange spelling in the Exon
Domesday is distinctly discouraging. It is Donichehede, and
in the Exchequer, Nichehede. In Montacute Cartulary (No.
1) it is Nigenid (1100 cir.) and (No. 2) Nigheyd. The former
might be, perhaps, accounted for by the prefix " de," which
has got incorporated, and the " b," a mis-spelling or a mis-
take in transcription, and should be Niche-hede, whatever
this may mean. From Bradford it is approached by a deep
artificial cutting, and this would suggest a niche. But in T.E.
(1297) the spellings are Nienhid and Nithenhide, while in the
Nomina Villarum (1315) they are Negenhude Flory and

216

Nygenhude Monachorum. Now, Nithenhide may be read
Nidenhide, and the " g" in the other two is the soft and not
the hard consonantal sound; that is, Nedgenhide, as is sug-
gested by Nidenhide. In 1519 it is Nihed Florye in a suit, and
in the preceding century, in a petition by Richard Percival
for the manor, it is Nienhides Flori. It is Nynhide Flori in
the reign of Henry VI. These are shortenings of niden, and
nithen, and it is far more probable that they underwent this
process of abbreviation than the contrary unpopular usage of
lengthening a name. We think, then, that Niden, or Nithen
as a genitive, is the original form. Even in Nichehead the ch
was hard, according to the prevailing analogy of the word.
Niched is a still further abbreviation. Nithe and nied and nie-
den are middle high German words for below, beneath,
allied to our nether, and hide is the Saxon, and German
Heide, a heath, i.e., low-lying meadow land; or it may be
the measure of land estimated at from 120 to 100 acres, but in
the absence of the measure this is not, it must be confessed,
quite so likely. Neghenhude and Nygenhyde do favour the
interpretation nine hides, as neghen meant ninth, as a dialec-
tical form from the old Saxon nigun, nine; but, if we take
the earliest spellings, the interpretation must be otherwise.
Rev. L. Wilkinson^ points out that the Exon Domesday
spelling probably affords the true solution. Denichehede is
really Denithehede (the c should be read a t as often) ; and
then following the spellings I have given. This name is
shortened successively to Denyth, Nith, and Nithen (a gena-
tive), and so to Nien. I believe this is right. Denegyth is a
name, and hede is head, that is the chief-place, or if hide is
correct, Denegyth's hide. If there is a full name Denegythed
(which we have not found) this gives the origin of the name,
and the various forms afford a brilliant illustration of the way
in which names can undergo metamorphosis. Nothing is
easier than the explanation " Flori had nine hides." If it
had this would merely be a coincidence and show how the
" Nien hide " was evolved. Withiel Flory reminds us of the
Cornish place-name Lostwithiel. Withiel is clearly Celtic,

'A kind and helpful correspondent.

217

however it became applied to tiie Somerset location. Gwyd-
del is, in modern Welsh, an Irishman. Irish Celtic mission-
aries were found travelling in districts wide apart. It is, per-
haps, Gwyddeli— the double consonant is, of course, "th,"
and the " g " is the same as the Welsh Gwyllym for William.
Withiel means bushes or brakes. It is descriptive of the
locality.

Combe Hay. — Hay, we have seen earlier, is short for haga,
a hedge or enclosure. But this will by no means hold as an
interpretation when confronted with the earlier spellings. In
a charter in Wardour Castle it appears as Combehaweye. In
Kirby's Quest, Comberhaweye. This might be confounding
did we not find that this was the preliminary shortening from
the form in T.E. (1297), Combe-hatheway. It gets to Combe-
Haweye in the time of Edward II. There is also a Haweye
in Wilton Hundred in the Nomina Villarum — Hathaway. It
is in Stogumber or Crowcombe, and Halsway or Halfway are
apparently mis-spellings. Hathaway is a personal name found
in Saxon lists, Heathuwig and Hadwig, and Old German
Hathuwi, a warrior. Both " had " and " wig" are words im-
porting war. No Hathaway was a Domesday tenant. So far
as we know this " war-man " left no memorial, and was prob-
ably a peaceful denizen of Saxon race under Norman kings.
A similar shortening is that of Combebrey for Congresbury,
which is far away from the original word.

Compton Dando. — Compton Dando is called Compton
Godfrey in the Amercement Roll.^ No doubt the full
name of Godfrey was Geoffrey de Anno. This veritable
Combe was, in D.B., simply called Comtuna. There is a
dispute, or a series of speculations, among the investigators of
the Domesday location of manors and the hidage of the
county whether this is, as Collinson aflfirms, the mysterious
lost manor of Contetona. Apparently this is a wrong iden-
tification. Count Eustace held this latter manor, wherever
it was, and he did not hold Compton Dando. Consequently
we may neglect this spelling. It clearly means Combe town.
In T.E. (1297) Dando is now added; and at the time of

^Somerset Pleas, S.R.S., p. 49.

218

Edward I. — that is, in tlie same period wiien this ecclesiastical
valuation was made — we read of Alex. Danno Dominus de
Compton Danno, in Harlean MSS., in the British Museum
Charters ; and also there is a lawsuit in Compton Danno, time
of Richard II., a century later. In Lincolns Inn and other
MSS. this Alexander Danno is cited as a witness. A Walter
de Anno was Prior of Bath. Two curious names occurring in
the 15th century, Severeswyke and Grobbyswyk, as names of
manors, may hereafter receive attention. In a map of a two-
volume edition of Camden it is curious that Compton Dando
is spelt Compton David. If left alone with this phenomenon
we might associate Compton with the Welsh Saint, as doubt-
ful as St. David in Barton St. David. Danno is an ancient
personal name. It is old German, of which Dando is the
original form. In "Blind Old Dandalo" this latter is a
diminutive. It was the fashion to Latinise names according
to the real or supposed meaning, and so Danno spelt Daunay
became D'Aune, and this was translated into De Alno, D'Alno.
In 1217, in the Pedes Finiiim, we read : " Between Geoffrey
de Anno and the Prior of Bath all the land between Wodens
dich." There is also a Father Fulco de Anno. A Hugh de
Alneto or D'Auynay, was prior of the Hospital of St. John
of Jerusalem in 1227. Ashton Dando received its name from
this source. Adam de Herun, in the time of Henry I., had
a daughter, who married a De Alno, and thus the name came
into Long Ashton.

Compton Dundon. — Dundon Beacon is a striking-looking
hill, with a camp at the top. In D.B. it is Contona as part
and Dondena or Dondene as another part of the locality,
that is two manors. In 1397 it is Compton Dondene. These
are clearly an agglomerate of two names of manorial proper-
ties. The Comb-town part and the higher part the down,
with the fortress on it, may be Donna's dene, as Doneham, in
North Petherton, is Dunn-ham. Donehetva and Dunehefde
is Down-head, in the Whitstone Hundred, as the " head of
the down, Donyatt (Donieht and Doniet in D.B.). Compton
(not Dunden) was held bv the family of Malet until 1216, when
William Malet (son of Gilbert), who gave eight acres of land
in Compton and half an acre of the meadow of Raddeker (Red

219

acre) to God, St. Mary, and St. Athelwin, that is unto the
Abbey of Athelingey, was found in arms against the king, and
all his lands were seized and given to Hugh de Vivonne.^
Hence the later name Compton Vivonia. There are other cases
where two manorial names have been amalgamated, as e.g.,
Charlton Makrell. The historical changes of baronial owner-
ship are here illustrated. At an inquisition made at Charlton
Mucegros (1329, Edw. III.) affirmation was made that "Alex-
ander de Cantelupe came into England with William le Bas-
tard, and he then had en conquestu the hundred of Bruton."
The heirs were exiled, and so Bruton Priory came to hold of
the king in chief. Eyton regards this as a " monkish fable."^
It is still true that the baronial struggles in the times of the
Henry's caused changes of ownership, and the names of the
places bear interesting witness thereto.

Compton Durville is now a small tything in the parish of
South Petherton. D.B., Comtuna. It is Compton Dureville
in the time of Edward I. in the late thirteenth century ; Dore-
vyle in 1298, and Durvill in the writs of 1349. The family
goes back to the Conquest, for there is a William de Durvill
in the Inquisitio Gheldi of 1084, a tenant in the Bruton Hun-
dred. Eustace de Durvill in the beginning of Henry III. time
forfeited the manor, being convicted of felony and hanged, but
the name was fixed and continued. In the story of St. Wulfric,
born in Compton Dando, it is said he exercised his office in
Compton " Direville." Durville is shortened from D'Everille.
In a charter of Glastonbury Abbey among the possessions said
to have been bestowed on it by King Arthur there occur, as
place-names, Deveril and Over Deveril.

Compton Martin. — Martin is a family name. It is Com-
tona only in D.B., when it was the appanage of Serlo de
Burci. His descendants were the Barons Fitz-Martin. Blag-
don was the caput of the manor, and his greatest manor (ten
hides, or upwards of a thousand acres) was usually known as
the Barony of Blagdon in later times. It was so as early as
the time of Henry I. (1100-1135) that Robert Fitz-Martin,

'CoUinson : History of Somerset, iii., 447. ^See Eyton, Domesday Studies,
vol. i., p. 113, Bruton Chartulary, p. 102, S.R.S., and compare Collinson.

220

who, according to Collinson, was "son of the famous Martin
de Tours, the conqueror of Kemeys-Land and founder of St.
Dogmaels." succeeded to his barony. In the Lay Subsidies,
Edward III., we find Compton Martin-cum-Hamel (hamlet).
Morton, and Comton Martin in Kirby's Quest. In the reign
of Edward II. it went to co-heiresses married to Columbiers
and to Audley. The name lasts. In the parish is Moreton,
low-lying moorland, answering to its name. It is Morthona
in D.B., and part of Serlo de Burci's estate.

Compton Pauncefort. — D.B., Comtona. As early as T.E.,
1297, it is Compton Pauncevot. There was a considerable
Domesday owner, Turstin FitzRolf, who had a tenant of
Dunkerton, Bernard Pancevoldus, whose descendants in-
herited or obtained most of Turstin's manors. Turstin held
Contuna, and this was one of them. Pauncefot, therefore,
dates from about the middle of the thirteenth century, in the
time of Henry II. The Latinised form, Pancevoldus, appears
in the Inquisitio Gheldi (1084) as a tenant in the Frome Hun-
dred. In the reign of Henry II. Walter de Pauncefoot held
lands in Maperton of Alexander de Alno. In 1316 John de
Pauncefoot, lord of Compton Pauncefoot, bestowed the living
of Compton P. on Walter de Pauncevot, who held one
knight's fee in Compton Pauncefoot. How many centuries
this name lasted is interestingly illustrated by finding that Sir
Walter Pauncefort held the manor in the time of Henry VIII.
Who will deny its right to the surname? In 1672 this is spelt
Panisford in a record of John Caine or Caines, of Compton
Painsford, a Jesuit, buried at Somerset House, if this identifi-
cation is correct. The names Caines and Keynes occur in this
parish as Jesuits and Recusants. We find no trace of Pens-
jord having been called Compton, though it is a veritable
combe ending here. The spellings Pauncevolt and Pauncevol-
dus are, in the light of those which persist in Paunceford and
Pauncefort (in a Whitworth pedigree), specimens of the con-
fusion of the consonants. The persistence of the Paunce is
evidence of the Celtic origin of the name, Pantes-ford, or the
" valley way," which is possibly found in Pens-ford, on the
Chew. In Banwell is Panteshed, and in Milverton Pantisheye
(Polehill), with the same Celtic root.

221

Compton Bishop, or Episcopi, was part of the estate of
Giso, Bishop of Wells, according to prevailing authorities.
But this Compton Bishop may have been part of Walter de
Douai's manor, subsequently given by him to the see of Wells.
In writs of 1315-1316 it is Combe Episcopi.

Compton, East and West, in the parish of Pilton, explain
themselves, as also Compton Magna, " surveys of the manors
of Compton Magna and Axbridge." Did Compton Episcopi
become Compton Magna in the 37th year of the reign of
Elizabeth? There are other Comptons where this is the
second name.

Combe Sydenham is in the parish of Stogumber. This is
the first, after leaving Elworthy, of the most delightful of
Somerset Combes. Combe Sydenham is "a very deep and
narrow vale, luxuriously clothed with fine trees " and
"watered by a bright trout stream." The name as an affix
appears to have originated after the day of Richard II., as
previously it was called Combe Allein (Alwin), thus
bearing a Saxon name. One of these Alleins sold the
property to Richard de Sydenham, a judge in that
reign. Yet the Sydenhams possessed it in the reign
of King John and earlier. A Richard Sydenham
held a messuage and one carucate of land at Combe Syden-
ham. Apud Combe juxta Monkynseluyr in 1370, i.e.. Monk-
silver. In 1468 John Sydenham was " seized " of several
manors. Combe Sydenham is haunted by Sir George Syden-
ham, a Royalist officer who died in 1596; it is a pity he has
not been seen of late years. The parent stem of this Syden-
ham family originated near Bridgwater, a family that " flour-
ished exceedingly in the county, and overflowed into Devon
and Gloucester." They owned Brympton, Bossington, and
Combe Sydenham. They continued until the 18th century,
and the family still has its representatives. Of course, Syden-
ham may originally be a place-name, but more probably a
form of Sidemund, an ancient Saxon name. There is also
Sydenham Kittisford. This is in Domesday Chedesford, owned
by Roger Arundel. " In old evidences it is called Kedeford."
Sidenham is not in this parish. Chedes (Cedda) ford is over
the Tone.

222

Corton Denham. — D.B. reveals to us the fact that this is
spelt Corfe-ton, and that Corton is, therefore, an abbrevia-
tion. It is near to Marston Magna, while there is a parish
Corfe a few miles from Taunton. Whether the Gortons of
different counties have a like origin is a matter of separate
investigation in each case. The historic Corfe Castle, in the
county of Dorset, is the best known from its weird, tragic
interest. There is a personal name Corfi, of which evidence
exists in the days of the Danish kings. Corfe may be a name
of Celtic origin from Corfryn, a hillock. Corfe Castle stands
on an eminence, as does also the Somerset Corfe. On the
whole, it is in the place-name Corfeton probably the personal
name, Corff. Denham has already been alluded to in connec-
tion with Buckland Denham. There is a place-name Denham
in Buckinghamshire, and one in Suffolk and elsewhere. Den
is Degn, i.e., thegn — ham, the Saxon thane — and ham, the
" home " or the low-lying " ham " of meadow land, according
to the original vowel length. An Inquisitio of King John
shows that the family of Dynham possessed the manor and that
it was earlier Corfeton Dynham. It is Corton Dynham in
1309 in a clerical subsidy to the King, found in Droken-
jord's Register. The name is sometimes spelt Dinham and
identified with the French place-name Dinant.

Cricket Malherbie and Cricket St. Thomas. — These two
like names are differently spelt in D.B. (1086). The former
is Cricket and the latter Cruca. They are in different
hundreds, the first in Abdich and the second in South Pether-
ton. Beside these there are Cruca or Cruce in North Pether-
ton, now quite obsolete; Creech St. Michael, in the hundred
of Andersfield, is Crice. Crewkerne, too, is Chruca in D.B.
Obviously, these names are all connected. In the Taxatio
Ecclesiastica (1291) we have the Cruk Deanery, and in it
Cruk (Cricket Malherbie) and Cruk Thomas and Crick, re-
presenting Crick of D.B. in North Petherton. In the Nomina
Villarum (1343) Cricket Thomas is Suth Croket (South
Croket). It is S.E. of Cricket Malherbie. It is clear that
Croket is the original place-name, and Crok, Cruca and Cruk
are Saxon personal names. We can scarcely resort to the Latin
Crux, a cross, for the Saxon name for this was rood, as in rood-

223

loft. Cricket might easily be Celtic. In Glamorganshire
there is the place named Criccaeth, which was anciently Crug-
caeth, or the narrow hill. Crug is pronounced creeg, with
the " g " soft, by the Saxon. Cerig means abounding in
stones. The Irish is cruach. A Saxon charter of 682 of
a grant to Glastonbury gives the twofold name of Cructon
(said to be British) and the English form, Cryc-beorh, for
Creech Michael. The ton is here said to be the river name
the Tone, and originally Creech was on a creek flowing into
the Tone. Hence the British and the Saxon name. Cructan
would thus account for the form Cricket. Creech St. Michael
is D.B. Crice, 1086; Taxatio Ecclesiastica (1297), Cryz only.

Christon is under Crook's Peak. Christon is Crichiston in
1299, and later. Christon is an abbreviation, i.e., Crugas-
ton, and the peak derives its name from the same ownership.
Crucgan is, whatever it means, an ancient Saxon personal
name. Crick, in Crick-lade, the final element means a running
stream through a bog, spelt Crekke-lade in the 13th century.
Wedmore has Crick-ham.

Curry Malet is in all cases in the Domesday Survey spelt
Curi, and Chori, and Churri. Curry occurs in North Curry
(D.B. Nort Chori) as the ancient name of a hundred; Curry
Manor; Curry Pool (D.B.) Curiepool, Coripel in Kirby's
Quest, 1343, in Charlinch ; Cur-land is part of Staple Fitzpaine.
The explanation of Curry^ is suggested that it is from celtic
cwr, meaning border, edge, limit, corner. There are the names
Kyrewood in Tenbury, on the border of the county of Wor-
cestershire ; Curry is on the sea, as a sort of land's end in Corn-
wall. There is a Cuer on the boundary of Herefordshire. The
early spelling Curig is not in favour of this suggestion, and
each requires separate examination. Curry Malet is Curre-
malet and Cory Malet in 16th century documents. East Curry
is Est Cory in the time of Henry V. in Reeve's Accounts, pre-
served in Lambeth Palace Library. Currypool, in the parish
of Charlinch, is Coripole at the same period, and in the 16th
and 17th centuries Curry Revell is Cory Ryvel, Curririvell,
Curryvel, and it is Curry Revell in the time of Elizabeth. The

'Rev. Leonard Wilkinson.

224

origin of the name Malet is known. William Malet, or Mal-
lett, flourished as a great landowner or feudal lord in the
period from 1166 — 1215. He was Baron of Curry Mallet and
Shepton Mallet, and Sheriff of Dorset in 1211. Mallet maybe
the name of a doughty knight, who struck hammer-like blows
as with a " maillet," and was rewarded with a propertied
estate in the disturbed time when the Norman kings had more
than enough to do with powerful barons, who knew no master
but themselves. The estates which fell to Robert Malet in the
time of King Henry I. co-ordinated with those vast landed
possessions previously held in 1086, the date of Domesday, by
De Courcell. The caput, or chief centre, was, it is said, Shep-
ton Malet. The previous reign had been one of revolt, and
the immense areas of land which had fallen to the Crown
through forfeiture were given to new men, dependent on
Royal favour. The anglicisation of a Norman word and Nor-
man name is a picture of the fact that, in the days of this great
king, Norman was giving way to Englishman. Maillet
becomes Mallet.

More must be read in the proper authorities, as we are
solely concerned to show that a personal designation affixed to
a town's name is connected with a definite period of English
history, and occasionally marks great changes in social life.
If Curri, or Curry, is, indeed, S. Curig,^ and the name en-
shrines the influence of a celtic saint. Mallet brings before the
student the country's life after several centuries have lapsed;
when the Teutonic conquerors have displaced the Celtic and
Roman inhabitants ; and the Teuton and Norman are becom-
ing merged into one English people. In his Western
Europe in the Fifth Century, Freeman says : "The Teutonic
kingdoms in Gaul were formed in a moment ; all save one fell
in a moment. The Teutonic kingdoms in Britain were the
work of generations." The Teutons became the people of the
land, and absorbed the norman element. The Normans, we
may say, were the conquerors in arms, the Saxons in the social
life.
If we might thus definitely connect Curry Mallet with a Nor-

'See p. 25.

225

man knight and a British saint, Curry Rival does not present
quite the same sort of family history. In Domesday the name
is Chori Regis, or King's Curry. Hardincus, in which we
recognise the name Harding, was one of the greatest of the
Somerset Anglo-thanes, and received a piece of waste land
in 1086 of Regis Chori. That is, it was a Royal manor. The
two Stocklinches were appendages of it. It is called Couri or
Chori or Churi in D.B. In very early charters, pronounced
spurious, it is Cori. It is Curirivel in an agreement
dated at Muchelney in May, 1271.^ In the British Museum
charter, at the date of 1344, there is a " Compotus of the man-
nor of Cory Ryvell." It was a family name. We have
evidence of the Rivall or Revell family in the reign
of Henry the Second. Some derive the name from Reville or
Ravill in Normandy. Revills were among the principal barons
of Somerset in the time of Henry II. Curry Rivall and Lang-
port were granted by Richard I. to Richard Revell. He
was alive in 1211.^ Revell was evidently, in receiving the grant
of Regis Chori, which henceforth bore his name, one of the
" New men " created in the time of Henry the First, a pro-
cess continued by Henry the Second, who " initiated the rule
of law," and fought the lawless feudal party in their defiance
and determination to secure their own independence. Those
kings replaced the old conquest tenures by the creation of a
new baronage, of which Curry Rivell reminds us. The name
thus marks a step in the emergence of the England of the con-
quest to the England of the charters of freedom. It was the
day when Archbishop Langton hung twenty-four knights and
their retainers before the besieged castle of Bedford, while
the lay lords were comfortably dining. During those dis-
turbed years estates were "to let," and new men arose.
There is a Revill's Hill near Minten, in Dorset. There was
a William Revell in Wiltshire, and Hugh Revell in North-
amptonshire. It is from the time of Henry the Second
that King's Curry becomes Curry Rivell, or Revall.

^Ckartulary of Muchelney Abbey, S.R.S., vol. xiv. ^See Pipe Rolls and Liber
Ruber.

226

To bring these similar names together is a convenience, and
avoids repetition. But now of the double names, " Thomas "
in Cricket Thomas explains itself, but it may be, and probably
is, Thomas Beckett, and not, as we are apt to think, the
doubter in the Gospel narrative. Malherbie, in Cricket Mai-
herbie, occurs as the name of a place in Henry II.'s
charter of the foundations of the Carthusian Priory of
Witham. In 1166, Robert Malherbie held one knight's
fee of William Mallet. Malherbie is not found in
Somerset Domesday Book, but this family were the
direct heirs of Drogo (de Montacute), a tenant of the
Count Moretain, and so came early into possession of this
manor. The name is Norman-French. In the Pedes Finium
for 1197-1198 there occurs the name of Robert Malherbie
in a case in which he is "claimant" as against Milo de St.
Maur, " tenent " relating to property in Cheritone. In the
Lay Subsidies of Edward III., Wilhelmus Malerbe was
assessed for the marriage of the king's daughter for
Stoke Malarby. In 1314 there is a Hugh Malerbe,
of Schipham. Curiously enough, this is called Veater Stoke
in the Lay Subsidies. Veater is an extant name which is
puzzling. It is probably a corruption of Viteau, which again
is a form of the Saxon Wido (Frankish, Guido), found in
the Liber VitcB of the 12th century. Wido is probably "a
wooden weapon," as in the " with " of Askwith. Malerbie,
on the other hand, is clearly a nickname, a " bad weed."
It is, in fact, a name for one of the poisonous unbeliferje,
perhaps the " fool's parsley " of our hedges.

227

CHAPTER XXV.

Doubled Names (continued).

Farleigh Hungerford.—D.B., Ferlega, 1086; T.E., Fran-
leigh, 1297; Farleye, in Kirby's Quest, 1343. This is a com-
pound of personal names linking together two ages — the
age of early Saxondom with the much later medijeval period.
Far-leigh might conceivably be from Ffrau-leigh, or lea, the
meadow by the river, now the Frome ; or Scandinavian farre,
a sheep, the sheep-Ieigh; or taking the Franleigh as a form
of fern-lea; or faer, Saxon, a way. This, in reality, brings
us closer to the origin. Faer, fair, for are well-known
Saxon names, especially in compounds. A remarkable and
interesting example is found in the name Faerthegn or Far-
thegn {i.e., Farthane), spelt also Fardain and Farthain,
meaning the travelled thegn. This has become a personal
name. Farthing, but Mr. Farthing, although a tradesman,
has thus not a name derived from the smallest coin of the
realm, whatever pun may now be made on it. Faerwulf
is another example. Fara is the name of a whilom abbess
of Brie, near Meaux, and this is found in Faran-don (Far-
ington Gurney). We have another example in Backwell,
namely, Backwell Farley, when Farley has probably be-
come a personal name. The name occurs in a Somerset
will. In Canyngton, in 1394, there were local names North-
erferthying and South-erferthying, which looks like a name,
Erfaerthegn or Herferthegn.

The additional name, Hungerford, most evidently a place-
name, became a personal name. Hungerford is in Berks,
in the hundred of Kinwardstone — a Somerset name in King-
stone. Hunger again originated in the personal name, Hun-
gaer. The previous name is said^ to have been Farlegh
Montfort, and the manor was sold by the Montforts in 1337
to Bartholomew Lord Burgherst. This dates (in Farleigh)

^Baih Chartulary, S.R.S., vol. vii., p. 188.

228

from 1369, when the manor was purchased by Sir Thomas
Hungerford from Bartholomew, Lord Burgherst. Collinson
informs us that it was originally called Farley Montfort be-
cause on Roger de Corcelle's death (who was the Domes-
day tenant in capite) William Rufus gave it to Hugh de
Montfort. This name, however, was not found in the
Taxatio or the other lists quoted in this book, and that is
simply Ferlega right on into the 14th century. Farmborough
is a complete disguise. It is D.B. Feren-berga. The earliest
spelling is an A.S. charter of date A.D. 901, " Grant of land
to Malmesbury Abbey of land at Hawkerton, Wilts, in ex-
change for land at Fearnbergas." This Feren is of similar
but compound origin. It is the Saxon personal name for
Faerwine.

Of Flax Bourton we may say it is, in the great survey, sub-
sumed under Wraxall, and has no separate mention. But
Bourton is the original name, to which Flax is a prefix, and
in this respect is unlike the majority of the double place-
names, as will already have been seen. But Bower occurs
as Bur in D.B. in East Bower and West Bower in Bridg-
water. These Bowers turn the compass, for there are also
North Bower and West Bower. Besides this, we have Bozeer
Ashton, Bower Henton, Bower Mead, in Martock, Bower-
waie (or Bower Way) in Thorne St. Margaret. Moreover,
there are other Bourtons in the county, and plenty in the
country, of this name, in the form Burton; the best known
is the celebrated brewery town on the Trent, where the
water from the gypsum produces the best beer. In Somerset
we have Bourton, or Burton, in Compton Bishop, and simple
Bower (Boure, Edward III.), Bure, and Bower, where,
according to the journal Archeologia, there is an ancient
fortress. Bur might be connected here with Burh or Burg,
a fortress, a fortified hill. Bur in A.S. means a cottage,
from which we derive our word bower. Boer (modern
German Bauer) means a peasant, our word boor. The
widespread name, where there is no pretence of hill or fort,
gives evidence once more of a personal name Bur, Bure,
softened forms of Burg very frequently indeed in compounds
as Burgheard, Burghelm, Burghild, Burglaf, and Burgman.

229

Burg means protection, strength, applied to a man as well
as a place. This is far more according to philological
analogy than the old German Baior, the modern Bowyer,
or the tribal name Boioaria, which appears in Bavaria. Bury
is a modern name (pronounced Boory). What has already
been said of the Bures, representing the Colberti, may be
compared, and probably this accounts most satisfactorily for
these Bures and Bowers.

As to the prefix, as late as Henry VI. in documents it is
Bourton only, as it is now locally. It is clear, then, that
Flax is a late edition, and therefore here it did not arise
from local circumstances, such as the abundance in the low-
lying grounds of the iris, the flag or flack, which is, in-
deed, the modern Welsh form for sedge, with cognate words
in other languages. The leaves make excellent thatch, and
were grown for this purpose. The word has, in fact, a re-
ligious or ecclesiastical interest. According to Eyton,^ the
whole parish of Nempnett Thrubwell consisted of parcels of
ground taken from diverse Domesday manors, and became
parochially consolidated by most of them having been
granted sooner or later to Flaxley Abbey, in Gloucestershire.
In 1444 the prior of Flexley held an estate in East
Brent valued at twenty marks a year. There seems, therefore,
every probability that Rutter's^ statement is true as well as
Eyton's, that one of their estates was in Bourton, and so
it was called Flexley Bourton. It is frequently spelt Flex
Bourton, but is very often Bourton only in wills and deeds.
Flaxley Bourton is a mouthful, and readily yielded to cur-
tailment. Flex is a prefix in place-name, as in Flaxby,
Flaxton, in Yorkshire. It is a personal name. Flee, Flace,
Flack, re-appearing in such present-day names as Flick,
Flegg, and the like, and is Scandinavian rather than Saxon.
In the Charter of the Carthusian Priory of Witham (Henry
II.) occurs the name Flec-stoka and Fley-stoke.

Farrington Gurney. — Farrington, D.B. Ferentona, as
Farmborough is D.B. Ferenberga. Feren is not

'Eyton : Domesday Studies, ii., 148. "^Delineations of the North West of the
County of Somerset, p. 16.

230

fern, but a shortened form of the personal name
Faerwine (compare Hulleferun, Hill Farrance). In
1242, in Bath Chartulary, it is Ferenton. In 1401
it is Faryndon, and the spellings are Farnton, Feren-
don. The form in "ing" is 14th to 16th century, and is
an assimilation. Don and ton are confused, but ton seems
the older. In receiver's accounts of the possessions of Thomas
de Gornay we have the spellings Farnton, Franton, and
" Farington Gurney Town." There is a Farringdon in
Stogursey, where Faringdon Bluet seems to be. Gurney
was, as in Barrow Gurney, clearly added to distinguish from
other Faringdons and Faringtons, and, as such, dates from
the 14th century. The Domesday Gornai was Nigel de
Gornai, a tenant of the Bishop of Coutance. The later
Gournays of these Somerset names appear to have been,
according to Collinson, descendants of Baron Fitz-John oi
Harptree, and the Gurney of Gurney Slade a possible des-
cendant of Asceline, a considerable tenant under the Bishop
of Coutance. The Slade is likely enough the same as the D.B.
Eslida.^ The initial vowel is for ease of Norman pronuncia-
tion, and so Slida is the word, and like Glutton Slatt is
from the Saxon slaed, a plain or open tract of country.

Hardington Mandeville. — The obvious connection of the
first component with the personal name Harding has been
mentioned earlier. Whether this was the interesting Heard-
ing, son of Eadnoth, of the Cartulary of Muchelney Abbey,^
cannot be said with certainty. Harding may represent the
name Heardwine, and probably does. Among the Somerset
hermits, besides Wulfric, was Herduin. Curiously enough,
both these names Herduin and Mandeville occur in a charter
the date of which must be before 1166. The donor, Roger
de Mandeville, and the third Roger, son of Stephen Mande-
ville (1147) gave to the Church of S. Peter and S. Athelwin
(also a hermit) by the entreaty and prayer of Herduin, the
hermit, the island which is called Andreseia^ (Andersey, on
the bank of the Parrett). Ander is the Saxon name Andhere.

'See Eyton's Domesday Studies, vol. ii., pp. 216, 217. 'S.R.S., vol. xiv., p. 107.
'Batten : Historical Notes on South Somerset.

231

Mandeville is a curious instance of the dropping of a letter
and the adoption of another consonant by a very natural pro-
cess in speech if its origin is Magnaville. The place-name is, of
course, Hardintona only in D.B., while Mandeville is a nor-
man name found early in the county. Geoffrey de Magna-
ville was the Conqueror's companion in arms, and the third
Geofirey, called De Cochra (Coker) because he lived there.who
paid scutage for his possessions in the counties of Dorset and
Somerset — the estate in Dorset was Sutton Canonicorum, —
certified that he held Hardington from the King in capite,
and that it was an ancestral estate which belonged to the de
Mandevilles from the time of the Conquest. In 1284-5 a
John de Mandeville held half a knight's fee in Wilmersham
of the King. Besides this there is Keinton Mandeville. In
D.B. Chintona, or Chigtona, 1086; in T.E. Cynton, 1297,
Kington Marmdeville, 1330; Kenton, 1594; and Kington
Manfield, 1633. The spellings indicate the derivation of
Keinton from cyning, a noble or princelet. The later spell-
ings are true interpretations. In the time of Henry III ,
1243, there is a Stephen de Mandeville of Keinton. It
is a thirteenth century addition.

Heathfield Durborough.^ — Durborough is in D.B. spelt
Derberga. It is in Stogursey. The name is A.S. Deorbeorht.
The prefix is found as a separate name, Deor, as a Wessex
name. The ending in " i " was common among the old
Saxons, as " o" was preferably used by Franks and High
Germans. Hence, Deor assumed the form Deori, and the
modern name Deary thus arose. Deor is in meaning the
same. Deorlaf has become Dearlove and Deormund,
Dermot. And Deorli has become Durleigh (D.B.

Derlega), Durlegh in Nomina Villarum ("writs")
1315-1316. In Hants is Derlie also. Deoring is the
present-day name Deering. Durhill is in Crewkerne. Dur-
borough is not, then, Deor's-burh, but the spelling of the
name Deorbeorht .became Deorbor.^ Heathfield is not an

'Also called Heithefeild Talbott, see pp. 14-44, Gerard's Particular Description
of the County of Somerset, S. R. S. , vol. xv. The Dessboroughs assumed
the arms of the Talbotts. ''Cf. Durboroughscantok, 1438, Harl. MSS.
and B. M. charters. Here it is clearly a personal name.

232

infrequent name in the county. It is apparently at once in-
terpretable, and it is usually said Heathe is A.S. for heath.
In the one case in which it does occur in D.B. it is, how-
ever, a corruption of Herfelt. This is in the Taunton
hundred. It is not uncommon to put in a strengthening
consonant which disguises a name, especially after a liquid.
Herfelt is thus Herfel. Thus, Bromfield has arisen out of
Brunfella, i.e., Brunfel, the vowel being merely the usual
euphonic addition. Fil, ful, and fel mean great as a name.
Her, as in the names Hereward, Herepath (a current name),
means army, or warrior. Harvey is an additional example,
the Saxon Herewig became Herewi (Hervi). Heathfield
is here one of a number of complete transmutations, and
another instance of the determination of the man on the
meadow to turn a mysterious or puzzling cognomen into
something intelligible. In 1517 it is complete " Grant of
the manor of Hethefield." There is also a Heathfield with
Adsboroiigh in Creech St. Michael. The latter of these is
extremely interesting, and, fortunately, we have a clue to
it. The full name is of considerable antiquity, going back
to the ninth century. In the Cartulariiim Saxonicum there
is a grant of land by Alfred, " King of the Saxons," to
Aedelstan the theyn. The " d " is the Saxon letter for
which no equivalent is usually kept (as we suppose) in the
printer's repertory, unless he sets up Saxon type, which is
between our " d " and " th." We have often wondered that
we do not come across two names that surely ought to have
left a larger impress in local terminology. The fact is that,
as in well-worn coins, the image and superscription gets
partially effaced, so that you have to infer the full name
from the fragment left, and do so with some certainty when
other clues do not fail you. So here. Inscriptions on
monuments would often enough convey much less informa-
tion than they customarily do to the antiquary but for this
method of inference. The two names are Athelstan and
Aldhelm or Adhelm. There were three moneyers whose
names appear on coins struck at Bruton — dates from Canute to
Edward the Confessor — namely Aelfelm, from which a place-
name Alelm, Alam, Alham would easily arise, Leofwine

233

(place-name Lewin, Leofington), and Elfwine (place-name
Alwine, Aling-ton). They do occur in abbreviations. Ad-
helm is reduced to Helm and Elm, and Athelstan to Estan—
in the name, for intsance, of a Bishop of Hereford in 1012-
56— and even to "Ads." In other words, iEdelstan-burh
has just been clipped down to Ads-burg, the personal name.
Estan actually occurs as the name of an owner under
Edward the Confessor in several cases. Who in the world,
even in less busy times than ours, is going to keep on saying
Aedelstan's borough? He says Adels-burgh, and then Ads-
borough; and Adescombe in the writs of Edward III. is a
ville then existent situate in Over Stowey. Adstan, in the
same place, is clearly an abbreviation, perhaps of Eadstan-
stowe. Adborough may be clipped to Adbeer. There are
Adbeer, Nether Adbeer, and Over Adbeer. Now, the
Domesday spellings are Eatteberia, Etesberia, or Ateberia.
These may equally well be spelt Eadber, Ades-beria, and
Adeberia. We have no positive clue, as in the other case,
but the analogy is clear.

Haselbury Phicknett, Preston Plucknett, Wearn Plucknett.
Haselbury is Hal-berga in D.B. It is not mentioned
in T.E. In the Nomina Villarum of Kirby's Quest it is
Haselbere only. Dugdale's Monasticon mentions " the
priory of Austin Canons at Haselborough." In 1150 Wm.
Fitzwalter was lord of the town of Hazilberg. In the
British Museum charters we read of " Fine in Hisbere,"
and this is the frequent spelling, varied by a vowel — Hisbere,
Hysbere, and Hysebeere — all through Edward III.'s reign.
In the sixteenth century we have it with Haselbare, Hassel-
beare, Hasilbeare, Haselborowe; and in the seventeenth
century Hassiborough and Hazelborough. Hassel is clearly
the correct spelling of the personal name, of which Hazel,
reminding us of the shrub, is the " Zumerzet " rendering.
Clearly then, the Hal-berga of D.B. is an abbreviation. The
name is not Saxon, but Scandinavian, as a personal name.
Hasel and Hesel are Anglo-Saxon for the bush-name ex-
tending through the cognate languages. Names of persons
were derived from trees, as, perhaps, the old Gothic Asilo,
connected in dark mythology with the Scandinavian root

234

"as" or "os," a demi-god. The name is widespread. There
is a Frisian name Hessel, and in the Liber Vitas it appears
as Esel. There is a place-name Hasaling, near Bremen.
The place-names, too, are widespread, and certainly are not
all derived from local circumstances, where many nuts grow
loved of boys. For example, Hasel-ey, in Warwick and
Oxford; Hasels Marsh and Haeslan-den, in Lancashire;
Haseling (Haeslan-ton) and Hessle, in Yorkshire.

Plucknett is a name of which the origin is not too clear.
The Irish Plunketts consider that their name is of Danish
origin. Bardsley lets it down to Blanket — Plucknett is
Blanquette. It may be from Plen, a village in Brittany, and
gwent, fair, open region. Celtic name, Planquenet, near
Rennes. The double name does not appear to have come
into use in documents until quite late, but the connection
of the family goes back to the days of the rebellious barons
in the reign of Henry III. Alan de Plugenet, as the name
is spelt, we may conjecture, made himself of use to that
monarch in the struggle who should be master, the King or
the Peers. He fought for the king in the Battle of Evesham,
1265, and was made custodian of Dunster Castle. Alan-
more, in Herefordshire, is called after him (1299). By feudal
right, the great over-lord could displace one manorial
possessor for another. So in A.D. 1270 there was granted
to this useful person the manor of Haselbere. In Kirby's
Quest (12 Edward I.) Alan appears as Lord of Haselbere.
A.D. 1272 was the death year of Henry III., and Edward
Longshanks confirmed him in his new possession. Sir Alan
de Plugnett itis said to have been a Breton.

Preston Plucknett'- was also held by Sir Alan by military
service. It is in the hundred of Stone. The former pos-
sessor, William Marshall, took part in the rebellion against
Henry. Preston is D.B. Preste-ton, found also in Preston
Bowyer, Preston Torrells, Preston Kingweston, Presbridge,
in Ashbrittle, Presmead, in Stowey (a vicar's glebe, and else-

'In his account of Preston Plucknett Mr. Batten, Historical Notes on South
Somerset, traces the descent of Haselbury Plucknett (a barony) from
reign of King- Stephen down to the third and last Alan Plucknett, and
CoUinson down to reign of Edward III.

23S

where), Prestley and Presley, in Whitestone hundred. There
are also Presfields, Prestmoors. There are a score or more
of Pres-tons. These were priests' possessions as distinct from
the monastic, or were, as Preston Torrells, held in elymosyna
regis, a kind of "crown living," as we should say. It is
interesting to find that a manorial name here in Somerset
was Preston Bermesey, at the east end of Preston Plucknett.
The abbot of Bermondsey had his portion here, and, accord-
ing to Pope Nicholas' Taxatio in 1297, in Yeovil and Yeovil-
ton. Bermsey is an instructive abbreviation for the meaning
of which we have not far to seek, as in some cases more
obscure. In time of Elizabeth " Manor of Bermondsey Pres-
ton, formerly belonged to the monastery of Bermondsey."
Hence its name, Preston Monachorum. There are " Abbots'
accounts " in the reign of Henry V.

Hatch Beauchamp. —D.B., Hacchia. A hatch or bar-gate,
entrance of yore into the forest of Neroche. In a charter of
Witham Priory occurs the name Hachstock. Haca is a bolt
or bar. Our word hatch means a wicket gate. The name often
indicates boundaries of forests and demesnes, and there occurs
Hachweia or Hatchway. There are also East and West
Hatch. It is Hacche only in reign of King John, who gave
the church and land to canons of Wells. It is Hatch
Beauchamp in the Lay Subsidies of Edward III. (1345).
There are seats of John de Beauchamp, first Baron, who
died in 1361, and of John de Beauchamp, Lord of Hatch
Mercatorum, or Hatch Beauchamp, third Baron Beauchamp
(1261), and one of Cecilia de Tuberville, Lady of Hatch
Beauchamp, his daughter. In time of Elizabeth it is in
Chancery proceedings " Manor of Hatche Beacham," and
variously Beachem Hatch and Hatch Beacham in wills. The
name thus varies but little. The name does not appear in
1297, T.E. Shepton Beauchamp is so called in Kirby's Quest
(1343) on. The holdings of the family in the northern part
of the county came to them by the marriage of John de
Beauchamp with Cecilia de Vivonia about 1270, accord-
ing to Mr. J. Batten. Accordingly it is said that the " Beau-
champ Stoke," near Chew Stoke, was never part of their
possessions, and that there is no trace of it. It is, therefore.

236

as spelt, Bichen-stoke, probably Beechenstoke or Birchen-
stoke, or even By-chen-stoke. Hatch Mercatorum, as our
alias of Hatch Beauchamp, is an earlier fixed name, which died
out. The first baron obtained the grant of a fair and market in
1301. It was, that is, Market Shepton as an important business
centre in the mediseval manorial period.

Hill Farrance— It is D.B. Hilla, T.E. HuUeferun. There
are the court rolls of Hillferoun of Edward II. Kirhy's,
Quest, Illeferun. Then the spellings in Elizabeth's time
became Hillfarence (Chancery proceedings) and Hillfarrance;
in wills of the 16th and 17th centuries Hyllfarens, Hilfarrints,
Florence (1540), viz., in a will John Lane left a quarter mark,
three shillings and fourpence, for the building of the church
tower. In the Exon Domesday Hilla is spelt Billa, a clear
blunder, as the persistence shows, and the Exchequer gives
Hilla. Both are personal names. Both are Saxon. It is a
■village on the Tone, and this Hill is doubtless again the river
name " He," disguised by the aspirate.

Hilla is a personal name, which sometimes assumes the
Frankish form Hillo. It is used in compounds, Elfhilla
and Alfhilla, as the name of a woman. As early as A.D.
744 Hilla was a benefactor of Glastonbury Abbey. It is,
therefore, a very old Somerset name. But it is not very
particular about its county. It is a name as common in
Saxony to-day as in England. It is a tribal name. Mr.
Kemble, of course, has the Hillingas, and there is an lUengen
in Bavaria. When you discover a place called Hill situate
in a vale it is obvious that the physical circumstances do
not account for it. At-Hill is not necessarily the man who
lived at the hill. Atta-hill is a compound Saxon name, and
may even be Athellen, whose name occurs in a Glastonbury
deed (A.D. 744). Hill, again, is sometimes shortened from
Hilde, as Hillman from Hildeman; sometimes it is Hyl, a
hollow or hell; again, it has developed from II, isla, or a
watery spot, in place-names, and as seen^ from Ivel, a very
ancient Celtic river name, found in various disguises in many
parts of the country. It is little wonder if we find Bishop's

•Chap. 1.

237

Hull is Hilbishops, Hill Bishop, Hulbishops, and Hill
Bishops. And so with Hile, in S. Petherton, and Chil-
thorne; Hilborough, Hillcombe, and Illcombe, Hillgrove,
Hillhouse Liberty, and Hill, near Kilve. In the Liber VitcB-
the name is spelt Ylla, and Hille. The great Hill family
thus appears to be of diverse origin. Not to say that Heale,.
as in Curry Rival, may be a variety. In Hill Bishop and other
cases it is not clearly a personal name of an early proprietor,
but a form of He as situate on a rising over the river. The
Bishop is the Bishop of Winchester, Walchelinus in D.B.
Farence is a disguised form of Ferun, become Feruns with the
addition of the " s " so frequent, and this again is the original
name Faerwine, in which " faer " means as already given, and
" wine " means friend.

Horsey Pegnes, in Bridgwater. — Horsey is here a personal
name. In D.B. it is Peghenes only. This has been explained
to mean Pig-haynes, or enclosures. In 1315 it is Pegennese.
Pig appears, however, to be a mid-English word, and cer-
tainly swine, as singular and plural, is the more usual word-
Pig would scarcely have been found in the Domesday
record. There is a Swin-dun in Carhampton Hundred. Peg
is short for the name Pegg or Pega or Pecga, an A.S. name,
found also in Peglinch, in Wellow, also called Peglegs (Pega'&
lea), Peglin, as well as Peglinch, and here clearly it is the Saxon
name Peghun or Pighun, i.e., Horsey Pighuns.

Hinton Blewitt and Hinton St. George are both simply-
Hantona in D.B., Henton T.E. Also, there are Henton
Charterhouse, Henton in Martock, called Bower Hinton^
Hinton Charterhouse is, besides, called Hinton Abbot and
Hinton Grange. Other names with the same slightly-varied
prefix are Hendford, or Henjord, and Hyndeford and Hyne-
ford, called Hendford Matravers, and Heniton, or Henning-
ton Hill, in Ashbrittle. It is usual to derive Hinton from
Saxon heah, heane, high, chief, but this does not account
for all the cases. In Glastonbury there is Henley. The
truth is that Hean is a saxon personal name. It occurs as
a prefix in Heanfled, Heanfrith, Heanric, Heantan, and
the like, personal names. A Hean in 690 was the
founder of Abingdon monastery. This is the name Anna

238

and Hanne, of the Liber Vitw. The forms of the personal
name are Eana, Enna, Hean, Onna, and Hona. Hanny is
a Somerset name now, as well as Hannay and Hanning,
Hean, Heaney, Honne. Henton is even given in some books
as meaning " poultry town." The origin of the name is the old
German Ano, meaning ancestor. In Hendford the " d " is
a grip letter and intrusive. Enmore is mysteriously Animera
in D.B. This is a compounded name of Ano and maer.
Maer is found also in Mergeat (modern Merriott).

Blewitt is Norman. The cradle of the family appears to
be Briqueville-la-BIouette, in Normandy. Randulphus, i.e.,
Ralph Blouet had six and a half hides of this manor, and
Hugo Matravers two virgates under William d' Ou (Howe).
It is curious that the same tenant in chief also held Hantona
(Hinton St. George), spelt Henton S. George (21 Edward
III.), in the Crewkerne Hundred, and in each case displaced
Alestan de Boscomb in Edward the Confessor's list. The
Blouets remained connected with Hinton for many centuries.
This Ralph held a sub-tenure of Aller, Worth, and Yeovilton
(Aire, Worda, Gifeltona), under the same chief lord, and
again displacing Alestan de Boscomb, who must have been
one of the beggared Saxons. There are other place-names
with the addition Bloet. The name occurs frequently in
various documents as witnesses in the 14th century, in different
localities in the county. A Robert Bloet, brother of Hugh,
Bishop of Bayeux, the Conqueror's Chancellor, was conse-
crated Bishop of Lincoln in 1094, and was justiciary under
Henry I. 1123. The name is spelt Bloet. Blewitt more nearly
represents the Norman Blouette.

Holford Trebbles, or Trebbles Holford, is in Lydeard
S. Lawrence, spelt in D.B. Hulofort, Holefort, and Holeford.
But Hulofort as a spelling represents a form of the name
Hulfirth, which occurs in 943 as the name of a Cornish
dux (already mentioned). The names Holloway, near Bath,
and Holloway, near Taunton, and in the parish of Gorton,
are forms of Halui, or Alwi, represented by the French
Halevy and the English Holvey. It is commonly supposed
that these old English names were taken from places. The
reverse is true. The place-names were most frequently taken

239

from the whilom owners, and handed down in disguised form
with the persistence with which names cleave after the other
memorials of bygone proprietors have utterly perished.
Tribbles is probably a form of the name Trumbald. Trum-
bald and Trumhere occur. Trumbald has assumed several
strange disguises, Trumbull, then Tremble, and Turnbull,
then the easy-going south countryman leaves out the hard
collocation of consonants, and calls it Trumballs and
Trebbles.

Huish Episcopi (also called Huish Lamporte), Huish
Champflower, Cushuish, Lud-huish, and Baggearn-Huish, in
Nettlecombe; Huish in Burnham; Huish near Crewkerne;
West Huish, near Yatton ; and a local name, Colinshwys and
Huish Gaunt. Where these names, Lode-Huish, Huish,
juxta altum pontem, that is Highbridge, are found in D.B.,
the spelling is Hewis, Hiwys, and Hiwis (unimportant varia-
tions), as also in T.E. Hywys. That is, from 1086 to 1297
the spelling did not alter much. In the early part of the next
century we find Hewish, and the spellings show a delightful
variety, as Hewishe, Hewysh, Huwysch, Huysche, Hwish,
Huyssh, Huysch, and the like. Huish has been derived from
the A.S. hus, a house. That is, Huish-Episcopi is the
" bishop's house." Episcopi is a later addition to the
original Huish. More important than that consideration is
that hus, with the long vowel, would scarcely be called hewls
(D.B. spelling), and the appearance and persistence of the
" sh " are thought to indicate another source. It has,
therefore, been supposed that this points to the gadhelic
uisge. Certainly it looks like it, for at Huish Episcopi the
rivers Parret and Ivel unite, while North Huish, in Devon,
has the river Avon running through it. But the coincidence
is possibly deceptive. There is a Hewish in Wiltshire. The
form in Cumberland is Hawes, and in Yorkshire also Hawes.
Hawisia is a frequent personal lady's name in Somerset, and
Hewis, Hewish, Whish, still known as personal names, are
from the old German name Hugizo. In French this is
Hugues. In Wales this has become Hughes; in low Saxon
the " g," of course, is a slide, and the word pronounced
Huyis. The woman's name Hawys occurs in the Liber
VitcB.

240

Huish is called Episcopi because the lands were the
property of the See of Wells. If ^Ey ton's identification and
that of Whale is correct, the Domesday name is Littlelaneia
(Liteland in the Exchequer copy), then it was the property
of Giso, the Saxon bishop. There are " keepers' " accounts
of the See of Bath and Wells from 20 Edward I. to 8
Henry VI. extant. The name Lamporte is later, and arises
from its proximity to Langport, and in the 18th century John
Bush was vicar of Huish-cum-Langport.

Huish Champflower (D.B. Hywis only) is Hywes Chamflur
in 1316. In 1397 it is in early chancery proceedings
Hwyss-chamflour, and, of course, in 16th century there are
numerous vagaries, such as H. Chaumflowers, Huishcham-
flore. Of the family not much seems to be on record.^ It is
a grand normanised form, as we suspect (and are led to
think by the spelling) of a compound saxon name, Coenflur,
or Cyneflohere. There is a Matilda de Chamflur in
1262, of Batheneaston,2 who has a perpetual mass on account
of her devotion to the Priory. Chamflours, also called de
Campo Florido of Stert, from several gifts to Bruton Priory^ in
the late 13th century (1276, etc.). In 1349, John de
Chaumflour has an assize case which he lost to the Prior>
whom he had disseised of certain lands in Stert (or Steorte).
This John said that he was wrongly named in the attachment.
His name was Chaumflour, not Chanflour. Anyhow, it is
grand. Lud-huish leads us into the question of the origin of
Lud, found as Lyde and Lyte, as Lloyd and Floyd (Cornish).
There are no doubt the Saxon names Leod (people) (modern
German Leute), Lod, and Lud, and this is found in com-
pound names as Lydgeard (place-name Lidyard). This
Somerset and Welsh and Cornish name is, however, probably
more connected with the Welsh name of the god Nodens,
known as King Llud, the Loth or Lot of the Romances.
This name has been with some plausibility connected with

'The family of De Campo Florido held two knights' fees under Mohun in
1166. Thomas held Hewish and Atherstone in White Lackington.
The last owner of Hewish of this name was in 1227. ''■Bath Chartulary,
p. 26, S.R.S., and Feet of Fines, p. 208. This is another branch.
^Bruton Chartulary, S.R.S., vol. viii., p. 52, etc.

241

the place-name London, and the Welsh name for London is
Caer Lud, or Lud's fort, and with more certainty in Ludgate
Hill. A temple on a hill found at Lydney on the Severn
river is paralleled by a possible more ambitious temple on a
hill on the Thames. Lud was the Celtic Zeus.^ Whether it
is the Saxon or the Celtic Lud, it has become a personal name
in Lud-Huish. We find Lydford (as Ludeford Edw. IV.)
and Estludeford in 1397. Thus we read of Richard Backwell
persona of Estludeford, and Lydford West (Luddeford 1384),
and Lud is part of the name Luthbro and the name Luth-
broka {i.e., Ludbroc, as mentioned previously, in Witham
Priory Charter).

Baggearn Hiiish (D.B. Hewis). — Beggearn is clearly a cor-
ruption of some Saxon name. The first part of the word is
a personal name, plainly enough Baega, also Bagge and
Begga, found in other local names, such as Baggebere (D.B.
Bageberge), now Bagborough, that is Bagge, and Burg. The
German etymologists of authority tell us that the compound
names are the earliest of which the extant names are often
the clipped forms. Other names are Baggeridge, local name
of a farm, i.e., Bagga-rich, and Bagga-rig, made into ridge;
Bagbury, near Evercreech (same origin as Bagborough);
Baghayes, Bagingeham, in the parish of Aller (Bagan-ham,
a genitive form). The "r" sound in Baggearn and
Beggearn is intrusive for the sake of a firm
grip in the original form, Bagan or Baegan, seen
in Bagan-ham. There is also a Bag-ley, in Wedmore,
and another in Exford. Badgeworth is D.B. Bage-
werra. " In A.D. 1308 grant in Bageworth." But as in D.B.
worth usually appears as wurd (th), this "werra" is no doubt
the river wear or fishing place, or pond. The name Bage
occurs, as we shall see, in Bawdrip, D.B., Baga-terpe, i.e.,
Bagathorpe, which may be added to the other occurrences of
this form thorpe in Somerset.

Beggars-bush, in Long Ashton and elsewhere, is, we are
persuaded, a thorough-going corruption of Bega's-Batch.

'Rhys : Lectures on Celtic Heathendom, p. 129. Williams and Norgate, 1898.

242

Beckery Island Is a name in a Glastonbury charter. Becaria
quae parva Hibernia dicitur, i.e., which is called Little
Ireland. Now, S. Begga (A.D. 630), or Becca, was an Irish
princess, and S. Begha was an Irish virgin saint, and St. Bega
was a Cumbrian saint of uncertain history, probably Irish,
from across the Channel, when Irish missioners were
" missioning " England and elsewhere dispreading them-
selves. This might account for the name of Little Ireland.
Bega, further, was the name of an Irish nun at Hackness, near
Whitby. The personal name Becker has some such origin.
In a supposed charter of Ina, the name Beganus, which is a
latin form of Bega, occurs.

Cushuish has, of course, become Cowshuish. We know
what a cow is and what a cowhouse is, but Cushuish is a
partially defaced inscription. This is a local name, a tything,
comprising the hamlet of Toulton, in the parish of Kingston,
about five miles from Taunton. There are numerous place-
names called Cow-leas, Cow-pens, Cow-thorns, thorps, and
bys, folds, and wicks, some of which may have originated in
the " lactiferous maids " and others in the Saxon personal
name, Cusa. Each needs dealing with according to its
history. It is observable that such a name as Constantine
becomes Custantin, and Cus-huish may be Cunds-huish
imperfectly pronounced. Cunds is a frequent Saxon name in
the 8th century. In the absence of early spellings we are
unable to determine. If Colins-huwys is an ancient name, it
is probably the compound Saxon name, Cylne-hawis.

243

CHAPTER XXVI.

Doubled Names (continued).

Marston Magna and Marston Biggot are respectively Mer-
stona and Mersitona only in D.B., also spelt Mershton
Bygod, Mersheton Bygotte. In Merstona, Maer is a personal
name, as in Kinmaer (Kilmersdon), but here the spellings
appear to indicate, as I suppose, the localities, and that those
are " marsh " towns. This is the usual explanation, but the
origin in the personal name is more in accordance with
analogy. Kilmersdon, as noted, is not Cil-marshton, but
Kinmaersdon. Magna is a quite late name, as in the time
of Elizabeth it was more commonly known as Brodmerston,
Brodemerston, and Broad Marston. In Chancery proceed-
ings in the time of Elizabeth we read of the manor of Little
Marston. The name Biggot opens up a pretty controversial
field as to the origin and meaning of the name. It is Merston
Bygod in the reign of Henry III. In mediaeval lists of the
15th century it is Mershton Bygod. The first person in
history bearing the name of Bigod or Bigot appears as a poor
knight, who gained the favour of William I. by discovering
to him the intended treachery of the Count Montague. He
had six lordships in Essex and one hundred and seventeen in
Suffolk. Walter de (?) Bigot was Lord of Merston 43 Henry
III. (1259). The name has not any profane origin. The first
to bear the name was not a swearing man, only a Goth. The
" got " is Goth, as analogy seems to show. In the 12th and 13th
centuries the names Pigota, Picgod, and Picotus appear in the
Liber VittB. Isaac Taylor^ takes Bigot to be the same as Visi-
goth. The origin was forgotten when stories were invented to
account for the name, as in other cases.

Midsomer Norton reminds us very forcibly of the ease with
which false traditions arise and maintain their sway, and even
find their way into official documents like the magnificent

' Words and Places.

244

ordnance maps. The river Somer is, for example, marked
and so named by the surveyors ; but what historical authority
is producible for this name of the stream flowing through this
well-known village? We have not found any. But the
presence of the name Somer in such a document easily
satisfies most men that this Norton is in " the middle of the
Somer," and so it is called " Midsomer." John Wesley's
explanation in his famous Journal has more merit. It was,
he suggested, so called because it was so surrounded by bog
as to be only approachable at mid-summer. Perhaps it is as
good a name as any. The truth is, this river name is inferred
from the place-name, and is absolutely of no authority that
we can discover. As another instance, the ordnance map
gives Battle-gore, with the date of a battle, for which no
authority exists, but the dubious name. The facts are that
this place has no separate mention in Domesday Book.
It was originally, as other plentiful historical evidences
show, closely connected with (D.B.) " Ciewe-tona," or
Chewton Mendip. But in the Taxatio Ecclesiastica of Pope
Nicholas in 1297 it appears as Norton Canonicore, which is
short for Norton Canonicorum. It was also known as Norton
Friars. Its connection with Chewton points to the origin of
the name Norton. " Agreements as to Tythes of Chewton
and Norton 1189," " Northona " in D.B. It is north-east of
Chewton, the manor to which it was joined; the advowson
of which was previously held by the prior of Augustinian
Canons of Merton in Surrey. It is, however, due north of
Stratton-on-the-Fosse, but the connection is not discernible
in D.B. So it became known as Norton Friars and Norton
Canonicorum. It is said that the former of these names
appeared in maps as late as the 18th century ; also that in the
books of Christ Church, Oxford, to which the advowson was
given at the dissolution of the monasteries, it is entered in the
latter name. These names date back to the 12th century.
The epithet Midsomer is of late origin. In the Feet of Fines
" John and Giles de Fleury two carrucates of land in Mid-
somer Northton 1271-2." In 1334 it is called Midsomer
Norton. " In the bailiwick and hundred of Midsomer
Norton, Compton Dando,' and Stoney Eston," which is

245

east of Chewton, and earlier in 1303 it is Midsomeres Norton.
It lias been pointed out^ tiiat the derivation is due to the fact
that the patronal festival of the church is at Midsummer on
St. John's Day. Of this derivation we were scarcely con-
vinced, until on investigation we find that besides, of course,
the numerous distinguishing surnames derived from dedica-
tions, as Norton St. Philip's or Philip's Norton, there are
others that have dropped out of use, derived from such
season-feasts. An example of this is Wode Advent. Wode
Advent is in the hundred of Williton, and is mentioned in
the Nomina Villarum of 16 Edw. III. If the name had any-
thing to do with a river (which does not appear as a river
name to be easily paralleled), traces would be earlier found.
This may also be said of the personal name Soriier, the Saxon
personal name, which the form " Someres " as a genitive
would seem to favour, as in Somer-ton ; but (as already said)
it does not appear until the 13th century, at a period when
country rejoicings and wakes were in vogue on Midsummer-
day, and were known as summerings. In the place mentioned
called Wode Advent, in Nettlecombe, the " wake " was at this
season. These feasts were, of course, evidently in great local
repute, and so well known and popular as to give a name to a
village. Whether the wake is still kept up we know not. Per-
haps St. John's Day is of no special importance in Mid-Norton,
as they now provokingly call it, and lose the picturesqueness
of the place-name. It is not a " red " letter day now, and we
also note Stogursey Whitweek in Stogursey, which, however,
may be a corruption of the personal name Hwittuc, but is more
probably from the feast week.

Pitney Lortie. — The second name has apparently ceased to
be distinctive in any way. This befalls easily where there are
no competitive names demanding distinction. Pitney is D.B.
Petencia. In the Nomina Villarum 1315, Pitney is spelt
Putteneye, " Puttene cum hamel de Knolle in Long Sutton."
In the " Fines " 1341 it is " Putteneye Lortie manor and
advowson." In 1425 it is " Putteneye et Werne," and
"Pytheney Wearne manor" time of Elizabeth. This easily

^Somerset and Dorset Notes and Queries, vol. iii. Mr. Alan Thatcher's note.

246

reminds us of place-names derived from the man's name
Putta. The question is whether the " u " sound has not in
Pitney arisen by mistake in spelling, and, as the original " e "
of a stem syllable changes to " i " by the process known in
German historical grammar as Brechung, we conclude that
the " e " of the Domesday spelling is original, and the
derivation is from Peoht, Pet, a known name; or, as clearly
connected with the manorial property of St. Peter of
Muchelney Abbey, it is a form of Peten-eye, i.e., St. Peter's
Island, or Poehts, Pet's Island in the former case. We like
to think that the derivation from St. Peter is the more likely.
Pet as a personal name is found widely spread, as Petsoe
(Buckingham), Pett (Sussex), Pettaugh (Suffolk), Pettistree
(Suffolk), Pet-ton (Salop), Pet-worth (Sussex). Lortie is a
specimen of a type of name of which others may be found,
in which an ancient Saxon name has become Normanised,
Lorta, as in Lortan-hlaew. This fancifully and proudly
became L'Ortle, the nettle, and then is translated into Latin
with swelling importance as De Urtiaco. There is Lort-ton
in Cumberland. It is likely that in modern nomenclature
this name disports itself as Lord or Lording. In 1719, in the
list of names of marriage licenses, granted in the royal
peculiar of Ilminster, is the curious name of Susan Loarding,
which is in fact Lortan. Lorty, as an adjective in the North
Country, means dirty, filthy. Lord as a personal name is, of
course, in numerous cases simply our word Lord, master,
from hlaford, the " breadwinner," i.e., " loaf-ward."

Podymore Milton. — According to the analogy of the names
already treated, we should be apt to conclude that Milton was
the added name to an original Podymore. It appears to be
a case, however (of which there are other examples) of the
juxtaposition of two local names, Podymore and Milton. As
far back as 966, in a charter of King Edgar's to abbot
of Glastonbury, this is spelt Middleton. To this monastery
it belonged in time of the Confessor, and in D.B. it is spelt
Mideltona, and it is Mideltona in time of Edward II. in
accounts of lands belonging to Glastonbury Abbey. In the
Taxatio Ecclesiastica, which is given to abbreviations, often
with the sign of such abbreviation, it is spelt Mylton. On the

247

"fosse way" and the two "tuns" on the same ancient road
that are nearly equi-distant from it are Ilchester and Babcary.
Podymore derives its name, according to Collinson, from its
situation in a low, marshy ground. It is Pody-moor. But
this does not account for the pre-nomen. This is the A.S.
personal name Podda (and Putta). A Podda was Bishop of
Hereford circa A.D. 750. The name appears frequently as
Pudding and Pudifer, and Puddifot has become Proudfoot.
The root is pud, fat, and Pudda, the original man, was
probably dumpy and fat, or extremely thin and called fat
ironically. Puden as a Teutonic root means to swell out.
Yorkshire people still call a fat person by the epithet " a
puddle." There is, in addition, a Pudde-combe in Bromfield,
as a local name.

Of Middletons in Somerset we have several more, as e.g.
Milton Clevedon. Nortons and Buttons might well have
their complement in Middle-tons. We find, for instance.
Middle Chinnioc, Middlecot (in Babington?), Middleney in
Drayton, the middle of three islands cropping up out of the
swamp, and Middlezoy, the "middle of the marsh," and a
Middleton in Clotworthy. But we must observe and dis-
tinguish, for this latter is spelt Milde-tona in D.B. and Milde,
Milda, which is a Saxon woman's name. Mild is frequent
in compound names, as Mildgyth, Mildfrith, Mildthryth
(Mildred) as a feminine name, and Mildecot is (D.B.) Milles-
cote, which is probably Mildes' cot, for Norman spellings
shrink from " d' " after " 1," as they hate " w " followed by
" o." Their peculiarities of spelling are important in identi-
fications. The modern name " Middle " is no doubt this
ancient Saxon name Milde, with the consonants interchanged.

Milton with Clevedon. — The latter is a name added in con-
sequence of ownership. Clevedon is, of course, an etymo-
logically significant name. It is just Cliffdown, and some-
times Clif-ton. But this is one of the cases where a family has
taken the name of their residence, with a " de " prefixed, of
course, acquired by heirship or purchase. In this case it is
quite obvious, but this is true of many cases where it is not
easily recognised. Many place-names are eponyms. The
explanation of the name as such is valid even when this is so.

248

Clevedon was added to Milton (Middleton). It is Miltone
Clevedon in 1315. In 1166 " aid to marry Maud the
daughter of Henry II., to the Duke of Saxony," we have the
certificate of Henry Lovell that William de Clevedon held
two knights' fees (as is concluded) in " Middleton." In 1229-
1230 (Testa de Nevill) a Matthew of the same family held one
of the two knights' fees in Middleton.

Milton Fauconbridge is Milton-in-Ash (Martock). Milton-
cum-Amel (hamlets) in 1315. We have no spelling of Milton
in D.B., but in T.E. it is Middeltone only (1291). In the
days (1435-6) of Henry VI. it is Melton or Multon Faucon-
berge (1443), Melton Fulcumberge (1437), Melton Faucan-
bridge in the time of Edward IV. (1477), and later is Milton
Fawconbridge and Haukenbridge. There were three Villes
in Martock, Ash, Milton, and Witcombe, and this was
probably the middle of the three. There is a Fauquenberge
near St. Omer in France, said to be the berceau of the family.
The family is found in Somerset in the 13th century and
earlier. In the Feet of Fines, 16th Edward I., " At West-
minster in the octave of St. Martin between Peter de
Fauconberge querent and Richard de Younglomb concerning
land in Essebolon, j.e.,i4.s/i-jBa//en." This is in 1287. William
de Fauconbridge married Matilda, a sister of Robert de
Mandeville, and Peter, a son, died in 1350. Milton,
near Kewstoke, is D.B. Middleton. In 2nd Richard III. it is
Miltone (as we suppose) between Kewstoke and Worle, or,
as in historical MSS. or reign of Richard III. (2nd), there is
conveyance of lands in Bartone, Miltone, and Wurle, it is
perhaps the middle one of these three manors.

Milton Skilgate. — This is a compound of two manors find-
ing separate mention in D.B. as Milde-tona and Schillegeta
(now Skilgate). The name Milde has been referred to above.
Schillegeta is a Saxon name of Gothic origin. Scealda, Scela,
Sceald was the mythological ancestor of Woden and Geat
also, according to Kemble's Saxons. It became a personal
name. The interest is in the mythology which lies so
innocently (to all appearance) embedded in the name.
Milton (called Mill Town and Middle-ton) is in Clot-
worthy.

249

Newton S. Loe. — The spellings vary. In 1481 it is S.
Clo and Segn Clow, and numerous other spellings of the
family name S. Loe. Newtons obviously gained this
name from the upspringing of a fresh group of houses
in the neighbourhood of, or as part of, an older vil-
lage. So in Domesday Book there are Nieue-tons
(with long " i "). Thus in the hundred of Willitone
there was Niewtona, now I suppose no longer existent, as
part of Chilvetona (now disguised as Kilton). It was also
called Duictona, perhaps because its owner, Wilhemus de
Moione, was Sheriff of Somerset (1084-6). The Neuuentons
mentioned in D.B. separately number seven, and five of these
are parts of Newton, in North Petherton, in which there were
several ownerships. Another is Neuuetone in Newton S.
Loe. Of Englishcombe, Twerton, Tellisford, and Newton
fourteen thegns were the Saxon owners. All this became the
property, at the conquest, of the Bishop of Coutance. The
name indicates the rise of new ownerships and fresh divisions
among IX Thegni pariter long before the Conquest.
Curiously enough, Neuetona, in North Petherton, was held
by at least six thegns pariter, and the manors remained
separate (unlike Newton S. Loe). After the Conquest, how-
ever, the Bishop of Coutance was Geoffray de Mowbray, or
S. Lo (Latinised into Sancto Lawdo), from a place of that
name in Brittany. He is frequently called the Bishop of
S. Lo, in the Gheld-Inquest of 1084 and in charters. He died
in 1093. Still, in Pope Nicholas' Taxatio (1291) the place has
no distinguishing surname. It is Nyweton only. When
somebody " stole a chalice and a vestment from the church "
in 1340, it was from the " Church of Niewton."

In 1328, in the Inquisition of Edward III., it was found
that John S. Lo held two-thirds of the manor of Seyntlo.
In B.M. Charters there is " exchange of land of Crocken-
hulle, near Newton (S. Loe) " late in reign of Henry III.
It has continued to be so called from the fourteenth century
or late thirteenth. In 1310 a John de S. Lo manumitted
a slave in Chew Church. It is in 1428 that John Saintelo,
a younger branch of the Newton family, is certified to have
held half a knight's fee in Sutton Militis or Knighton, a

250

part of Chew Sutton or North Sutton. The family of St.
Lo or Lando was evidently descended from one of the
vassals of the Bishop, brought over by him from St. Lo
in Brittany.^

Newton Somerville, N. Yeovil. — It is easy enough to de-
rive this from a personal name originating in S. Omer in
Normandy, or Somerville, now Somervieux, near Rouen.
This might pass if we did not find in the Nomina Villarum
of reign of Edward III. the names Newton Sermonville and
Nyeton et Sarmabille. Now, Sermon or Saraman is a
known Saxon name, and Saraman has become Sermon, which
is also a modern name, and Villa is disguised as Bille. In
Edward the Confessor's time, Samarus tenuit in firma Regis in
mansione qui vacatur Petret, i.e., N. Petherton. Samarus is
latinised from Saraman, or Sarma. This is the name in Somer-
ton. It is also written Semar and Saemaer, which suggests to
us the name Seymour, which, of course, becomes St. Maur,
putting on a Norman cloak. It is, however, not even so simple
as this, inasmuch as it is by no means absolutely certain what
the original form of the name is. Sarmavile is a corruption of
Salmaville. Before 1225 Philip de Salemunville pur-
chased Newton for one hundred shillings, and Somerville
represents perhaps the modern French spelling of the original
home of the family. Seleman is an extant name. There are
also names Selefrith, Seleheard. Salaman is old German, from
a supposed root " salo," dark or swarthy. Perhaps this may
be a characteristic of the Somervilles.

lie Brewers is called in D.B. Isla and Ila only. It is not
in T.E. It is Ilbruere, in a Charter in 1335 and in
1425. It is on the east bank of the River Ivel, or Isle.
Ilbrewer and Ilbruweri. William Brewere was Lord of
Northover in the time of King John. Briewere is the same
name as the Norman Bruyere, and of course has nothing
to do with the art of brewing. Certainly the name Brewer
may be derived from the trade in some cases. The origm
of this form is the Saxon Bregowar, in which Brego means

'Some account of the family pedigree in England may be found in Wood's
Materials for a History of Chew Magna, F. A. Wood, Bristol, 1903.

251

ruler and war, and is perhaps shortened from ward or geard.
The William Brewere or Brewer whose name is preserved
in He Brewers died in 1226.^ He was the famous Baron
and judge who held Bridgwater, the Manor of Odcome,
and other places in Somerset. There was a William Bruere
who was bishop of Exeter in 1224 who conducted Isabella,
a daughter of Henry III., to Germany on her marriage
with the Emperor Frederick II. as his sixth wife ! He was
present at the siege of Acre, 1228. " Hie jacet " is in the
choir of the Cathedral. He died in 1244. The name is
therefore of historic interest.

Ilminster is clearly the " Minster of the Ivel." The Ivel,
it is scarcely needful to repeat, is the name of a river. Isla is
one of the most ancient of roots, meaning moist meadow
lands, of which an abundance of Swiss, Alpine, and other
continental examples can readily be given from Taiiber.
There are many amusing forms of spelling, including Ool-
minster and Ileminster, and Evilminster, Luminster, and
Heminster, which teach us nothing of this particular name,
but give us afresh the hint that in the diversity of spelling
we must look for the prevailing type to get the right clue.
The earliest spelling is on a charter of Ethelread the Unready,
A.D. 995, He mynifter, i.e., the " f " is really the long " s."

Ilchester is the camp on the He. Camden says the River
Isil runneth from this to Ischalis (Ilchester). This was
called Pantavel coit, i.e., bridge, isle, wood, the Ivel Bridge
in the wood. He Abbots was a manor of the abbot of
Muchelney. In the quaint language of the day, the " ten-
ent " was St. Peter. Other names from the same river were
Hilcombe (i.e., Isl-combe, Ilcombe, and Ylcombe), He Moor,
Ile-leigh, and we should say Ilton (also misleadingly spelt
Hilton), only in D.B. this is found as At-Ilton, which is
not the preposition " at," but shows that it was originally
Adel-ton, or Athel-ton, like Athel-ney. It belonged to the
abbot of Athelney.

Milbourne Port and Milbourne Wick. — It is simply
Meleborna in D.B. According to Kemble, the ancient spell-

^Dictionary of National Biagraphy, vol. vi., p. 297.

252

ing is Melda-bourne. There are numerous Melbournes and
Milburns scattered up and down the country. It has also
been carried across seas, just as Saxon names of places were
imported in the Saxon immigrations into our country so
long ago. Mill-stream is an easy explanation which will
not always suit. A glance at the land valuation made at
the uncontested order of William the first shows that
nearly every parish, and, of course, every manor, had its
Molendinus, or mill, valued at so much. Milborne Port is
in the vale of Blackmore, on the border of Dorset, watered
by a streamlet rising at Bradley Head. Here are the elements
required — the stream and the gate — as is supposed. Un-
fortunately, this does not explain the ancient spellings
which the Norman modified from Melda to Mele. As
already pointed out, there are Saxon personal names Mildeo,
Melda Bourne. Milbourne Wick is in the vale by Kingsbury
(i.e., a Crown domain) and here Wick is the village. From the
same Saxon owner's name we have also Melcombe Paulet, in
South Petherton, which in D.B. is merely Mele-combe, i.e.,
Mel(d)e-combe. There is also a Milcombe in the parish of
Mells. The additional Port might conceivably be derived from
one of two roots, from porta, a gate, or partus, a haven. In the
latter case it comes to mean a tower built at a harbour; "a
walled town on a milled stream," is Mr. Pulman's explanation.
Port here means " entrance " into a forest, or mere, or as a
border town where dues were taken. It is Muleborne Port in
1315, Nomina Villarum. Melbourne is the name of an ancient
hundred now mostly represented by Horethorne : Ecclesia
S'ti Johannes in Meleburna. It is interesting to note the
name of the Domesday incumbent called Reinbald,
Presbyter — appearing in other places (e.g.. Road) as Sacerdos
— who had been chancellor of King Edward the Confessor.
Its Saxon owner was named Vitel, and we are wondering
whether any local names recall it, probably much disguised.
In 1086 it is the " Royal borough of Melbourne." The origin
of the name Mells may properly and conveniently come in
here. Let us observe that Middlecote, mentioned pre-
viously, is properly Millescote. In the time of CoUinson
it was depopulated, but its site is known. It was a separate

253

part of Melles. That Millescote became Middlecote, and
Mells is always in this (not plural, but genitive) form, in-
dicates the original presence of the " d " neglected by the
Norman spellers, and it is Milde's, Meald or Melde's; and
Millescote is Melde's Cot. In the D.B. it is spelt Mull(a)—
i.e., Muld(a). Mells is thus a personal name, like those
already noted — Middlecote (Milles, i.e., Milde's Cote) in
Babbington, and Middleton {Milde-tuna) in Clatworthy. If
the list of molendi or mills be examined, there is only one
credited to Mells, and so it has no superfluity of mills to
account for the origin of the name. The Mill-leaze in
Kingston Seymour and the Mill-piece on South Cadbury are
probably named from a mill site. A local name. Marsh
Mills, in Over Stowey, appears in D.B. as the
Mulse'ella, which is clearly not marsh mills, but the " ell "
is a form of hell or hole or low-lying place or hill or ile,
a stream, it may be according to the conditions ; and mul is
the personal name or the form would not be genitival, Muls-
ell. It is a manorial name. Milverton is most easily ex-
plained as " the tun of the mill-weare." As there were many
tuns with mill-weares there must have been something
specially distinctive of this Milverton to secure it this name.
It is Mildweard, a compound name from which we get our
common Somerset name of Millard. It is the tun of " Mild-
weard," and, of course, the hard consonants have as usual
disappeared.

Monkton Combe is D.B. Cuma. It was there the property
of Sewold Abbas de Bada and the Domesday tenant in capite
was "Abbas Ste Petri de Bada." Its connection with Bath
Priory therefore gave the additional name of Monkton.
There is a Monks' Ham in Marston Biggott probably repre-
senting Glastonbury property, as also did Monacheton, now
West Monkton. The spelling Morcheton is a vagary in
which the letters have been wrongly copied. In the Car-
tularium Saxonicum there is a grant by Centwine King of
Saxons to Hamgils, abbot of Glastonbury. Date 682.
It is the property of this abbey at Domesday. The spellings
Monton, Mounketon, Muneketon, Muncketon are too per-
sistent to allow the idea of a corruption from Morcheton.

254

Orchard Portman. — There are also Orchard Leigh and
Orchard Wyndham. Orchard is a personal name. The
first of the family that we have any account of (it is said)
was James, the son of Baldwyn le Orchard. In this case
the name is thus from an employment Le Orcharder.
Similarly there was le Perrer, the Pear-man. The name
itself is a compound, ort-geard, probably wyrt (wort or
herb) garden. The Gothic is Aurtegard, a garden. Of
course its ultimate is the Latin hortus, a garden. And when
Orchard-leigh, watered by the Frome, is spelt Hord-cer-
leia in D.B., Orcher-leia in T.E., we see at once that this
is the personal name. Hordgar and Ord-gar, a frequent
Saxon name of the same origin, and indeed the name
Orchard, so frequent, has probably this as its real origin.
Baldwyn le Orchard lived in the reign of Henry III. in
1241. Mr. Chadwyck Healey tells us of a James de Hor-
cherd in 21 Henry III. of whom a carucate of land was
bought in Doverhay, or Dovery. For several generations
to the time of Henry VI. it passed down in the Orchard
family, but at this time it came, in default of male issue,
to Walter Portman, by a marriage with an Orchard. Walter
died in the reign of Edward 4th. And so it became Orchard
and Portman. Wyndham is a name closely connected with
this place Orchard from the Stuart period. The pedigree
is started with Sir John Wyndham, Kt., of Orchard, who
married a daughter of Sir Henry Portman. He died in
1641. The historical MSS. Commission gives an account
of the Wyndhams of Orchard. The adventures of Carew,
the King of the Gipsies, and Sir William Wynham and
Lord Bolingbroke are told in Carew's life.

Preston Bowyer and Preston Torrells; Preste-town (D.B.),
both in Milverton. The descendants of Alured de Hispania,
who displaced the Saxon Alwi (Holvey), gave the former
to Goldclifi Priory in Monmouthshire. But it was Preste-
ton earlier than this, arising from its connection perhaps
with Milverton Church. The prior of Taunton had lands
in Milverton in 1293 valued at ten shillings, and the account of
lands to the Priory would not displace the name. The
name Bowyer is, according to Collinson, a corruption of

255

Bures, and as the Domesday subtenure under the Con-
queror was Hugo de Bures, the additional name is scarcely
less ancient. Torrels goes back at least to the 14th century.
In 1248, at Ivel-chester (Ilchester), in the octave of St. John
the Baptist, Nicholas de Bosco and Roger Thorel, tenant,
the wife of Roger Thorel, was called to warrant at Est
Preston in question of land ownership. Nicholas de Bosco
quitted claim, and perhaps at this time arose the name
" Torrells Preston." In the time of Henry II. Wm. Torrell
was lord of the whole manor of He Brewers. In time of
Henry IV. R. Torrells gave the rector " minster lands,"
twenty acres. In the time of Elizabeth we read of Thorells
Preston manor in chancery proceedings. The name, under
the form Walter Turals, is found in D.B. in connection with
Compton Martin and Seaborough. Thorell is apparently the
name Thorold, a Scandinavian name, and this is short for
Thorwald.

Preston Kingsweston. — In this the name Preston was a late
addition, which did not exist early, and has been dropped.
Kingweston is Kinwardtona (D.B.). The Preston arose, and
was occasionally used, on account of the ownership of lands
by St. Saviour's abbey of Bermondsey. Abbot's accounts
exist for the year 1 Henry IV.

We may as well note here the place-name Priston, because
it has been supposed to be derived from its connection with
Bath Abbey. There is a charter which purports that a grant
of land was made here in 931 to the Abbey by King
Athelstan. The D.B. spelling, however, is Prise-ton and
Prise-ton, and if this is correct it has been softened to
Pryssheton and Prysshton, just as Aesc is softened to ash;
Prise means a coppice, copse, or brushwood. It is celtic.
There is a Prik (Prysc) in Cardigan, and others in Breck-
nock and near Swansea. But it is, after all, more probable
that this spelling Prise is simply a mistake not infrequent
on account of the similarity in mediaeval MSS. in the shape
of the letters " c " and " t." It is thus Prist or Priest-ton,
arising from its ecclesiastical connection.

Norton Hawkfield and Norton Malreward are close to-
gether locally. Norton is a geographical name given because

256

it is a tun north of the mother parish of Chew, to which
Hawkfield still belongs. Bishop Sutton is south of this
parish of Chew, of which it is a part civilly. Hawkfield is
identified by Collinson with the Hauckewella of Domesday,
and is so fixed in Mr. Eyton's^ scheme. With this Mr.
Bates Harbin^ disagrees. In his five-hide scheme he identifies
this Hauckewella with Hawkwell in the south of the county.
It is called Hawkwell in chancery proceedings in the time
of Elizabeth. This Havechewella is, of course, Hafoc (A.S.)
a hawk, and wella a well. As a matter of names the present
designation, Hawkfield, is more likely to be a corruption
of Hautville than of Hawkwell, and we have noted that
the local pronunciation of the old people is " A-vill " as
nearly as one can re-produce it. A later spelling, Hawtfeld,
is a stage in the process of corruption. In 1325 a licence
to Sir Geoffrey de Hauteville to choose a confessor for
one year is granted.^ Then Sir John de Hautville was Lord
of Norton — perhaps earlier. In 1316-1324 Sir Geoffrey was
M.P. for Somerset, Bucks, and Wilts. This Hautville
family is identified with that of one of the most interesting
in Europe, a branch of the Norman kings of Naples and
Sicily, descended from a Norman viking, Hialt, or Heal-
thene, and traceable to the ninth century, and of the line of
Tancred de Hauteville in the diocese of Coutance.

If Eyton is correct, the D.B. spelling is Hauckewella, and
after that the first mention is in a deed, according to which
bishop Jocelyn (1229) gave Thomas de Altavilla half a hide,
or sixty acres of land in Dundry, in return for service of
knight's fee in Rockesburg and Draycott. This land was held
by Reginald de Hauteville.^ In 1620 it is Hautefield or
Hawkfield in a conveyance. A most easy, but really false,
explanation of the name as it stands would be to resolve it
into the two words, a hawk and a field, and further suggest
that these were the emblems of an escutcheon, or preserved
some trace of legendary lore.

'Eyton : Domesday Studies, vol. ii., p. 21. ^S. A. Soc. Proceedings, Article on
Five Hide Unit. SDrokenford's Register, p. 250, S.R.S., 1887. ^Somerset
Fines, S.R.S., vol. vi., pp. 72-73.

257

John de Hauteville, the hero in question, " called by the
7oice of war to martial fame," is said to have been with
5dward the First in Palestine, and he may or may not have
)een the first of his family to possess the manor as the gift
jf that king. If the question be asked. Did the family take
heir name from the place or give their name to it? — which
s variously spelt Hauteville and Altavilla — it may be
mswered that in regard to the origin of personal names the
srefix " de " is significant of origin from a place, and " le "
3f origin from an employment. Now Altavilla is evidently
the latin form of the French Hauteville, and must mean
" high-town " or " high-hamlet." Sir John Hauteville is the
subject of more than one fairly well-known legend. There is the
5tory of the quoit. This man of muscle flung a huge stone from
the top of that portion of the Wansdyke called Maes Knoll, all
adown the steep gradient to a spot half-way between Pensford
and Stanton Drew — a distance of two miles, called, from this
wonderful feat, the Quoits Farm. The quoit is there by the
door of the farmhouse. What more evidence do you want?
True, it weighs some tons. But now, quoit is a Celtic word, spelt
by Borlase, the distinguished author of Cornish Antiquities,
koeten. A cromlech in Cornwall is called the giant's quoit.
Koeten means a broad, thin stone, and some modern men
connect the one in question with those other great stones
at Stanton Drew, usually called druid stones. Is the
quoit the serpent's head of this great circle? The story is
also told that when S. Looe, of Southetown (Sutton) Manor
House, in Knighton Sutton, was building his battlemented
wall, Hawkwell passed by, and asked what this wall was meant
[or. On being told " to keep out such fellows as you." this
warrior stepped over it, having legs as long as his arms were
strong.

Norton Malreward. — The usual explanation of the family
lame Malreward is the tradition that the name was given
jy John de Hauteville when the manor was granted to him
jy Edward I. as a reward for his services in the Holy Land,
and to which he scornfully applied the epithet indicating that

258

he had received but a poor reward.^ Whatever may be the
origin of the name Malreward, it is found in Domesday. Gos-
frid Malruard was a tenant of the Bishop of Coutance, dis-
placing the Saxon thegn Alvered. In 1260, John Maure-
ward and Thomas de Alta Villa are witnesses to grant by
prior of Bath of a piece of garden ground.^ The Maure-
wards also possessed estates in Devonshire, Dorsetshire, and
Wiltshire. Sir Wm. Malreward gave the church of Twer-
ton to the nuns of Kington S. Michael, Wiltshire, a grant
confirmed in reign of Henry III. by his grandson. Sir Geof-
frey. The name is thus either Malreward or Maureward,
and the latter is probably a Norman softening of the former,
and thus we get the names Marwood and Morewood, to
which fanciful explanations may be given. In the Battle
Abbey Roll there is a name Maulard, i.e., a nickname, the
Mauler. If Maureward is the original mar, meaning famous,
and weard defence, this explains the personal name. Norton
was called by this additional manorial name in 1257 and
therefore at least early in the 13th century. In Somerset
Itinerant Justices' Pleas : " The assize of novel disseisin
which Thomas de Hauteville arrangeth against William
Malreward, John Maureward, touching his pasture in Nor-
ton Malreward."

^Collections /or a Parochial History of Chew Magna. F. A. Wood, Bristol,
1903. ''Bath Chartulary. Lincoln's Inn MSS., S.R.S., p. 25.

259

CHAPTER XXVII.
Doubled Names (continued).

Sampjord Arundel is Sampforda D.B. and T.E. There
are five places spelt Sanforda, with variants Sanfort and
Santfort. These are identified with Samford Brett, Samp-
ford Arundel, Sampford Orcas, and Saltford, near Bath, and
in Wembdon in Sandford Farm, alias Sampford Bickfield,
and a Sanford in Winscome, and a Sandford Cheslade (manor
name of the 17th century), and there is La Sonde, perhaps
in Kew Stoke. Sandford with Cheslade is an interesting
doublet, inasmuch as the prefix ches is for ceosel, in
numerous place-names indicative of a gravel soil, and lade
is a course or way, mostly a water course. Cheslade may
in this instance have become a personal name — modern
Chislett. We are inclined to regard this name as from the
personal name Ceolsig (-lade), shortened to chis. Anyhow,
it is curious and worth noting. Saltford, on the Avon
near Bath, is Sandford (D.B.). It is the development to Salt-
ford which differentiates the name from the rest. The per-
sistence of the sound sal through the subsequent spellings
shows that san is an imperfect spelling. Saltford is the
saehl — salh or sael — ford, " the ford of willows." There is
a late spelling, Sawffomde, for Sanford and Santford in
Sampford Arundel. The early spellings, Sant and San-
ford, the Norman sounds for the heavily consonated word
Sumpf (our swamp) abhorrent to Norman lips and
Norman ears. It is on the moor-way on the high road to
Exeter, a short distance from Wellington. The remainder
of those Sandfords have the common element of possessing
a sandy soil or subsoil, and so are geologically descriptive.
They are sandy fords or sandy roads. As early as 1297 the
T.E. gives the double name, Saunford Arundel. In reality
the family connection with the place-name goes back to the

260

conquest itself. William disposed of this manor to Roger
Arundel (which some consider a form of d'hirondelle,
swallow or swift, as a sobriquet, which assumed the well-
known form of Arundel), displacing Ailward and two thegns,
who were the tenants previously. There is a Sir John
Arundel, time of Henry III., and so late as 1541 Sir Thomas
Arundel, Knight of Wardour Castle, had large possessions
in Somerset. The Domesday Arundel was rapacious even
to sacrilege, and had tenants in all parts of Somerset. The
persistence of a name so long is some evidence, if it were
needed, of the deep impression made by Norman occupation.

Sampford Brett.— 1329, Sandforde Bret; 1404, Sampford
Brit. In 1579 Samforde Birte, which, by mistake, actually
becomes Sampford Birke. It is close by Williton. It was
a member of the family of Brett that took part in the
murder of St. Thomas of Canterbury. Sampford Bret was
held by Simon le Bret of the honour of Dunster, by the
service of half a knight's fee. His brother William, of Sandford,
is mentioned in Final Concords 1230-1250. This Simon had
two sons — Richard, who was called Brito (the murderor of
Thomas Beckett), and Edmund, who from this place was called
Sanford. Richard died in Palestine, fighing the Saracens as
a penance. It was his granddaughter Alice who was a
benefactor to Woodspring Priory, dedicated to St. Thomas
of Canterbury. Mr. Chadwick Healey tells us a story of
1280 in which there was a quarrel in a tavern at Por-
lock. Walter Barfoot struck Elias le Barun, and killed
him. The coroner on the occasion of the inquest was
William le Bret, i.e., William the Breton. There is a seal
extant of Simon le Breth, or Brito, of the time of King
John. In Domesday Book there is an Ansgar Brito, Francus
Tegnus, that is Norman thane, descended from Walter Brito,
Baron of Odcombe. But there is no traceable connection
between this family and Sandford Brett. It may still have
existed.^

Sampford Orcas. — Collinson informs us that Richard de

'See Honour of Odcombe and Barony of Brit, by T. Bond. S.A.S. Proceedings,
XXI., ii., 8. Also Particular Description of County of Somerset, S.R.S.,
vol. XV., p. lOS.

Pyramidum dictarum specimen juxta
Mahnesbiirn descriptionem.

BenopefK
BStncomB

Bave

Beanm

The Two Pyramids,
With Naiies of Benefactors, both Kings and Bishops.

261

Orescruilz was lord of Sampford Orcas in the beginning
of King John's reign, 1199. In the T.E. it has no
double name, 1297. In Kirby's Quest, reign of Edward III.,
it is simply Sanford and Sampford. In mediaeval wills in
1415 it is Sampford Orskeys, Orgays in 1502, Orkeys in
1505, Orgues in 1594, and Orkas in 1586. The ownership
goes back to the time of Henry I. (1100-1135), when Henry
Orescuiltz held a knight's fee of the Abbey of Glastonbury,
and in 1166 this was held by Helias, son of this Henry.
Helias was the father of Maude Orescuiltz, lady of Sanford
Orcas, who married William Fitz-John, of Harptree.

Shepton Montague, Shepton Beauchamp, Shepton Mallet.
— All merely Sceptona and Sepetona in D.B., i.e., sheep-
town. The double names, Montacute and Mallet, occur in
the Eccl. Tax., 1291, and, as might be expected from
the greatness of those families at the time of the Conquest,
are the earliest fixed double names found. Charters show
that Septon was held by William de Montacuto in 1272.
Earlier, Drogo de Montacute was a tenant of the Con-
queror's half-brother, the Count Moretain, who purchased
the manor then called Bisopeston, that is Bishopston, from
the abbot of Athelney, and within four years of the Conquest
erected his castle of Montacute. The name Montacute,
latinised form of Montague, is a singular instance of the
appropriate transference of a name. The castle is built on
a peaked hill, and readily suggested the application of the
Norman name of the family, who appear to have been
commanders of the castle of the great and prosperous earl.

Shepton Montague had not only the Domesday name
Bisopestona, but an earlier saxon name. It was called
Lodegaresbury and Logderestone. Lodegar is a Saxon
name, and is the same as Leodgeard, found in Lydyeard.
Lodegar was, it is said, a bishop, and certainly there was a
Bishop Lydyeard. From this fact it was called Bisopestone.
Though the Normans deprived the place of its ancient name,
there is still a tything in the parish bearing this name. But
where is Shepton from in this case? Is it short for Bishop-
ston? We have found no spellings bearing out such a possi-
bility.

262

Shepton Beauchamp^ is Sceptona Skeptona in D.B., T.E.,
1297. A curious spelling in the Exchequer Lay Subsidies
(Edward III.) is Shepton Bealchamp. It is quite possible,
as has been previously suggested, with the known modifi-
cation of consonants, that seep is a form of the name Sceaft.
Scaeftwine is a known Saxon name, easily corrupted to
Sceptone. This would certainly account for the several
names better than the idea that they were great emporiums
for sheep. For were they so at this early period? Sceaft-
wine was a great saxon landlord. In Pipe Rolls of the
time of Richard I. (1196 Escheats) include Stoke, Merston,
and Babcary, lands of Robert Beauchamp, son of the first
Robert, and in 1251 the son of the second Robert died
" seized " of the manors of Stoke, Merston, Shepstone, and
Hache. The first mention of the Beauchamp family in
connection with Somerset is in 1002, when Robert
Beauchamp, possibly the son of Robert Fitzlvo, of D.B.,
witnesses to a charter by which Ansger Brito gave his land
of Prestitone to the Priory of Bermundsey Abbey, Surrey.

In Creech St. Michael is Sheepham Moor. This may be
the " sheep pasture " or " Sceaft-ham." Shepton Bokeland,
or a part of it, is also called Shepton Mallet.

Sock Dennis is a delightfully mysterious name, and beside
it is also called Sock Malerbie,^ and in Mudford there is
Olddesock (1342), also called Mudford Soc, later companion
manor to Woodford Terry, which is Old Sock. This Old
Sok is the same as Sok Malerbe. The Domesday spellings
are Socca and Soca, alias Soche, and the Saxon owner is,
oddly enough, Tochi or Stochi. Tochi is, no doubt, the
Wessex name Toke. The word soke, soc, in such names
as Soc-burn, Soc-lege (Suckley) preserve the memory of an
ancient form of tenure. A soc is a " franchise," i.e., land
held by socage. It also has an interesting allusion to
the possession of the power, confined within certain pre-

'For numerous notices of the Beauchamp family, S.A.S. Proceedings, XXVII.,
ii. , 20 ; Barony of Beauchamp ; also the interesting notes of the Rev.
S. H. Bates-Harbin in Gerard's Particular History of the County of
Somerset, S.R.S., vol. xv. ^Called by Gerard "now Socke and Bealy,"
ibid., p. 207.

263

cincts, of hearing suits and administering justice. Socu is
" seeking into," and sacu is A.S., a lawsuit or inquiry. The
verb is sacan, to contend. The derivative word, "be-
seech," has thus a sidelight cast on it. Socage is a certain
service of a tenant other than knight's service.

The name Soc Denneis occurs as early as 1256, 1278-9.
" Release in Brudenwere, in the manor of Sok Denis."
" Grant of seisin in the manor of Sook Denys," 1389. " Seal
of John de Berkeley, or Bercley, of Sockes Denys Manor,"
1389. On the other hand, in 1175-1189, the manor of Soc
is confirmed to Richard, bishop of Winchester, and in 1216-
1272, " grant for taxes in the church of St. John Baptist
of Sok." Hence the name Denis is late thirteenth century.

With this name Denis may be connected Seavington
Denis. In, i.e., Edward IV. 's reign there are receivers' and
wardens' accounts for Sevenhampton Denis and Denys
(Seofonamtona). The name Deneys occurs as early as the
12th century as the name of the holder of Edgborough, and
Mr. Healey mentions that in 1260 John le Deneys and
Robert le Deneys met at Roger de Cokerny's tavern in
Dovery. Denise is a name occurring in Bede, Denises
burna. As a matter of hagiology, Denis is, as in " Denis-
burn," a shortened form of Dionysius, the Saint. The per-
sonal name is, however, usually derived from Dane, Le
Denis, the Dane.^ A Denis came into possession of Soc in
the 13th and of Seavington in the 14th centuries. Any par-
ticulars of the families we know not. As there is also
Seavington Abbas, it may just be mentioned that abbas arises
from the possession by the abbot of Adelinensia, or Athelney.

Sutton Bingham, or Sutton Calvel. These Suttons are,
of course, Sutona, or south towns, generally south of the place
near to one which is more important, or of which they were
manorially or ecclesiastically a part. It was convenient to
designate them by points of the compass or as New-tons.
The Norton to Sutton Bingham appears to be Norton-

'" King John having wrested out of ye citizens exchanged it with William ye
Dane for ye parke of Petherton," ibid. William the Dane is William
Dacus. Bealy might be shortened from the Saxon Bealdthun, but it is
probably a curious corruption of Malerbie.

264

sub-Hamdon. A previous name was Sutton Calvel.
Roger Arundel was Domesday tenant, and his tenant
was Roger Boisellus, who is also identified with Roger
Calvus. In 1162, time of Henry II., there was a Robert
Calvel. Calvus may be a latinised form of this (or a nick-
name "bald"), and Calvel is very likely to be the A.S.
name Caefel, which again appears in North Petherton, as
Clavels-hay, a hamlet, and obsolete. This became Classy,
Clawsey, and Classway, absolutely uninterpretable until
tracked down. Caefel is called Clavel, easily in popular
pronunciation. It changed to Sutton Bingham not earlier
than the reign of Henry III., when William de Bingham, of
the family of Binghams, of Melcombe, Dorset, the founder
of the Melcombe branch, married Cecilia, daughter of
Geoffrey de Mandeville, and was by this marriage brought
into connection with the county and this place.^ Bing may
be a shortened form of Binning, a patronymic of Binna.
Bing-ham is itself a place-name, become a family name. It
is true that bing is a Scandinavian word, meaning a " heap
of corn," and so by a twist, if the vowel be short in ham,
Bingham means a corn-field. There is a Bingham in Notts,
Bing- Weston in Salop, Bingley in Yorks. Binns is a frequent
name, and to the personal name the place-names are
traceable.

Sutton Mallet is a chapelry in Shepton Mallett, and Sutton
Montis is short for Sutton Montacute, found in Shepton
Montacute. It is also called Sutton Montague and Sutton
Montaigne, and is mentioned in D.B. as Sutuna only. Sutton
Abbas (of Athelney) is now Long Sutton.

Stanton Drew, Stanton Prior. The number of Stantons
in the land is immense, as any gazetteer will show. We do
not feel confident that they are all from stony places. Cer-
tainly not all from characteristic ancient remains called
Druidical. Stanton Drew may be unique among them in
this respect. That some of them are disguised forms of per-
sonal names we feel convinced. Now, among the thanes
of Edward Confessor, Taini Regis Edwardi, A.D. 1086, the

'John de Bingham lived in the reign of Henry I.

265

name Estan occurs. One Estan was owner of Ratdeflet,
now Radlet, in Spaxton ; of Toches-willa, now " Tucks "-
well— remember Friar Tuck in " Ivanhoe "—and of Otram-
metona, now Otterhampton. And Estan is a frequent and
very ancient Saxon name, surviving now as Easton, which
denizons of a village will call Eason — i.e., with the two
first vowels long. Many of these names are, as authority
tells us, themselves shortened forms of names, and Estan
appears as Ealhstan — accounting for the long vowels — and
Ealhstan is possibly shortened from Athelstane. The proof
is that the same person is referred to by those several names
in authorities. Easton is sometimes Heahstan. Ealstan
was the name of Alfred's fighting bishop of Sherbourne.
There are other examples of shortened names, as Atilton
for Adel or Athel-ton; Ling, near Athelney, is clipped up
from Erlengen, though usually taken to be from
Atheling; Telm is short for Adhelm, and flourish as
Great Elm and Little Elm. These are near Frome, and
we have to remember that Adhelm, Aldhelm, Atelm, founded
S. John of Frome. These are suggestions which are not
without corroborations and account further for the extra-
ordinary fact that Aldhelm and Athelstan — names closely
associated with Somerset — seem otherwise to have left no
traces of their presence even in those localities where they
might fairly be expected. In the fourteen or fifteen cases
in which there occur Estana, Estona, Estan-tona, Stana,
and Stantona, and in one case Esta(n)wella (Stawell), it is
not easy to determine, in some cases, whether the Saxon
scribes, as is most natural, meant the personal name Eston,
or a point of the compass. East-ton, or the Norman euphonic
vowel before two hard consonants. As a rule, when spelt
Estona, it is a point of the compass, as in those cases of
manors in Estona, Batheaston, to which Westona corres-
ponds, and this is possibly the case with Easton, balanced
by Weston-in-Gordano.^ This may well be, but in the 12th
century, if the identification is correct, this Easton would ap-
pear to be an extraordinary instance of the shortening of a

^Somerset Pleas, Thirteenth Century. S.R.S., vol. xi.

266

name beyond recognition. It is Agelineston, and Egelingeston.
In the Domesday account this is Ascelin's-ton. Ascelin was
under tenant of Weston-in-Gordano. Whatever this is, Ege-
lings-ton is near Tiche-ham (Tichen-ham). Whereas Estana,
called Stone Farm, in Mudford; Estan-tona, Stanton Drew;
Stana in Hutton, (E) Stan-tona, Stanton Prior, and Stantuna
(Estan-tona, modern White Stanton), Stawell, Estan-weila,i
the personal name so well known may be at the base. It is con-
fessedly difficult to account for the name stone-town in many
cases by any appeal to the local characteristics, past or
present, and it is obvious that the explanations of this kind
thus attempted go astray. In the vicinity of Stanton Prior,
Adelstan, the king, gave land in Presti-tona to the prior
of Bath in 931. And that Estan-tona was king's land
later is clear from the fact that there was a grant of land by
King Eadgar to Aescwig, abbot of St. Peter's, Bath,
965. Aescwig is, no doubt, the modern personal name
Eastwick, and not a wick at all in the sense of a hamlet.
Stanton Wick is a part and tything of Stanton Drew. From
this possession of the priory is derived the name Stanton
Prior. Its earliest clear use is quite late, as it is not so
called in the Nomina Villarum. — that is, late fourteenth
century.

Stanton Drew, on the other hand, is so called in 1297
(T.E.) Stanton Dru. In the Bath Chartulary it is Standondru,
which looks like Stone-Dundry. And this is spelt Dundray
and Dendray, all probably freaks of spelling. " The Young
Dru " was the name of Drugo de Montacute. It is a personal
name which we may trace back. In 12th Edward III. (1339)
Walter Dru is said to hold a knight's fee in Stanton. In 1248
Alice, who was the wife of Drogo de Stanton, was " tenant " in
a cause for three " fertings " of land in Stantonerwick. In what
way Drogo first became connected with Stanton does not ap-
pear, but Collinson vaguely says Geoffrey de Stanton bore the
appelation of Drogo, and gave the place his name by way
of distinction. It does not need again to be pointed out
how evanescent the " g " sound is. Drogo is probably the

^This is probably the " Stone Well.'

267

old German Trago, derived by Forstenman from a Gothic
root meaning " to run," which assumed the forms Tray,
Drage, and possibly accounts for such a place-name as Dray-
ton, as well as Stanton Drew. There are nine Draycotts and
a score of Draytons tolerably well known, and several Drew-
tons and Dreggs. A Bristol family of Drew remained con-
nected with the neighbourhood so far on as the reign of
Henry VIII., for the dissolved religious house at Barrow
Gurney (1536), the house and demesne lands of the Priory
were granted to John Drew, of Bristol. If Drew were the
original name from dreagh, an oak, and referred to the
druidical remains, earlier indications of the use of the name
would be found than the 12th and 13th centuries. In the
county of Devon there is a Teignton Drews, where, curiously
enough, there is a cromlech on the Shelstone estate, a flat
altar-like stone, mounted on stone legs, and a logan stone,
the latter, perhaps, artificial. Don-Cairn, in Breconshire,
is interpreted as the Druids-heap. In the light of the
numerous other place-names, it is the personal name Drew,
Trew, as in Trewern.

268

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Doubled Names (continued).
Stones and Stokes and other Names.

The place-names ending in stone are of special interest when
they have their origin in remarkable cromlechs, or in boundary
stones and stones of meeting. Where this is not the case
they are often the clipped forms of personal names. It must
not be forgotten that, philologically, the longer name is the
original form.

Whitstone Hundred appears clearly to be named from a
huge monolith. Beside this, the stones at Battlegore, near
Williton, are the few remains of a cromlech or dolmen. In
the little valley of Prestleigh, running up to the east, and
at the head of the valley on the north side and almost on
the sky-line, seven hundred feet above the sea level, is a lane
leading from Whitstone Farm, where stands a monolith four
and a half feet high and three and a half broad, square in
shape. This is the white-stone. It is of oolitic formation. Per-
haps it was the trysting place of the hundred. The possibility
of a landowner Wihtstan must not be forgotten.^ Bemstone,
near to Allerton, is in D.B. Bimastone. This appears to some
to be derived from the Saxon beam, which means a pillar,
originally a tree-stump. The Stone, Bemstone (D.B.
Stana) is known, but not that of Bulstone. The
reason of this latter is because it is a personal name,
Bollo's ton. Hore stones, as boundary stones, are fre-
quent. Hare means white or grey; haran or graegan, gray
stones. Stone (D.B. Stana) in East Pennard is probably from
the name of one of the thegns who held under the abbot of
Glastonbury, as may be Stane in Mudford; Stanbury^ is prob-

^The name Whetstone is found as an inscription on the headstone of a
picturesque farm house where the courts of the hundred of Abdich and
Bulstone used to be held. Gerard, p. 143. "Now called Stammery Hill.

269

ably the tun of Stanburh, a woman's name, between Beamin-
ster Down and Axminster, where an ancient British and Roman
road joins the Fosse-way at the latter place. The prefixes
Stoney Littleton (D.B. Liteltona), in Wellow; Stoney Stoke,
in Shepton Montague ; and Stoney Stratton, near Evercreech
(D.B., Stoca), are later additions. Littleton has not the prefix
in the Nomina Villarum of the 14th century. The numerous
Littletons needed distinguishing. Stoniland is in Cannington.
All of which describe physical characteristics. Houndstone,
Odcombe, is the personal name Hunstan, as found in Hun-
stanton in Norfolk.

Stokes are so very many that it was impossible they should
remain unmarked by affix or prefix. There are double
names distinguished as Stokes. Sometimes it is a saint as
Gregorestock, Greegoristoke (in the 16th century, chiefly in
Wilts), Gregory Stoke and now Stoke St. Gregory (two miles
from Athelney station). Stoke St. Mary (near Thorne
Falcon), and Stoke St. Michael (also called Stoke Lane).
The D.B. spelling is merely stoca and estoca. In the Lay
Subsidies, Edward IIL is Miglestoke — i.e., Michael Stoke.
There is no mystery about the meaning of stoke any more
than that of post. A stoke is presumably a stoc or stump
of a tree, just as post may indicate a place. So even in
Anglo-Saxon by a similar analogy a stoc meant a place, and
grew into usage as meaning a village or hamlet whether
stockaded or not. If stock meant a fixed storeplace, it is
little surprise if stock came to mean cattle. The ramifications
of meaning are no more surprising than the extraordinary
agility of the word post to express so many relations familiar
to us. St. Gregory is, we suppose, the 6th century Pope
Gregory the Great, about whom the pretty story, which is
like so many pretty stories bien trovato, if not authenticated,
of the British youths in the Roman slave market is told.
Miglestoke is also called Miglis-church. We may here find
the key to a puzzling local name in the parish of Brockley,
Midgehill. It is spelt Migel and Migle. This has, of course,
been interpreted as referring to the abundance of midges
and in other ways. This particular locality was the possession
of a church of an owner bearing the name of Migel or S.

270

Michael. Stoke Lane, the other name of Stoke Michael, is in
reality Stoke Land, either the village land or, it is said, from
the root with the longer vowel stoc, meaning the bole of a tree,
and so means wood-land. But we do not find this double root
in authorities. This is the meaning of Stocklan in Stockland
Bristol, called Stokeland and Stokelonde Gaunts from its con-
nection with the Hospitale Sancti Marci de Gaunt sive Byles-
wyke juxta Bristoliam.

Stoke Trister is said to be a vagrant form of D'Estre, or
Del Estre, so called from Richard del Estre, who in 1166
possessed the manor, as appears from the Liber Niger, as
holding Villa del Estre. William del Estre was a feofee of
the Comte de Moretain at Domesday, and it is thought
Richard was descended from him. In Domesday Book it is
Stoca only, and at present it is a mere mean hamlet with a
modern church. In the Pedes Finium, we find the name
Richard de Estre, under the date of 1220. In 1284
it is Tristerestok, and Stoke Tristres in Drokenford's
Register. In the Nomina Villarum it is spelt Tritestoke.
Trister has actually been explained by Ducange as meaning
" the place of tryst," or meeting for a hunt. In the parish
register of the 18th century it suffers the indignity of being
called Stoke-Fuster. Obviously the mark in the initial
consonant was intended to be the stroke of the second.
Our own opinion of this d'Estre is that it is, after
the usual silly fashion, a transmuted form of the Saxon name
Thrista — i.e., Trista — and the people preserved the name
when the would-be aristocrat disguised it. We still have
the English surname Trist. Otherwise the more probable
explanation is that Del Estre is merely a form of De Lestra
(i.e., Leicester), a tenant of the Count of Moretain at Bicken-
hall and Poyntington. But how does this account for the "t"
in Trister?

Names that are really double which have crushed into one
word are Stogumber and Stogursey, that is Stoke-Gummaer
and Stoke Courci. In 1243 and 1246 we find Stoke-Gumber,
and in 1257 Stoke Gomer, and in 1285 Stoke Gowmer. In 1291
(T.E.) it is Stokgommer. Its vagaries are delightful : Sock-
gumber, Stogomere, Stowgummer, and even Stoke Gunner,

271

in the Somerset Pleas. Gummaer^ is a personal name found
also as Gumbeorht and Gumburh. It may seen strange
that, probably, the local names Amers-ham, have all a
name Ambre, latinised to Ambrosius at their base. Ames-
bury was spelt Ambres-bury, the British form of it is
Ambrius, which was the name of a monk. An estate
in Stogumber held as a living was Ecclesia Sanctae Mariae
in Warverdines."^ Warverdine is a Saxon name, and that is
Waerweard. Waer is wary, and weard is guard. The end,
" ine," is shortened from the latinised form " inus."

Stogursey, or Stoke Courci, was so called in the 12th
century. In D.B. Estocha, it is Stok Curcy in T.E. 1297,
and in a charter grant of the manor of Stoke Curcy, 1241,
and Edward I., 1299, it is distinctively so called. But it was
even earlier. There was a William de Courci, who died
in 1176, great grandson of William de Faleise. John de Courci
was the conqueror of Ulster, and a soldier of fortune. He,
with his brother, Jordan de Courci, appears as a witness to a
grant by William de Courci to St. Andrew of Stoke, which
foundation, in days of Henry I., William de Faleise, the
Domesday owner, or his son, had bestowed on the abbey of
Lonlay, in Normandy. In the beginning of the reign of
Stephen, a Robert de Curci was chief butler to the Empress
Matilda, and founded Cannington Nunnery. The De Courceys
had a castle in Stoke, of which there are still some remains.
It becomes Stogursey in the 15th century, or a little earlier, in
documents.

Rodney Stoke, also called Stoke Rodney. In D.B. stocca;
in the T.E., 1291, it is Stokgifford. There is, of course, a
Gloucestershire Stoke Gifiord. The Giffords were not a
Norman baronial family. A Walter Gifard (made Earl of
Buckingham) held Maiden Bradley in time of Edward the
Confessor. This was Walter Gifard, son of Osborne de
Boleto, a relation of William the Conqueror.^ The name

'The origin of the Saxon name is guma or gumman, a man, and maer, distin-
guished, as in hrydguma, a bridegroom. This is the "goodman," or
"gumman," of the house in the parable, i.e., the lord or master.
Gummow is a common name in South Somerset now. ^Eyton identifies
Stokegomer with this church. Stokegomer itself does not occur in
Domesday. ^Hoare's Wiltshire, vol. i.

272

is Saxon, and appears to be originally Gifweard, Gifheard,,
also Giforth.i Gifweard becomes Gifard, and with the
aspirate Gifheard. This name is perhaps a pleasing in-
stance of a Saxon holding up his head in the flood of
Normans. It is an ancient name in the county of Somerset.
A Walter Giffard was one of the heroes of Hastings and a
Domesday commissioner. An Osbern Gifard is a tenant of
Canola — that is, Canola or Knowle (Bristol) in D.B. The
family was, however, widely spread. The "a" in Canola
is only the Norman way of easing the unpronounceable
consonants of which examples have more than once been
given. Knowles abound in Somerset, and some of them
are truly calvaries, hillocks shaped like a skull — " the place
of a skull," as that in Chew Magna. A Walterus Gift-
heard is a witness in 1086 to a charter giving Banwell to
the church of St. Andrew, Wells. In 1266 a Geoffrey Gif-
fard became chancellor of England and bishop of Worcester.
He was younger brother of a Walter Giffard who in 1264
was Bishop of Bath and Wells and in 1266 transferred to
York. He made Geoffrey canon of Wells and rector of
Mells. The name Stoke Giffard commenced in the thirteenth
century and lasted until the fifteenth, when it gave way to
Stoke Rodney. Rodney is a personal name. In the time
of Henry VIII. it was still Stoke Giffard, for the inhabitants
of Stoke Giffard brought an action against Sir John Rodney
in Star Chamber proceedings for enclosure of commons,
stopping of roads, and other high-handed proceedings of a
medisBval squire, or rather, lord of the manor, as the
" squire " is a modern product. The Rodneys were there,
but it is not until late in the 16th century that the name
begins to change. George Bridges Rodney was an admiral,
the " saviour of Jamaica," and the first Baron Rodney of
Rodney Stoke (November, 1792). The name appears there-
fore much later than most of this class. As to Rodney, this
is a Scandinavian name, Rhodni, meaning rhod, glory, and
" ni," young. The village named Road is from this per-
sonal name Hrod in all probability.

'See page 68.

273

Stoke Pero, also called Stoke Perry. — Stoke Pero is one
of the three parishes of the local doggerel :— "Culbone, Oare,
and Stoke Pero, Parishes three, no parson 'el go to." Pirou
Castle is near to Coutance and Carteret, three miles from
Lissay seawards. It is at the back of the sandhills, amid lonely
marshes. A small grey turret still remains. It was the watch-
tower of Pirou castle. The castle furnished a knight to the
army of covetous adventurers that conquered England. His
services were rewarded by the gift of the manor of Stoke
(D.B. Esthoca). The story is attractive. The name, however,
does not occur in Somerset D.B. There is really no evidence
when a family of this name settled at this particular Stoke.
There is an Alexander de Pirou, who made a grant to the
abbey of Athelney of a serf, " Frewin my rustic," with one fur-
long of land of the date 1174-1191.1 There is also evidence in
the assize roll that a Gilbert de Pirou was there in the time
of Edward I., and that Hugh Pyro was rector in the
days of Edward III. (1326). The name is variously
spelt — Piro, Pirow, Pirou, Pyrrhou, Pero. A family of
this name lived in Luccombe at Almsworthy. A Robert
de Piro held one knight's fee in Devon. It is just
possible that this name is native. It is the Anglo-Saxon word
Peru, a pear (the Latin pirum), found in our modern name
Perry. In an MS. Register of Abbots of Athelney a pear tree
is the mark of a boundary of Ham, near Bridgwater. "Ad
arborem jructuosum id est Perie." We have Perry Fitchet
and Perry Furneaux in Wembdon as names of manors, D.B,
Perri. Perriton is in D.B. Peri-ton. All traces of this name.
Perry Fitchet and Furneaux, are interesting. In 1335, Henry
III., "Manor of Purifitchet, part of the inheritance of Thomas
Fitchet." In the time of Edward III. (24) there are deeds
concerning Pirie, Purye, or Purifychet. It is Pury, or Pury-
fitchet, therefore, from the 13th century. In 1242 Little
Sutton in the hundred of Whitley belonged to William
Fitchett. There are also witnesses to the same grant to

'Extracts from the Register of the abbey of Athelney. Chartulary of
Athelney. S. R. S., vol. xiv., p. 135.

274

Athelney of an acre of meadow in Dunmere, a Hugh
Fichet of Spaxton, and a William Fichet of Merridge.
Fitchet is a dialectical Somerset word for a stoat or polecat.
It is therefore most likely in origin a nickname. Furneaux is
regarded by Bardsley^ a form of Furner, the " ovener," or
baker. There was a Sir Simon de Furneaux, lord of Kilve,
who died in 1328. The original name appears to be
Furnell. A person of this name held lands of the
bishop of London in Middlesex (1210). A footing
in the county of Somerset was obtained in the reign
of King John by marriage with a daughter of Robert Fitz-
William. De Furnell, De Salice, De Popham (the only one
who is not " de " is Fitchett) are co-witnesses frequently.
Dunwere is on the opposite side of the Parrett, and " Hamp,"
i.e., Hamme, and Dunwere is clearly the name of a river wear.
On the Tian (or Tone) three fisheries are given (1170)
to S. Athelwin of Athelynganye called Est-were, Mere-were,
another held by Janswine (Eanwine an 8th century name,
Janwin, probably origin of Jenning) and another called Hen-
gestwere.

Stocklinch Otters-ay, Stokelinch, is a compound name,
Stoke-linch. There is also Stoke-linch Magdalen, villes
about which Domesday is silent. Nor does T.E. help
us. We find Stoke-lynch Ostriter in the time of Edward
III. As " ay " or " ey," " ig," means an island, Otters-ey'
would seem to be simply and easily to be taken to mean
mean the otter's island. We need to find the otters. Collinson
derives it from a name which, as a search discovers, is men-
tioned in the Edwardian (1st) perambulation of the forest of
Neroche. Oter-schaw is the name of a wood of Isle Abbots
manor. In 1290 we find the name Simon le Ostricer, i.e.,
Simon the Falconer, and the spelling " Ostriter " points to
this derivation. Oter-schaw is probably a shortening of the
same name, " the Falconer's wood." An Ostricer (Ostrigier)
is a term of falconry generally limited to a keeper of goshawks
and tercels. It assumes the forms Ostringer, and in Shake-
speare Astringer. A modern personal name from this is

^ Our English Surnames, Bardsley ; Chatto and Windus.

275

Ostrich, so easily confused with the mighty bird. In Kirby's
Quest 14th Edward 1st, William le Ostricer, i.e., William le
Falconer, is said to have held the manor of Stocklinch Otter-
say of Alan Plukenett by the service of bringing up one
goshawk.

Stoke Abbots.— In the Lay Subsidies (Edward I.) we find
this Stoke in the hundred of Chew— and the abbot is the
abbot of Kynesham (i.e., Keynsham) — alongside Timsbury,
Glutton, Staweye, Norton Malreward (spelt Marleward), and
Norton Hauteville, Sutton Militis (now known as Knighton
Sutton) and Stok Militis. In the reign of Henry VIII., John
Seyntlo was seized of the manors of Stoke Abbot, Farne-
borrowe, Edingworth, and tenements in Stoke Bychen, and
also of the manor of Stoke Knight, that is Chew-Stoke and
the site of the priory of Worspring granted to John Seyntlo
by the king. Stoke Bychen was held of the Queen as of
the honour of Gloucester. Are Abbots Stoke and Knighton
Stoke part of Chew Stoke, like Beechen-Stoke, which has
been called Beauchamp Stoke by mistake? In D.B. Chew
Stoke is divided into five manors, and the name variously
spelt (without Chew) Stocca, Estoca, Stoche, Estochet, and
Stocket, and, as noted before, an obsolete manor name
Cilela.i Mr. Whale (Somerset Domesday) has a note point-
ing out the etymology, as he calls it, given in Somerset
Records. Bychenstoke juxta Chew, i.e., by the King's Stoke.
How it is the king's Stoke does not appear. " Thos. de
Barry holds half fee in Bychenstoke of John de Humfra-
ville. Lucas de Barry holds Stoke Militis. Bychenstoke
is then Stoke Militis, represented most likely by the modern
Stoke Villici." It is possible that this Bychen-stoke is
By-chew-stoke misread, and then we get a succession of
false deductions. It is Beechenstoke and then " Beau-
champ " Stoke, when, according to the competent
authority of Mr. Batten, there is no trace of any connec-
tion of the Beauchamp family with Chew Stoke. As
" Staweye " is mentioned, it is conjectured that this, too,
was of the " honour of Gloucester," and is not mentioned

'CoUinson identifies this Cilela with Cholwell in Temple Cloud.

276

in D.B., as Collinson, by a confusion with another of the
several " Staweyes " in the county, wrongly states and Mr.
Wood^ repeats.

Stoke-sub-Hamdon is also E. Stoke, IJ miles west of
Montacute. Above the village rises what is called Hamdon
Hill, at a height of 250 feet, celebrated for its Ham Hill
stone, a brownish yellow oolite. It is with the name we are
concerned. Ham-don is curious as it is not easily com-
pounded of either ham, a home, or hamme, low meadow
land. The clue seems to be given by the name John de
Elmedone,^ in which " R. Lovell, lord of Castel Cari, quits
claim to the prior and convent of Montacute, all right
in the manor of Tyntenhull and Estchinnok " (reign of
Edward II.). Also in the Lay Subsidies of Edward III. we
find, "Stok Suth Amel-don and Stoket or E. Stoke."
Ham-done is therefore a corruption, and abbreviation
of, a personal name, like Emborough, which is also spelt
Amel-bergh. This name is probably Hamelin de Cornubia,
a signatory of an early document relating to Hamedon. This
name becomes Hampden. It has been derived from Afon-
don, the hill-fort by the river. Stoke is two hundred feet
below the down.

Hambridge is also spelt Helm-bridge, this originating in a
personal name. Helm-don.

Thome Coffin and Thome Falcon, Thome S. Margaret,
Thome Farors, and Thome Prior. — ^The three first occur
in D.B. simply as Torna, and the first is only Thome
now. They were all in the ancient hundred of Givela.
Perhaps the word Coffin has been dropped as too lugu-
briously suggestive of the wrappings of the dead. But
in reality it is a most interesting old name. There
was a family of this name at Thorne in the 13th cen-
tury. In 1340 Sir Edmund Clyvedon presented to the
rectory of Thorne Coffin in succession to Robt. Coffin.
In 1348 a William Coffin presented. Emma Coffyn and
Isabella Coffyn held by inheritance from Sir Edmund

'Collections for a History of Chew Magna. ^Montacute Chariulary. S.A.S.
p. 212.

277

Clyvedon. The name spelt Cophin appears in Devon-
shire as early as 1166, in which county there is a
place-name Coffinswell. To those acquainted with the laws
of sound-shifting in dialectical changes it will be no matter
of surprise to consider it as the same name as Choppin,
the French Chopin, and that both names alike are derived
from the Saxon name Ceoping, the High German Coffinga
in Hesse Cassell, and is possibly traceable to the old High
German chuppa, Mid-Lat. cofea, or head-dress. Now, the
names of Caffo and Chepin both occur among the names
of Saxon thanes and owners in the days of Edward the
Confessor in the county of Somerset. Torna and Torneia
have been seriously explained as the " island of anger "
(" Thorney island ") by Leo.^ Torna is a personal name
whether originating in the plant, the thorn, or more prob-
ably from an ancient name, Thorwine or Thoran, boldness,
as suggested under Child-thorne. The double name originated
in the 14th cenury, and not much earlier.

Thome Falcon is Thorne Fagon in 1346. Thorne-faucon in
1363. D.B. is Torna. The addition Falcon appears in the
middle of the 13th century. The name is ancient as Fulco and
Folco. In the Somerset D.B. the name is latinised into Ful-
cuinus, holding a Norman sub-tenure of Bagewerra (now Badg-
worth). The name existed early in Lombardic proper
names, and Kluge, in his Etymologisches Worterbuch,
suggests that the old High German Falcho originated in
the Celtic (continental) name of the tribe of Volscae, or
Kelts. The army of the conqueror had many adventurers.
We know nothing of any family of Falkons, from which
we have the modern names of Faulkes, Vaux, Foulkes,
which sometimes drops down into the sly and short Fox.
Faulkland in Hemington is, of course, folk-land, and a de-
scriptive name becomes a personal name. There is another
Thorne, called Thorne Farors or Thorne in Castle Cary.
Farors is a form of Ferriers, noted elsewhere.

Wootton Courtenay, earlier Wootton Bassett, is in D.B.

^Treatise of the local Nomenclature of the Anglo-Saxons, by Professor Heinrich
Leo. Lond., 1852.

278

Ottona, and North Wootton, Utona. It thus appears that
Wootton is not wood-town,! but that the modern spelling is the
usual phenomenon of the insertion of the semi-vowel sound.
" Ut " and " Ott " are relics of the personal name Huda, which
appears also as Wada, Hudo, and Hudda. Hutton is very
probably Huda-ton. The distinctive name Courtenay is de-
rived from John de Courtenay. Philip Bassett gave it unto
John de Courtney in the time of Edward I. It was William de
Courtenay who founded the priory of Augustine monks to the
honour of St. Thomas (Becket) of Canterbury at Woodspring.
The additional name goes back therefore to the 13th century.
It is supposed that this William de Courtenay was the
grandson of one of Becket's assassins, Reginald Fitz Urse
and his last descendant. Camden gives this name as one
of those introduced from Normandy, Brittany, and other
parts of France in the 11th century. Among these are St.
Lo, S. Maure, Ferrers, Bonville, Dinant (now Dinham),
Balun, Valletort, Bluet, Bohun — all found in Somerset.
Dinham for Dinant is doubtful. We have to take into
account the numerous French settlements in subsequent his-
tory and the very many ambitious imitations of Norman
names. The superstition has not yet died out. A William
de Courtenay (1342-1396) was Archbishop of Canterbury, and
held prebends in Wells and Exeter cathedrals. It is at
least worthy of note that Stoke Courci, Wooton Courtenay,
and Worspring were connected together in one ownership
at or shortly after Domesday Survey.

Wake Dowlish, or Dowlish Wake, Dowlish in D.B.
Dovelis. The Wake occurs in Taxatio Eccl. as Dowlis
Wac. The spellings are Dolish, Dowlyschwake, East Dawlish,
Eastdowlische, Eshdovlisch, chiefly 16th century varieties.
Dowlysh is a river name ,of which other examples in the
Crawford charters. There is a Dowlis in Salop, on the
borders of Wales, and one in Devon, which is spelt Doe-lis.
We believe the ultimate origin is celtic, Dow and Doe
and Dee are forms of Tav and Dove, river names, and
"lys" or " llys," means sloping meadow land. The

'Though Gerard says, " which name is certainly took from wood."

279

super-added name is a family name. The family of Wakes
derive their ancestry from Hereward the Wake. There
were a family of Wakes at Dowlish early in the 12th cen-
tury. Lopen was farmed by John Wac at this date. Lopen
is La Penne, in which the " La," the Norman way of calling
places, has coalesced with Pen. Wac, of course, is derived
from Wac, watchful.

Wellisjord is in Longford Budville. The name Welisforda
is that of a manor of which the domesday tenant is Robert
de Odburvella. It was the manor of Wellisford of which
Robert was owner. The bridge over the Tone is called
Harford and Harpford. Langford is, of course, Langa-ford,
in which Langa is the personal name, or may possibly
be descriptive. Is it? There are numerous Langs and
Longs in personal names. Wellisford is Welhiford,
Wellhisc or Weallas-ford. The name Richard le Waleys,
the lord of Staweye, occurs in 1225. This Staweye is
merely a manor in the parish of Fivehead and not to be
confounded with Nether Stowey, Upper Stowey, or Stowey
jiixta Chew. This is the same name in Welis-ford. Le
Waleys is, I suppose, " the stranger." Wellhisc is a name
attested in 688, and earlier in 679, as a Wessex name.
Budville, which is a personal name, appears to have under-
gone some transformations. In 1568 there occurs the amus-
ing variant Longford Budfill. The form in 1070 is Botter-
ville, in a Walter de Botteville. This name is said to be
connected with the place-name Bouterville, in the canton
of St. Mere Eglise, Arrondissement de Valois. There is
a William Botteville as late as 2nd Henry V., and another
family of Boteville who came into England from France
in the reign of King John. This monarch sent for foreign
troops to aid him in his wars with his barons. It is at least
curious that the domesday tenant of, Welesforda is Robert
de Adburvila. He was a king's forester, and ousted the
Saxon forester of Edward the Confessor. Now stranger
transmutations of personal names have secured vogue than that
of Odburvilla into Budvilla. The schedule of the serjeantries
gives live estates, and the name is one of the finest speci-
mens of caprice we have met with. In the Inquisitio Gheldi

280

of 1084 is Robertus de Othburgivilla and Otburguilla, who
had three hides in Milverton, of which Longford was a part.
It is also spelt Auberville, and is the same family name
connected with Wellisford. It might possibly be the same
as Budville.

If we can find that grand old heathen Penda in the
name of the village of Pendomer because this redoubtable
king of Mercia may possibly have made a conquest of the
mere in that locality, we are delighted. Penda is an in-
teresting person. He was a determined old heathen when
all the kings about him were adopting the new religion of
Christianity. We admire dogged consistency and persistence
even when the cause is bad. We recognise the value of
staying power. By being the cause of the death of Oswald
of Northumbria in the seventh century this long-lived king
gave to Anglo-Saxon Christianity its first certified saint. He
is thus a picturesque figure. Alas ! this explanation which
has been given seems scarcely able to hold up its head in
the face of the other place-name we, who live in the county,
have heard of — that is Chilthorne Domer. It must there-
fore be Pen-domer, and not Penda-mere. We are not un-
familiar with the prefix Pen. It is ,we know, particularly
abundant in Wales as a prefix, as, for example, in such a
word as Pen-maen-mawr, the " end of the great rock," as
well as in the Cymric Cornwall. Pen means an end or a
head. Penselwood is the name of a Somerset village, and
its interpretation is, " the end of the sallow wood." The
E^-nglish Selwood is added on to the Celtic pen, which the
Domesday Norman inquisitors spelt Penna, just as they
wrote tona for ton or tun. Pennard, as a name, represents
two villages, namely. East and West Pennard, which is un-
adulterated Cymric. Across the Channel in Glamorgan-
shire is the well-known local appendix to Cardiff, Penarth.
It is a headland jutting out into the Bristol Channel, and as
" arth " means a bear, its meaning is said to be Bear-head,
from its shape; but as Ardd is pronounced Arth, it may
perhaps simply be " Land end." Pennard is " ploughland
end " — beyond was forest or swamp. There is a Pen-hill
on Mendip. Other examples may be easily accumulated.

281

CHAPTER XXIX.

Some Obsolete Double Names.

Cutcombe Mohun and Cutcombe Rawleigh. ^-The D.B.
spellings are Udecombe and Condecomb. Condecomb is the
name of the ancient hundred. In the T.E., 1297, it is Code-
comb; in Lay Subsidies of Edward III., Cutecombe; and in
1445 we find Codecomb Mohun. Condecombe is probably
a mis-reading of Coudecombe, and Udecombe seems to be
a Saxon interpretation of the Celtic, Coed-combe, that is
Wood-combe or vale. For Cutcombe was part of a great
forestal manor. There were 15,000 acres of wood intermixed
with pleasing plots of pasture. At the time of D.B.
the forestal manor belonged to William de Moione,
the first Norman Sherifi of Somerset, who held the
ancient forest of the Torre, Dunster, and sixty-seven
other manors. He dispossessed the thane Aluric. The
name Mohun was therefore early connected with Cut-
combe. Thomas Gerard of Trent says it was given
to one of the seven younger sons of ye Lord John
Moyne, and then it came to the family of Dodsham, and
then Pury or Puryman. John Mohun died in 1330. In the
time of Elizabeth there is mentioned in law actions the
" Manor of Cutcombe Rawleigh." There are two families
with names greatly alike, easy to be confused — Rawle and
Ralegh.^ Rawle is a name appearing in Dunster in the 18th
Henry VI. as Hiberniits taxed as an alien. 2. The names look
alike in origin from a philological point of view. According
to Gerard,^ the Raleys, Knights, took their name from
Raley in Devon. This latter dates earlier than the time of
Henry VIII., at least, since the Raleighs of Nettlecombe
(hence called Nettlecombe Raleigh), held of de Mohun, and

^Particular Description of the County of Somerset, p. 4. S.R.S., vol. xv.
'^History of Parts of South Somerset. Chadwick-Healey, p. 4, p. 22.
^Ibid., p. 25.

282

in that reign interest in " Old knolle and Berdesley " passed
to Sir John Trevelyan. The name Moun gave place to that
of Rawleigh in the 15th century, and neither name now
cleaves to the present place-name. It is, of course, possible
that Cut, Code, Coude represents the personal Saxon name
Cudda, as in other Somerset place-names. Cud-worth,
Cudda's farm, and elsewhere, Cuddes-don, Cuddington, Cud-
ham. There is a Cudworth in Yorkshire, where we scarcely
expect to find relics of Celtic, and, of course, Cudworth
(D.B., Cudeworda), in the hundred of South Petherton. This
is an indication that the personal name is at the base,
which, as in other cases, Cudeworda may represent Cuth-
heard or Cuthweard (Cuthred) as a compound personal name,
and " worda " is not for " worth." Nettlecombe is itself a
compound of a personal name with the descriptive " combe."
Nettle might easily be supposed to be the aggressive hedge
plant, whose sting is an ingenious instrument of torture
to the delicate cuticle. It is D.B. Netelcombe, and in
Edward III.'s reign Netelcombe; T.E.. 1297, Nettelcombe.
The A.S. is Netele and the Dutch Netele. The per-
sonal name is indicated also by Nettelcombe, a hamlet
in Dorset; a Nettleham in Lincolnshire, a Nettlstead in Nor-
folk, and Nettle-ton in Lincoln and Wilts. The personal
name de Nettelton occurs.^ The ultimate original of the
word may have indicated in the human bearer of the name
the characteristics which fixed it on the noli me tangere nettle
plant.

Almsworthy Blewitt. — Almsworthy is still found. It is in
Exford. This is identified with Edmondsworthy in D.B., in
which, in that case, Edmondsworthy is really a mis-reading for
Elmond. Almund, or Eahlmond, is a known name. In
1461 it is Almondesworth Blewitt. The Bloets or Blowetts
held several Domesday sub-tenures in the county, but this
is not one of them. It is a sign of the spread of the family.
Almond and Elmund are known Saxon names in which Al
or El is said to mean foreigner, and mund means protection.
This prefix has, therefore, nothing to do with any supposed

' Calendar of the Manuscripts of the Dean and Chapter of Wells (Index).

283

former custom of the distribution of alms. Almsford, found
as Ansford in the supplementary list of Kirby's Quest, 14th
century, and in 1291 as Almenesford and Almans-ford, while
in Kirby's Quest it is simply Alem, has precisely the same
explanation. It is Elmundsford or Eahlmundsford.

Chinnock Monachorum, or East Chinnock, also Middle
Chinnock, West Chinnock. — The Domesday spelling is
Cinioc. The consonant became doubled as early as 1174,
in the time of Richard II. This is found in a charter in the
Bodleian Library, in which the churches of Chynnock are
appropriated to the use of the priory of St. Peter de Monta-
cute. It was granted to the priory by the Earl of More-
taine; the others had different ownerships. In the Taxatio
Ecclesiastica (1297) it is Chynnok. The spelling Chernocke
in the 16th century is purely arbitrary. This connection
and its appropriation to the use of the priory of
St. Peter gave it the name Monachorum, which has
not been maintained as an abiding distinction, not
even as Monk's Chiniok. Cini is good Saxon. The
" i " ending is characteristic of Saxon, as "a" is of
gothic personal names. The prefix cyn, cin, kin, or cyn
means noble. The spellings are Chinnock, Chinnoc, Cynoc,
Cinnok, Cinnoc. The Welsh have a loan word, Ciniog,
meaning chief, principle. The explanation King's-oak is not
far away, save that Cini is a proper name. It is found in
compound names, as Cynulf, Cyneheard (Kennard), Cym-
bald (Kemball). Cini appears in modern names as Keen,
Kinney.

Churcheye Stathe is a local name in North Curry. Both
names indicate the presence of a stream. Church-eye is
Cerc-eige, ciric-ige, or the church island, the property of the
church. Eye or ige does not, we may repeat, necessarily
mean a patch of land surrounded by water, but is eloquent
of the presence of rich and lush meadows by the river-side.
So does stathe mean the bank of a streamlet, M. H. G.
stade, old Saxon stath, a bank of a river. The Aryan root
is sta, meaning a bank in the sense of solid ground on which
you step from off the liquid way. Modern German in this
sense prefers the word ufer, a bank of a river, found in

284

place-names as over, e.g., Northover, near Ilchester, and
one in Ditcheat, in Devon, and the like. In Somerset there
are other examples of words ending in over, Eastover, in
Bridgwater. Strodham is a local name in South Petherton,
derived from stathe and ham, low-lying meadow land on
the Parret.

Bradon Goviz, or Goose Bradon, is Gosebradone in Lay
Subsidies, 14th century. There are two distinct parishes.
South Bradon and Goose Bradon. Bradon at the time ot
Domesday was the name of a group of four manors. Of the
four, Bradon Ivans was N. Bradon. The name Ivaus is prob-
ably a form of Ivo, a known name. Nothing is known of
the family called Ivaus. Goosebradon is a part of Ham-
bridge. North Bradon is now a part of Isle Brewers and
south of Puckington. The present parish is called Bradon,
and the hamlet therein North Bradon. Bradon Goviz has
disappeared, like many another ancient dwelling-place,
" leaving no wreck behind." Gose Bradon is only called
Brada in D.B. Bredene is a manor of South Bradon in
Puckington, and Bretda is a part of North Bradon, also spelt
Bredde. Breda, too, is the name of a city in Brabant. The
widespread personal name Breda, formed in the modern
names Bread and Breading, and possibly Bord and Board, is
attested by such forms as Bredan-eia, the Domesday form
of Bradney in Broadlip ; Breda, i.e., Breda's island, in
Sussex, Bredgar (Breda's Court) in Kent, Bredon in Worces-
tershire, and Bred-hurst, Bredi-cot in the same county. Bray-
down in Wilts, Breads-all in Derbyshire and Breden-bury
in Herefordshire, and others. Bradfield, Broad Marston,
(or Marston Magna), Broadway, Bradford (intersected by
the Tone), Broadway (ancient old Roman road passed here),
and Broadwood are no doubt from the adjective broad. The
boundaries of Ham, now called Hamp, occupying the
southern portion of the parish of Bridgwater, west of the
River Parrett, has a stream called Braden-flot. Another
watery place is Swanmore, and a muddy river called Hollow-
brook, which is a name found in many parishes, as in Chew
Magna, and a dyke called Candel-dick. This Braden is prob-
ably the word broad. Goviz has been shortened to Gose,

285

as in Barreys Goseford. Of Goviz we know that a family
of this name, as appears from sundry deeds, resided there.
The pronunciation is an indication that this is the Norman
name Gousse, of Prankish origin, of the ancient form Gauzo,
and Goz is a Saxon name, discoverable, though not frequent.
Barry Gosseford (Goseford), in Odcombe, time of Edward I.,
is no doubt the same name. Barry is a personal name. " At
Kingsdowne lived, in Henry II. 's time, a family of Knights
sirnamed de Guiuiz and de Guuits, after de Gouis," according
to Gerard.^ The family of Barry is found in the 14th cen-
tury, John in connection with Lenge,^ and John and William
in connection with Cory Mallett by Gerard.

Simons Barrow, on the Blackdown Hills, and Simonsbath,
in Exmoor. — These are both relics of the A.S. Sigimund, on
which sig, modern German sieg, means victory, and mund
protection. This particular Sigimund was Sigimund the
Waelsing, as is said. Sigimund has become Sigmund,
Simund, Simmons, and finally Simon's.

Knolleworth Skregham, now Knowle St. Giles. — In Kirby's
Quest this name occurs. In D.B. this is Chenola, i.e., Knoll
or Knowle. Chenolla is easily explicable. The Norman
could only feel shy in the presence of a collocation of con-
sonants unpronounceable by his unaccustomed organs of
speech, and he inserted a vowel, Ch(e)nolla, and added a
closing vowel. Knoll. Knowle, in Bristol, is Canola, and
Knowle in Shepton Montague is Chenolla. Knoll means a
hill, and yet one speaks of Knowle Hill. The name is
frequent, as in Long Sutton, Wookey, Bawdrip, Chew Magna,
and elsewhere. Skregham, as the further name added to
Knolle, is later. Screg is probably a form of the Scan-
dinavian sera or screg, a personal name. Sera or screg means
a sea-swallow, and may have originally been a viking's cog-
nisance. The name is, therefore, ancient, and is a survival
which has left but this one trace that we have so far discovered.

New Hitchings, near Witham, is Newhuchyn in 1458, and
New Huchons. This is the well-known name Hutchings,

^TTie Particular Description of the County of Somerset. S.R.S., vol. xv., p. 227.
''Register of Abbey of Athelney, S.R.S., vol. xiv., p. 161.

286

and the old German name, Howchin, is a Norfolk name,
Ecghun. A part of Northmoor under Lyng is called
Hitchings, and Henry de Erlegh granted to Athelney a
meadow called Muridones Leching, which extends from a
meadow called Flokesmede and Nordmore. Islands now
called Steep and Flat Holmes were anciently called Ecching.
There is an Eckington in Worcestershire. This is said to
be Celtic, narrow places, and a modern Welsh word is
Eching, a strait. Ecke is German for a corner. Ecching
as the name of the islands is probably Hecan-ige, Heca or
Ecca's island.

Winsford Rivers. — From Winsford the family name of
Rivers has been dropped. The ford is on the Exe. Wins-
ford, Winsham, and Winscombe have kept up the possessive
form, and are from the name Wine (friend), the ford, the
ham (meadow or home, according to the length of the
vowel), and the combe. The spellings Winchcombe and
Wintcombe are late and give no clue. Wynes-combe goes
back to Domesday, and is in a charter of 1340. The
double name, Wynesford Rivers Manor, is found in
1324. Of course. Rivers is latinised, in the comic fashion of
the day, to de Ripariis. The name is said to be from Riviere,
near Creulli, in the arondissement of Caen. A Richard de
Riviere held a barony in Dorset in 1086. In 1107 a de
Rivers was Earl of Devon. It seems that the Somerset
manor had this family ownership in the 12th century.^
Winsford Bosun is another manorial name. Bosun appears
to be the ancient name Bosa or Boso, already noted in
Bosan-tun (Bossington).

The manorial names in West Harptree are interesting, as
Harptree Tilly. A family of this name held the manor
in 1194 (Richard I.). According to the aristocratic account
the origin is from an illustrious Norman family, who took
their name from the castle and barony of Tilly, near Caen,
of which they were Castellans. At this date Henry de Tilly
of West Harptree, paid scutage. In Kirby's Quest a Tilly
held of Anselm de Gurnay (13th century), and a Johannes

'Escheats 7 Edw. I. Johannes Sipariis tenuit Hamlettum vocatum Winsford.

287

Tilli, in the Nomina Villanim, held Porteshevede (Portis-
head), and Johannes Tilli and Thomas Gurney in Est
Harptree.^ The family may have been Norman French.
The name is Scandinavian. Toli occurs in Somerset, D.B.,
as a thane of Edward the Confessor, holding at Shepton
Montague. The root is Til (Dil), meaning good. It is the
old Norman Thilo, Dilli, Tilli. In French it is Tille, and
Italian Tilli. Dilke is a diminutive, and the family said to
be Danish. It occurs in numerous ancient compound names,
as Tilbeorht, Tilwine (Dillwyn), Tilfrith, which might easily
become Tilford. Tiley is a name in the neighbourhood now.
The name Tilly has thus lasted in West Harptree some
eight hundred years. The last of this name to hold the
manor was Lionel Tilly in 1476. There is a Theale (Dillo)
near Reading, and it is in the parish of Tile-hurst. Also a
Thelbridge in Devon, and a Thelwall (Tilwald) in Cheshire.

Harptree Gourney, now called the Prince's Manor, be-
cause it became, in the time of Edward III., part of the
Duchy of Cornwall confiscated to the Crown by Sir Thomas
de Gournay, who, with others, had the custody of Edward
II. in Berkeley Castle, and was accused of being accessory
to the murder. The family name Gourney occurs in other
Somerset place-names, as noted.^

Idstock Inverne. — Idstock is in Chilton Trinity. This is a
double disguise. The Domesday spelling is Ichetok. There
is also Ichestoke in Cannington hundred, spelt Hichestok in
Kirby's Quest, which is, I suppose, the same place. In the
16th century we read of a Percella possessionum Henrici Duels
Suffolc, i.e., Henry Duke of Suffolk, in Idestock Inverne.
Ichet was evidently pronounced hard, and we must divide the
syllables of the early spelling, Ichet-ocha. The name Icca
occurs in local names, Iccamora and Yccan-tun. The pro-
nunciation, however, more clearly points to icht and accha,
in which icht is eaht (Saxon), acht (German), and our eight
before it received its softened pronunciation. As illustra-
tion, there is Ight-ham in the county of Kent, and Ight-field

^S.R.S., vol. v., p. 70. ^Account of these interesting manors may be found
in Rutter.

288

in Shropshire, pointing to some division of the soil when
worked on the common field system. The " e " is the
Norman intrusion of a vowel to ease the pronunciation. Icht
ocha thus appears to be " eight oaks," like nine elms, when
the elms have disappeared. In the hamlet of Widcombe,
near West Harptree, is a spot, the " Nine elms," and the
trees are fast disappearing to stumps and remains. In such
names as Idstone in Berks and Idson, Itson, in Stogursy we
have spellings which show that these are such abbreviations
as would scarcely be guessed. The former is in full Edwyn's-
ton, and the latter in full Edelm's-ton with the spellings Edes-
tone, Edighston, Edistone, Edmes-ton, Edmys-ton, Eduston,
Edyston, and that Edelm itself is Ealdhelm, Aldhelm. In
Inverne, if the name is ancient, we may have an example
of the French form of the Celtic gwern, an elder tree, or
gwern, a swamp ; i.e., Verne. Also in gwerne or Wearne, as in
Wearn-wych. The spelling of Ichestoke, in Cannington
hundred, would lead us to think of the personal name,
Ycca or Hicca, found in very varied forms : Hig, Higgs,
Hicks, Hue, Ugo, Hug, Hogo (Hugo), and the root means
thought study. There is a local name Higgeshole, in Broom-
lield, and other local names with this root.

289

CHAPTER XXX.

Curiosities of Nomenclature.

Banwell ought scarcely to be regarded as subsumable under
such a heading. It is, however, a curiosity, in its way, as
capable of so many feasible, and at the same time attractive,
explanations. Thus Rutter in his book on North Somerset
explains it as a celtic word, " bann " deep and " gwelgi,"
the sea, meaning the deep sea, which, no doubt, once did
go over what is now Banwell. This is extremely unlikely,
and may even be regarded as far-fetched. And this because
names were not thus given as descriptive of what happened
a few milleniums ago, previously to the era when this rich
valley made its appearance above the stormy waves dashing
against the high cliffs that even now frown over the valley.
These very cliffs offer an explanation that strikes a mytho-
logical vein and excites our fancy. That is, Banwell may be
supposed to derive its name from this forest hill, the weald,
though this word may be pronounced rare in local names
in this county in the sense of woodland. The names widu
(wood), holt, and weald must be very ancient. Grimm, in
his mythology, treats of the holy woods of the Germanic
tribes, which no profane person dared to enter, where it was
impious to fell a tree or kill an animal. Bannan means to pro-
claim, and we have bann and ban, meaning outlawry or decree.
Such a wood was termed Bann-wald. The transition to Ban-
well would be extremely facile; and the name thus originat-
ing transferred to the "ville" that sprang up in the vale
below. A proclaimed forest crowned the hill. A cave with
an immense quantity of bones was discovered, many of which
(we read) repose in the museum at Taunton. From this it
has been asserted that it is the Bone vill or Bone-well. It
hardly seems likely that this fact, however early discovered
(and then re-discovered?), gave its name to the picturesque

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spot. Saxons were not so fanciful, even if they were super-
stitious, as certainly they were. Perhaps a doubt may even
cross our minds when an authority assures us that here is
or was a medicinal spring, good for the cure of "banes," or
diseases. Pity it should not be rediscovered and utilised.
The former prohibited wood might soon be covered with
numerous hydropathic establishments. And a terrible doubt
steals into our minds when we find it questionable whether
the word bane was, so early as this place-name arose, used
with the meaning of disease. The A.S. bane appears to mean
a murderer and death, rather than ailment that is curable.
Its meaning could thus only be the " death well " as early
as 1068. And this assumes that the latter component,
well, is what it seems, a spring, and not a corrupt form of
vill or ville. Sometimes this " well " — not derivable from
" quelle," a spring, which is a form first brought into vogue
in German by Martin Luther — is a form of the old German
" wila," a hamlet, modern German " weiler," with the same
meaning. It is further worth notice that there is mentioned
in D.B. as in or near Banwell a spot with the place-name
Pantes-Heda. Pantes is Celtic for a valley, and thus with
the Saxon addition it would mean head of the valley, and
Pantes-wila would similarly mean the hamlet in the vale,
which is also a Cymric and a Saxon compound. The spell-
ing " well " is so persistent that this is probably the true
ending and meaning. Barnevill, as a local place-name, is
doubtless the Saxon name Barnwulf and Barnulf, but
we can find no clue to this being the real origin of Ban-
well. Barnewell was a name of one of the abbots of
Muchelney. This would never have occurred to us but
for this existence of the name Pantes-heda, just as
Panis-ford is perhaps Pantes-ford, as earlier explained,
" the valley ford," which it emphatically is. Our ex-
planation of Banwell is Saxon prose. It is per-
chance a pity that those Saxons would fix their names on
their proud possessions. Now Beonna, Benna, Benno, and
Bean were amongst the commonest of Saxon names, and
thus it is very probable that Bean-wila, or Bean-well, if you
like to assume that a former Saxon owner gave his name to

291

the spring rather than the area. In D.B. the spelling is
Banuella. In the time of Richard II., Banewell, and then
later Benwell. In T.E. (1297) it is not valued, and so does
not appear. Because it was episcopal property? The spell-
ings from the Banuella of D.B. to Banwell of to-day have
varied but little. Already noted with the same name is
Binegar, which in Bishop Bowet's Register, 15th century, is
Benehangre. There is also Bincombe in Crewkerne, Benn's
Combe.

Backwell is absolutely mysterious in the Domesday form
as Bacoila. In 1297 it is Bacuella, and it has varied but little
since. In a thirteenth century Norman charter of Bath
Priory it is Bacuuil, that is Backwil, and as the Norman
spellings often have " o " for " u," these spellings Bacoila and
Bacwil are the same. They shut out the idea of a well and
leave us to deal with Bac-wil, or Bac-ul. There are variants in
wills, such as Bakewell and Backwall. Back-well might be
said to mean the ridge-well, from the word " back " mean-
ing a ridge, as, in the geological phrase, hogs-back. The church
stands on something like one. As the Normans hated the
aspirant after a vowel this may be Baga-hill. It might be
from Bacco, a personal name, and wila, a hamlet, as before
suggested for Banwell. The Domesday spelling irresistably
suggests to us a word that is a unit in itself, and the name
Bacola is such a name found in the 8th century. It is the
name of a Mercian abbot, and of others who were not abbots.
We meet the name Bacoise as the name of a tithing in con-
nection with Backwell. Bacoise is clearly the Norman name
Baieuse, Baicois, and Baieuse. The manor is divided into
two tythings called Sores and Bayouse, from the de Baiocis
and the de Baiose and the de Sore or Sores, two families of
distinction, to whom these marshes were granted more than
700 years ago by William Rufus on the death of the Bishop of
Coutance.^ This is written Baioc, to which the ending is
" ensis." We find John de Baioc. If the place-name originated
with this sub-tenure Bacoil is Baioc-hill. But the name seems
to be older, and the derivation from the name Bacul is the

'Riitter : Delineations of Somerset, p. 18.

292

most likely. Backwell is Baco, Baga-vill, or the full name,
Bacola, or Bacula (that is Bacul). Such explanations as Back
and well, that is " a well in the rear " of the hill, are evident
shifts. "Back o' hill" as an explanation of the Domesday
spelling Bacoila is undeniably futile.

Great Elm and Little Elm. Elm in D.B. is Telma and
Telwe. It is said that the Normans put a " t" before such
names, and that this accounts for such Domesday book forms
as Tetesberga and Tegesborough for the modern Edge-
borough. And, again, that this is a relic of the prefix aet or
at. Thus aet Elm becomes " Telm." So it is said the Nor-
mans put a " t " before such a name as Umbeli for Ubley,
which is spelt Tumbeli in Domesday Book. Collinson iden-
tifies Tumbeli with Tunley, and, etymologically judged, with-
out regard to the struggles to systematise the Domesday
estates into five hide or other units, Collinson seems to be
right. Tumbeli is a nasal spelling of Tunley. Telm appears
to us to be a shortened form not of "At Elm," but of the
personal Adhelm, Athelm, Atelm, as variously spelt. Of
parallel instances of such shortened names, in Herefordshire
Almley is traceable to the full name Agelnods lea, a solution
that no mere etymological skill could conjecture. There is
Elmworthy, in Dunster. The D.B. name Almar or Aelmar,
latinized to Almarus, occurs as a Saxon owner in the hun-
dred in which this place is situate. And Aelmar is shortened
from Aelfmaer. It was the name of bishops, priests, arch-
deacons, abbots, landowners, and " all sorts and conditions of
men." Elmworthy and Elworthy are shortened forms of per-
sonal names, the former of Aelfmaer, Aelmer, and then only
the stump left. Elm, the latter probably of Ethelweard. It
is in D.B. in fact, Elurda, and in the T.E. Elleworthy. Simi-
larly, "Telm" is, we conjecture, a relic of the Aldhelm who
was the founder of the monastery at Frome. In 1799 Strachey
says that some part of the old building " converted into tene-
ments for poor families may be discovered in that part of the
town called Lower Keyford." It was never inhabited by the
monks after the Danish depredations. That Great Elm and
Little Elm are relics of this great name is far more probable
than the explanation from big trees and little trees or the

it'

;';:

CI ,

293

prefix " at." We have already noted the extraordinary
fact that in the ordinary theories of etymological de-
rivation two great names, Aldhelm and Athelstane —
names closely associated with Somerset — have left no
traces in place-names. It seems to us that they have
in these much abbreviated and disguised forms. The
place-name Hilton might easily be said to mean hill-town, or,
dropping the aspirate, II or Isle ton, the town on the River
He. But, now, it is spelt in Domesday " Atilton." There is
no reason for the prefix " at." The place belonged to the
abbey of Athelingey, and is " Adelin-ton," became "Atil-
ton," and then cut down in the popular speech to Ilton and
the aspirant put in front, and so you get your utter disguise.
The names are mere fragments, like the ruins of the monas-
tery at Keyford and the abbey of Athelingey. At any rate,
this accounts for the Domesday spelling.

A further curiosity in the way of an abbreviated and thor-
oughly disguised name is that of Alston Maris, in Huntspil.
Mary, is, we suppose, the Virgin. The Domesday spelling of
Alston is Alesis-ton, and this is a form of Alsis-ton or Elsis-ton,
and this in turn is an abbreviation of Egelsige, which is a form
of Ethelsige and spelt Aelsi, Ailsi, Alsi. The Norman spell-
ing inserts the " e," Alesis. The name is (with a query as to
the identity) spelt in a bull of pope Alexander III. Athelston.^
This would easily become Alston, but the D.B. spelling is in
favour of the former. Aleston is a form favoured. Aethel
is a later form of Aegel, and the hermit of Athelney,
Egelwine, is usually called Athelwin, as the various
chartularies show. Though the derivation from Atheling-
ey, " the island of the nobles," is almost too sacro-
sanct to touch, yet Athelwin-ey, Athelin-ey, is easy,
and plausible, if not (as I am Inclined to think) probable. And
you may be excused for pausing in front of such names as
Elborough Hill, in Hutton, and Elbridge, in North Cadbury.
"Closes called Great and Little Elbridge" (1793). We do
not know the age of these names. It is certainly curious that
we read (1st March, 20th Edward IV.) : " Grant of manors

^Calendar of the MSS. of the Dean and Chapter of Wells, p. S34.

294

and lands to Sir Thomas Burgh and the reversion to John,
Bishop of Ely," tempting us to think that Elborough is Ely-
Burgh, from the double ownership. If the name is older,
then Elborough is probably for Ethelburh, a lady's name,
and, in fact, the name of Ina's Queen (722), and El-
bridge is only another form of the same name. Ethelburh
becomes Ethelbrig, and then Elbridge by abbreviation and
misapprehension. Alston Sutton, in Weare, is D.B., Alnodes-
tuna, that is, Aegelnothes tun or stan (stone), a later form of
Aethelnoth.

Edgborough is a further instance where a letter is supposed
to be capriciously prefixed by the Norman spellers, for in
D.B. it is diversely spelt Tetesberga and Tegisborough. Once
more there is the customary manuscript confusion of "t" and
"c," which explains this inconsistent variety of spelling. If
the identification with Edgborough is correct, as seems likely,
this form shows that Tecesborough is the original word. It
is odd that the names of the virgins to whom Aldhelm dedi-
cated his treatise, De Laudibus Virginitatis, were Tecla and
Hidburga. The latter is certainly Edgborough. The syllable
burga is the end of a personal name, not a " burg " or
" borough," and Tecesborough may be Teclaburh. Two
names of places adjunct may be confused. Edgborough is in
North Petherton.

Chiselborough is Ceosolburgon in D.B., and Ciselburgh in
1250. Cycelberge in a Wells " Mandate," 1341. There are
the names Chiselhurst, Chiswick, Chislett, and Chel-
stone, in West Buckland, which are usually derived
from Ceosil, a sandbank, as a physical characteristic.
Old German is " kisil," and modern " kiesel." Kieselstein
means flint. This is probably the root of the personal name,
Gisl. Gislburh is the name of a woman. Geisel is a hostage
in modern high German, but the original root is an old teu-
tonic word, and perhaps an old Saxon warrior name. Chisel-
hurst and Chis-wick are the hurst or wood and wick or hamel
of Gisel. Chislett, as a personal name, is the old name Gisla,
with the consonantal grip additions become Gislat. Chiswick
need not, however, be an abbreviation, but simply Giso, a
name of a Saxon bishop known in Somerset annals as the last

295

of the Saxon bishops, Giso's-wick or Giswig, as a personal
name.

Chelvey is another instance of the same kind of philological
phenomenon. The " ch " is a softening of an original form.
This is seen in the D.B. spelling, Calvica or Calviche. Now,
this is clearly the Saxon name Ceolwig. A Ceolwig was in
970 or thereabouts a provost of Bath. This name is
also spelt Ceolwi (i.e., Celvi or Chelvey) and Cilwi (or
Kilvi). How a place-name gets further softened is seen in
the record (Edward I. and II.) : " Robert de Aethona,
dominiis de Chauy, and Henricus, Rector Ecclesice de
Chaiivy," in which the consonant " 1 " disappears, after the
frankish fashion. It is at least interesting to note that in
the Black Forest there is a district called Calw, Calve, Calbe,
situate on an acclivity overlooking the River Nagold. In
the county of Cornwall the place-name Callington has the
Domesday spelling Calwe-ton, that is, Ceolwi-ton, and in a
note of boundaries in the forest of Mendip we have found
Calewe. Kilton, on the Somerset coast, is in D.B. Chilve-ton
(Ceol-wig-ton), and in Bath Chartulary Kalve-ton. Kilve is
spelt Cliva, which might be taken as a form of Cliff, but is in
reality Cilve, and of the same origin.

Kelston, on the slopes of the Avon, has the D.B. spelling
Kelweston, and a puzzle may easily arise to interpret " kel "
and " weston " as the West-town, when in reality it is Celwi,
namely, Celwig's ton. The spellings Keiston and Kenstone
appear to be mistakes as not answering to the prevailing type.
Clive is in 1315, Nomina Villarum, Culve and Culve-ton. A
close search may possibly find other instances of this widely-
spread name Ceolwig, which is doubtless the modern per-
sonal name Kelway, Calway, Callaway. There are Kilwys
in Cardigan and Killow in Yorkshire, no more derivable
from the gadhelic word kil, cil, a retreat, than Kilmersdon
in Somerset, cited by Isaac Taylor, is so derivable. Culver-
Hayes, in Castle Combe, " the castle field of the Gurneys,"
might be colva, the hazel tree, or, as usually taken from culfre,
a dove, on account of the presence of a pigeon-house. This
seems likely, and is the usual explanation.

Closworth is in D.B. spelt Cloueswurda, i.e., that is Cloues-

296

wrda or Clouesworth, which is Clowes-worth or Cloves-
worth. This is Ceolf's worth, or the name Ceolfweard. The
name Ceolf occurs frequently. Colfig is Ceolfwig. Cloves-
worth becomes Colf's-worth and Clos-worth easily. The
explanation of the name Cloford (D.B., Claford), with
later spellings exhibiting no great variety or change
(except Clatforda) may be compared.^ There are also
Colefords, one near Radstock and one near Stogumber,
and there is the Gloucestershire Coleford in the royal
forest of Dean, which are simply variants of Ceol-
frith, and have no more to do with coal and a ford than
Claford has to do with clay and ford ; albeit there is a certain
similitude, inasmuch as coal is found, but scarcely gave the
place the name in the Saxon epoch centuries before the coal-
pit became the fly-wheel of modern civilisation. Cloford, also
spelt Clover, is probably, like Clifiord, in Cannington and in
Beckington, also a form of this personal name, Ceolfrith. The
name underwent local developments. Of this fact of local
development there is abundant evidence.

Clewer, in Wedmore. It is Cluvere in the seventh century;
Clive-weare in D.B. ; Clyware in a forest perambulation of
the time of Edward I.; Cluor in a will of the late sixteenth
century. This is explained as the Cliff-weare. It is at the
steep sudden ending of the hill, which makes the name a suit-
able one. Lower down the Axe are Weare and Lower
Weare, and it has been pointed out that Badgeworth is in
D.B. spelling Bagewerre.^ We may note that when we have
a cliff name the designation does not cover merely the idea
of a rocky prominence — the cliff — but that, according to its
etymological meaning (A.S., Cleofdan, to split, to hollow
out), it also imports a cleft, a slope, or hollow. Thus, Hol-
jord glen is a Cleeve in the hills watered by a stream running
between banks of turf, and hence the place-name. Another
name is Partus de Radcliffe, on the river Axe, two and a
half miles from Axbridge. The red-cliffe is said to be ac-
counted for by the outcrop of red marl. As a curious example
of abbreviation, note that this place-name is pared down to

'See p. 69. "S.R.S., vol. vii., p. 61.

297

Reckly and Rackly ; and these names are in themselves quite
uninterpretable.

Hurcott is near Ilton. The spelling is Herdicott in the
time of Henry III. There are also other spellings. Hurcott
we may bring into comparison with the local names Her-
combe and Hurt-ham, near Chard. Hurcott is a transforma-
tion. In such forms as Hurd-cot, Herd-combe, and Hurdham
the "d" sound disappears, and, as so often happens at the close
of a syllable, is only left in the earlier spellings. Hurcott is not
the cot of Hur or Hurd or Heord (all names), but a corruption
of Haergod or Hargod, the old German name Heri-
gard. We have the modern personal name, Hargood.
Hurt-ham is Haerhama, and Herdcombe Haerthcyn (Heard-
cym (probably). The Somerset farmer's name of Hurford is
Haerdfrid.^ The less known local names thus throw light on
the origin of names, both place and personal. Hartcliffe,
Harclyve D.B., may neither be " hir " long nor " har " rough,
nor " hare," the four-footed creature, prefixed to describe the
cliff, but the Saxon name Haercylfa; but the most natural
explanation is the etymological division into Harclyve. The
spellings are Hareclive in 1148 and 1280. Hardene, in Kings-
done, is Hardwin.

Nunney is a delightful curiosity, as all who have studied the
name will allow. Starting with D.B. it is Nonin, with the
variation Nouin. This is probably a mis-reading of a letter
and a confusion between "n" and " u." But which is
original? William Moione held Nouin, displacing the usual
miserable Saxon, Colo, whom we should name Cole, and pro-
bably put a sibilant to complete and call him Coles. This
name existed when the Norman gentleman came from
Mohun, Mowne, which Leland calls "Mooun,"^ and Gerard
says that the first William (in Domesday) is written Moion, a
little place near St. Lo, in Brittany, with stout knights in
his train, a multitude, and is stated to have possessed no less
than sixty-five manors in Somerset. This is surely worth
bestriding a horse and weilding and flourishing a sword for.
We then wonder that so considerable a proprietor has to all

'Sec Chapter on Fords. ^The personal name "Moon" is frequent enough in
Somerset.

298

appearances left so little mark in the place-names. We have
looked for this Mohun under quaint disguises without suc-
cess, unless this is one Nouin for Moion. Dunster was his
castle. William de Moion built this castle. He was in
the train of William the Conqueror. Probably the
number of his manors is exaggerated. Cutcombe Mohun
has already been mentioned. In T.E. the spelling is
Nony, and it is Nunye and Nunney later. Nonin is
a form of nonnen, A.S., nunne. But we are not hereby
compelled to think of nuns and a nunnery. Nonnus
in low Latin means father, and included and meant monks.
The history of the place shows at least a very probable con-
nection with Glastonbury Abbey. Glastonbury had " a claim
of the highest antiquity in Nunney." Collinson positively
says that it was called Nunney Glaston, as to a manorial por-
tion of it, in contradiction to Nunney de la Mare (a later
name). King Eldred, brother of King Edmund, granted to
the monks of Glastonbury part of two hides in this vill.
Some evidence of this lies in the fact that after the dissolu-
tion lands in Nunney and Trudoxhill (another remarkable
name) were granted to Queen Elizabeth among a number of
estates belonging to Glastonbury Abbey. The monastic con-
nection with Glastonbury was lost in the changes of owner-
ship this manor underwent. There was a presbyter, or priest,
named Spirtes, which assumed the form of Spiritus, spirit.
A Spirtes was a canon of Shrewsbury, and another was a
priest at Abingdon. Probably Spirtes is a disguise of the old
Saxon Domesday name Sprott, modern name Spratt, old
German sprutho, and Gothic sprauto (a " nimble person " in
names. Monks latinized this name of an ecclesiastic diversely
into Spiritus (spirit) and Speratus (hoped), no doubt as a good
joke. There is a curious story of his many possessions in
various (half-a-dozen) counties, and how Nigel, William the
Conqueror's doctor, somehow laid hold of this varied pro-
perty. Now this Spirtes held Nunney until the death of
Edward the Confessor, and after him the doctor Nigel; and
then at the Conquest the doctor was succeeded by the Nor-
man abbot of the abbey of St. Mary de Montebourg. But
in the Taxatio Ecclesiastica (1297) neither Glastonbury nor

299

Montebourg had any property here. The prior of Longleat
had. Certainly the place is entitled to the name Nunney from
its monastic connection, and there is a fair probability that
this is the origin of the name. There is an old German per-
sonal name Nunna and Nunn, which may account for it, as
some may be disposed to think. Nunne, too, was the name of
a woman, of a queen and abbess. In Kent is Nonin-ton;
Nunni-kirk in Westmoreland; Nonin-ton in Yorkshire; and
Nunheaton in Leicestershire. Nynehead might possibly be
similarly derived. We have Nynehead Monks or Monkton
and Nynehead Flory, already noted in double names, and
there is a " Nonington " in the parish of Wiveliscombe, whicft
Collinson calls Novington. This is spelt Nonen-ton, and is
probably ultimately derived from the personal name "Nunna."

Petherton is on the River Parrett. There are many places
that owe the origin of their names to the river name. Ancient
names of mountains and rivers are, as we have seen,
generally Celtic. We may gather these names, that seem to
be reminiscent of Parrett, into connection. North Petherton
is three miles south-west of Bridgwater, and South Petherton
is on the Parrett, which passes here under a stone bridge of
three arches, about which a curious story is told. Not our
business now. It is usually said that the names of these towns
are due to their situation on the Parrett, that is, the Pedred,
as it was called. The river name was, it is further asserted,
the name borrowed from Pedrida, King of the West Saxons,
mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. And so we sup-
pose, in that case, are the names. North Perrot, two miles
north-east of Crewkerne, near the source of the river; also
Petherham, in Cannington, which is bounded on the north
and east by the River Parrett. And there is Puriton, on the
Parrett, three miles and a half from Bridgwater, near to the
confluence of the estuary with the Bristol Channel.

Now if we look at the spellings, Petherton is Peretona (i.e.,
Peret-tona), and Peret-ton in the T.E. (1297) ; Perrot is D.B.
Peredt, and T.E. Peret; and Petherham is Perrede-ham, a
mere variety of Peret-ham. Now it is quite certain that the
Celtic original, if this be known, would by the Saxons suffer
modification in the direction of more grip and more con-

300

sonants, and it is equally certain, from so many examples,
that if Pedrida or Pethritha were the original — either from
the Saxon king, or as Mr. Ferguson, in his River Names of
Europe, connects the form of Pedreda with pi, to drink,
and does not call in the King of Wessex — then the Norman
masters would in all these documents tend to drop the un-
couth incumbrances. When did the modification set in?
Anyhow, Pedreda has not left its presence so likely felt any-
where as in Petherton and Petherham. On the authority of
a writer in the Transactions of the Somerset Archceological
Society^ the British name of the river was Perydon,
and this name occurs in a poem of the 7th century
by a Welsh bard. A translation of the poem is found
in an appendix to Thiery's Norman Conquest. Pery-
don is plural in form. It is not easy to say why this is so,
save that the name may have been applied to the Tone, the
Ivel, and the Parrett, "the united waters." The name has
also the meaning assigned to it as its origin, " a stream pos-
sessing some wonderful virtue — a Divine river." We do not
know the evidence on which this assertion is based. From
the ancient bard the couplet is quoted : —

"These is a dream of Peryddon,
That a long stronghold would rise on its border.'

If the form Pedrydon were sought for in Celtic (Welsh), then
it is said to mean " that which spreads in four directions."
On the continent of Europe we note that the late Felix
Dahn gives a fairly equal number to river names of really
Germanic and those of really Celtic derivation, and among
them the Virdo. This may be a related name. Peryd and
(V)Pir(i)d and Beryd or Bride and Brit are the same origin-
ally. Peret and Parret, preserved through so long and through
such varied history, are, we are persuaded, nearer the original
than the confusing Saxon corruptions or forms of it. Brit-
ford, in Wilts, may even be the " ford on the Brit," Brith,
Brit, Pirt, Peart. In Celtic Cornish, Brit is a characteristic
word to describe the glistening scales of the lissom trout
and the movements of the dapper water wagtail. The name

'Vol. V.

301

simply imports " the rippling stream." Mr. Edmonds, with-
out tracking the spellings, says, on the authority of the
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, " a river named from Pederida, King
of the West Saxons."

The following appeared in the Guardian^: — "It is gener-
ally supposed that the River Parret in Somerset takes
its name from the family name of Perret." The
writer found Fluvius Pareda in a very old Latin map,
and so he derives it from pareda, a barge, and says the natives
call it "the barge river." Dr. Hugh Norris^ commenting
on this, believes the word to be of Celtic origin and derives
from pared, a border, and says it was a border river form-
ing a boundary or division between the British and the
Saxon. He says that the Saxons adopting a word, placed
a " d " before a syllable commencing with " r," and thus
pared of the Celt became padred of the Saxon. As the
Norman spelling is for centuries Paret, I think this claim
of Celtic origin is correct, and the Normans would find this
spelling and pronunciation easier than Pedryd, which
curiously enough has been preserved in the place-name
Petherton, but not in the river-name Parrett. How Pared
comes to mean a barge I do not know. Pared means a
boundary wall and is not a river name, and would be, I
think, quite unique if so written.

In Debrett we have North and South Perrot thus accounted
for : " The Perrot family were of ancient British descent.
Edward, Lord of Perrot, married Alfwynia, granddaughter
of Alfred the Great, and had issue William, styled 'de
Perot,' from his castle in Armorica. His grandson returned
to England with the great William, and founded North and
South Perrot, in Somerset." The latter companion village
of South Perrot is in Dorset, and not Somerset. Perrot is
called Peredt in D.B., and Peret in T.E. The name Perrott is
a Somerset name. In Blagdon field-names occurs the personal
name Perrott. Whatever may be the truth of the above story
of a family in Armorica, the place-name is clearly from the

^The Guardian, Nov. 27, 1872. ^South Petherton in the Olden Time, by Hugh
Norris, 1913.

302

river-name, and it is possible that this ancient family of
British descent, bearing the British name of Pert, Peret, took
the name out with them, or, as the Armoricans were Celts,
found another there.

Besides these we have a group of names beginning with
Peri, as Periton and Puriton, in Bridgwater, and a hamlet-
name in Minehead. We have Crandon-cum-Puriton ; Perry
Mill, Perri Street, near Chard; Per-ridge and Pur-ridge,
Perry-more, in Drayton ; and the double names. Perry
Fitchett, in Wembdon, near Bridgwater {Pury, sub Wemb-
don) and Perry Furneaux are all simply spelt Peri in D.B.
Stoke Pirou is also called Stoke Perry. Per-ridge is probably
a corruption of a personal name, Bauderich, which becomes
Burh-rich, Pur-rich, and Perridge. The present form of that
name is Burridge as a frequent Somerset name. Perry and
Perry Fitchet and the like names show a similar interchange
of the labials. The name Perry no doubt, in some instances,
originates in the fruit-tree as a boundary. For in the Register
of the Abbot of Athelney a boundary mark is thus given
in arhorefn fructuosum id est Perie. This is at Ham, near
Bridgwater; but there is equally no doubt that a personal
name Bera, meaning a bear, may account for such per-
sonal names as Burman, Berry, Barratt, and possibly Perratt,
and Perrott, and also for the name Perry. Perry Fitchett
is probably, then, a double personal name in which Bera is a
bear and Fitchett means a stoat, accidentally brought together,
in a name, on account of an earlier and a later ownership. A
stoat was, perhaps, a viking cognizance or a by-name.
Fitchett was a name assumed by Hugh Mallett when his
father was in disgrace for plotting against Henry I. The
Fitchetts held in Spaxton, Merridge, and Stringston. Pury
Furneaux : The family of Furneaux, or Furnellis, according
to Gerard, were Lords of Kilve in the time of Edward III.
Most of the notices of them date from the 13th or 14th cen-
turies. The Fitchetts, too, of Stringston, are called a " noble
family," and a daughter of a Fitchett (Sir Hugh) married
Sir Mathew Furneaux. Pury is given, with the arms, by
Gerard as a personal name, which no doubt it was, namely.
Perry, Pury, Perrott, may be all from Bera. Perrott is the old

303

German Perratt (" rat," counsel and Ber). Now, if it be sup-
posed that Berat or Perratt was the name of a tribe settled along
the banks of the river, this, some might suggest, would account
for the river-name. Where absolute certainty cannot be gained
it is only fair to weigh all possibilities. The Celtic origin
of the river-name is the likeliest, as we think.

Wilkinthroop is a hamlet name in Horsington. This name
is extremely interesting, because it gives us the Somerset
form of the Scandinavian word for village, " thorpe," in place
of the more usual " ton." The way in which the dialectical
changes work is interesting to the student. The trans-
position, for instance, of the Anglo-Saxon drop or throp and
threp for dorp and dorf, which latter is German for a village,
and a frequent ending in German place-names. It is also
found as druf in such German place-names as Wils-druf and
Ohr-druf. The word thorp has as its original signification
an assembly, a connected number, and hence a village com-
munity and then a village. In Norman-French it is torb
or tourbe. In Welsh it is trev and tref. Now, tourb and
druf (the same as drub) clearly explain Thrubwell, in Nemp-
nett Thrubwell. It is locally called Drub-well. This is
absurdly explained to mean the throb-well, or intermittent
spring, or a kind of pool of Bethesda without any visiting
angel. Domesday Book gives many torps in Yorkshire;
Grisetorp, Hilgertorp, and we may note Wiflestorp, and re-
member Wiveliscombe, in Somerset. Aschil-torp has also
its parallel name in Somerset. Another instance of this dis-
guised thorpe is in Baga or Bakaterpe ; that is, Baga's thorpe.
This became Bagaterp, Bawdrip, and then, by the inter-
change of letters, Brodrip, and then Brodribb, and then, of
course, we are invited to accept the customary sort of ex-
planation. Sir Something Brodrib re-named the manor,
forgetful that the name of the place existed in the enigmatical
form before the Conquest. This also might explain Eastrip
(D.B., Eastropa), only Rippa was the Domesday tenant
under Turstin-Fitz-Rolf. Ripp is clearly a personal name.
Southarp, Southharp, in North Petherton, appears to be
another instance of thorpe, as certainly is the hamlet name,
Thrupe, in Cutcombe.

304

CHAPTER XXXI.

Curiosities of Nomenclature (continued).

Nempnett Thrubwell. — The meaning of the second name
of these two, commonly conjoined, has been dealt with.
Thrub-well is not an intermittent spring, but is a form of
thorpe. Thorpes are mostly found in Lincolnshire, Essex,
and Norfolk, but thorpes occur elsewhere in the forms
thrub, tourbe, dorf and trev in the several languages repre-
sented. Besides others mentioned, Thrupe and Thrupe
Marsh Farm are local names and cognate forms. Nempnett,
is, we must confess, one of the most elusive names in the
county of Somerset. The spellings are indeed remarkable.
Some later spellings are Nemett, Nemnet, Nempnett,
Nymet. It is an easy matter to follow the method of de-
composing this name and assigning a meaning to each com-
ponent. Nemp is thus said to be a form of Nym, and so,
probably, a contraction of Nehemiah.^ So Nempnett means
Nym's hut. And then, have we not Nymett Rowland and
Nyms-field in Gloucestershire, Nymton in Devon, and
Nymet? The place-names thus explained may or may not
be rightly interpreted. Only research can prove. Nemet is
Celtic for a grove, and this might satisfy as an explanation
were we not confronted by the fact that all the prevailing
forms of spelling preserve the labial sounds. We turn to
the popular pronunciation, and find that the people fre-
quently say Niblett. And we discover also that the hill is
called Knap Hill. Knap we know better in its form
of knob. As the name of a height or hill it is not
infrequent. Knapp Hill is, then, a tautology. We feel
inclined to connect the popular pronunciation with this
Knap or Cnap. Then, as we find that there is elsewhere a
local name Hnibban-leah extant, it is not unnatural to think

'Edmunds : Tiaces of History in Place-Names.

305

of one of the oldest names on record, that of Hnaf, written
in the Traveller's Song about the fifth century. Cniva
is the name of a Gothic king in the third century. The
termination is then hard to interpret, unless it is a cor-
ruption of lade, as in Cogload, Coglett, near Durstone, Long-
load, in Martock, Ship-lett, in Bleadon, meaning a course
or road. Or it might be the name Cnibla, and not
Cnibba. Niblett would perchance be Cnibla-head. We
are led to revise such speculations when we discover
the earliest spelling (1242) and find that Sir John
Bretasche (compare the name Breach Hill over against
Nempnett church), in his court of Trubbewell, decided that
the chaplain of Empnete is to swear fealty to the rector of
Compton (Martin) and that all the lords and ladies of
Compton are to visit the church of Empnete on the principal
feast days.^ Then we may at once connect this spelling with
a puzzling field name, miles distant away in Batheneston
(Batheston). We read, " Five acres in the field called
Empnete."2 The date is 1258. For Nempnett we have
no Domesday spelling. It is worthy of notice, too, that
Emborough is spelt Emne-berg and Empne-berg,^ then it
becomes Emme-berg and Emborough. It is natural to con-
nect these names. It is clear that there is a personal name
at the base of all. And this name may be found in the man's
name Impin, Ympa, as in Ympanleage, in Worcestershire.
Now, the old form of Impan or Ympan is Emp. From this
form Kemble inferred a tribal name, Impingas and
Empingas. These tribal names are mostly inferential. The
personal name is enough for us. This name accounts for
several place-names in Somerset. The curious personal
name Empey is found still. The root is problematically
traced to imp, as in " to imp," to feather. If these early
spellings be taken as the basis, then by a process of cor-
ruption in pronunciation, which may easily be understood,
and may be proved by trial, Empnete, or Empanead, will

^Calendar of Manuscripts of the Dean and Chapter of Wells, p. 485. '^Somerset
Fines, 47 Henry III., p. 199. ^Lay Subsidies of Edward III.

306

get spoken as N-emp-ete. It thus comes out as Empan's-et,
or Empa's headland, and the popular pronunciation must
thus be considered a further corruption. The Batheaston
field name shews that the personal name was not confined
to Nempnett.

Hallatrow, in High Littleton, is far from being easy of
decipherment. The D.B. spelling is Helgetreu. If this were
Helig-trev it would be the sallow or willow village as a
double Celtic word; or it might be pure Saxon, helig-treu,
or holy tree. Stone coffins have been discovered, indicating
the site of an ancient burial place. The Domesday spelling
will, of course, easily give the modern pronunciation of
Helye-treu, or Hallatrow. There is a dell called Hallow
or Hollow Lane, which may be a coincident name or merely
descriptive. In the examination of the history of the name
we are even led to believe that High Littleton may be a
thorough-going corrupt form, and that Hallatrow and High
Littleton have one origin. In the document in which the
church of this parish is made an appanage of the Priory of
Keynsham (11th century) the spelling is curiously Hegl-
hington or Heglo-litelton. Hugh Luttelton is only of value
as indicating a process of change. Helgetreu is Halghetre
in 1259.1 Halwell is spelt Halgawille in 1185.2 It is
clear that Halga is a personal name, which may account
for Hallatrow, High Litel-ton (or Halga Litelton), and
Hollow Lane. In the spelling Heglhing-ton we discover
this name Helga or Halga, and High Littleton may be a
complete disguise of the original form. There is the feminine
name Haligtryth or Haligtrud — of which the last consonant has
been softened to tru — and Haligtryt has become Hallatrow,
while High Littleton is the ton of Halga. This is spelt Hegling-
ton in the 14th century. High Littleton does not occur in
D.B., while Hallatrow does as the more important manor
place. Halging-ton for Halgan-ton as a genitive form be-
come by transposition of the consonants, Heglhinton. It
is also locally spelt Heghelitle-ton. These spellings certainly

^Calendar of Manuscripts of the Dean and Chapter of Wells, p. 144. ^Buckland
Chartidary, vol. xxv., S.R.S., p. 1S9.

307

connect by the personal name the local names Hallatrow and
High Littleton together.^ The personal name Hahlo is, I
believe, very rare, but it appears to be just this name Halga
or Halgo, i.e., Hala or Halo.

As illustrative of the manner in which ownership entered
into the names of places, we may instance four unusual
entries in the Somerset Domesday. It is said that this was
done for convenience of entry. The systematisers who seek
to identify, and succeed in identifying, the Domesday entries
with modern names and situations regard these particular
properties as unidentifiable; that is, they have not come
down to us with modern names and modern boundaries.
These are Terra Alwini, Terra Colgrini, Terra Olta, and
Terra Tedrici. The first three are in Cannington hundred,
and the last in Carhampton hundred. Olta has possibly
(Eyton, but not Collinson) as its modern name, Asholt,
on the Quantocks. The others are obsolete. In these we
have actual and irrefragable instances of personal names
affixed to properties and places which have not undergone
the wear and tear of much usage. Terra Alwini is clear
when Allensay (Allumsaye, Allunshay, Alvenshay, and
AUowenshay, for Alwines-hay) has taken on a series of dis-
guises. And Alwine itself is shortened from Aegelwine, the
name of the hermit of Athelney to whom (as one of the
saints) the monastery was dedicated.

Among the names which are of difficult interpretation,
and on which much ingenuity has been exercised, is that of
Horner. There is a village Horner. Horner is the name of
a stream. The village Horner, in the vale Horner, is " a
delightful combination of wood, mountain, and rill, every-
where full of charm." " The Horner water bubbles its way
through the valley to the sea." Horner has been comically
derived from an Anglo-Saxon word, meaning a snorer, on
account (it is supposed) of the noise the stream makes in its
rapid descent from the moorlands. Anothei derivation is
Celtic, that is, from Chwern-dur, meaning the whirling
waters. With this derivation may be compared the river-

'Hallatrow is now a hamlet of High Littleton.

U i

308

name Cern, as in Kernbridge, over the Wye, but as there are
rugged stones hereabouts in plenty, as we remember from
our botanising days, perhaps this is Cairn-bridge. Then there
are Cerne-abbas and Ceren-ceaster, now Cirencester, and the
Quern-ford, in the bounds of the forest of Blackmore, found
mentioned in Hutching's Dorset. Then, again, the Celtic
Aune, said to mean water, has also been suggested with con-
siderably more plausibility. This would easily in popular
speech become Horner. Now, the place-name Horner, in
Luckham, is in D.B. spelt Hernola in the Exeter, and the
trifling variant, Ernole, in the Exchequer or Great Domes-
day both. Once more we may note that the final vowel is a
mere euphonic ending. The word is Hernol. It is not difficult
to imagine this in popular pronunciation becoming Hernor by
confusion of the final consonant. We are not helped by any
mention in the Taxatio Ecclesiastica, or Kirby's Quest, with
its names of vills or manors. It is thought^ that Eyton's iden-
tification is wrong, and that Ernole, or Hernola, is the place
variously called Ouele Cnolle, Owleknolle, and Old Knoll,
held from the earliest times by the Mohuns as tenants in
chief. And Mr. Whale, we observe,^ identifies this with
Knowle, in Timberscombe. Hernol, however, and Ernole,
cannot easily be resolved into Ouele Cnolle. Moreover, the
spelling of Knowle in that document is Canola and ChenoUa.
It then becomes a difficult question what is the meaning of
"her" or " er." The truth seems to be that Hernol or
Ernol is not a compound word, but is an abbreviation of the
name Erenolt, which, again, is spelt Eerenald. This is the
same as Earnwald and Herenwald and Hernoldus. Ouel
Cnolle, on the other hand, appears to be the same as Hauel,
a form extant of the name Avil, in Dunster, curiously spelt
Avena in Domesday. The identification of disputed modern
names of ancient manors is not our present business. And
all we can say is that the mysterious name Horner, if Eyton's
identification is correct, has sprung from the personal name
Earnwald (Arnold), and possibly thus :— Earnwald or, with

^The History of Part of West Somerset. A. E. H. Chadwick-Healey, Sotheran
and Co., 1901. "Whale : Domesday of Somerset.

309

the aspirate, Hearnwald, is shortened to Ernald, a form ex-
tant, and Ernald or Hernald drops the final consonant, as in
many cases, and appears as Hernal or Hernol, the Domesday
form, and then Hernol is further corrupted in popular speech
to Hernor and Horner. Hernal (Earnwald) is a Saxon
owner, giving his name to the district he possesses, its vill,
and its stream. Ernald is, anyhow, the explanation of the
manorial name Hernol, if the further inferences cannot be
pronounced certain when a basis of identification is uncer-
tain. In 1153, in a Bath charter, occur the names Ernald de
Baalon, Rodbert de Hornai. The personal name Horner,
as a not uncommon surname, is derived from a trade of great
importance, the use of horn for drinking vessels, window-
panes, trumpets, horn-books, lanterns, John le Hornare.
Horner for Hernol may thus be an easier assimilation when
the meaning of the original name was lost sight of.
Despite this popular etymology from a trade, Horner as a
personal name is probably from Arnheri, become Harnor,
in which arn or em is an eagle and hari a warrior. In the
same parish of Luccombe is Harewood, which is a personal
name ; that is, Heordweard become Heorwood. And this is
the origin also of Norwood, in Horsington, and we need not
to call into requisition either har, an army, or hore, white, or
har, hare, or the four-footed hare, to account for the name.

Perhaps connected with the first component of the name
Earnweald is the place-name Earnshill, near the river Isle.
It is in Chori Rivell, and said to be now merely represented
by a farm. It is variously spelt in the Exeter Domesday
Ernesel, and in the Exchequer Domesday it is Erneshele, and
there is the spelling Erneshelt. In Kirby's Quest it is Herne-
shulle, in the hundred of Bolestone, and in the Nomina Vil-
larum Earnhulle. In the hundred of Wellow is Harnsrugg,
or ridge, probably the same name. The later spellings in the
17th and 18th centuries are Irnsill, Yearnsell, and Earnsille,
of an ancient parish in the ecclesiastical district of Hambridge.
The examples of spelling show us how easily a termination
may become hill, hull, holt, and assume various disguises —
a hill or a holt, according to fancy. Earn is writ large and
taken from a root mieaning the eagle, or earn, or hern, a horn,

310

or heron, the bird. In harmony with what has been said be-
fore, and the examples given, this ending hill may indeed be
simply a corruption of the river name Isle, and this indeed is
the more plausible, as vfell as the more direct explanation.
In a charter of Muchelney Priory,^ which may have a genuine
charter at the back of it, dating in the middle of the eighth
century, we find a boundary mark inter duo flumina Earn,
and Yle. Here Earn is a river name, and the two river
names coalesce into one word, Earnil, and then it gets variously
written. In Brittany there are two river names, the Elle and
the Isoie, precisely like our He and Isla. Kemper, which
reminds of the Scandinavian kumpr, and meaning a confluent
coalesces with Elle into one word, and is the origin of the
place-name Quimperle. Earnhill is precisely analogous.
Earn is still the personal name given to the river name unless
Earn is a corruption of ean, water.

On another remarkable name like Horner we may
pause with curiosity. If there is the Horner Water, there is
also the Quarme Water, which has its source in some wet
ground in Dunkery. Then we have this wonderful name
also in Quarum Kitnor and Beggar Quarm, both in Winsford.
Beside these we find Quarum Monceaux; a Quarum in
Frome, and North and South Quarum in Exton. In the
names given in those of vills in 1315 is the curious compound
Quarumbogg. At the same date Quarum Monceaux is
reversed in order, and written Monceaux Quarum. The
Domesday spelling of this strange word is Co-arma and
Carma. Co-arma seems to be an attempt to represent the
" kw " or " gw " sound, which is either a Prankish or a Celtic
form of spelling, as in Guillaume and Gwillym for William.
But possibly not, and as Cantok has become Quantock, or
Carma has become Kwarma, or Quarma and Quarum, Carma
is, then, a much disguised personal name for Garman, and
this represents the Saxon name Garmund, of which Jarman
is a present-day form. Quarumbogg seems to suggest a
doublet, in which, in that case, Quarum is still a much mis-
shapen form of gwern, a morass, which the Domesday spell-

^Chartulary of Muchelney Priory, S.R.S., p. 47.

31t

ing scarcely bears out. In the name Quariim Kitnor, the
Kitnor is an additional name derived from the Culbone
family known as de Kitenor. Of course, Kitnor is another
name for Culbone. Mr. Savage, who is a joint authority for
Somerset with the immortal Collinson, derives Kitenor from
cyta, a cavern, and ore, the sea-shore, and so ignores the
evidence of the spellings. Kitenor is derivable from the per-
sonal name Cydd, which we also have in the place-name
Kittisjord (Cydda's ford). Cydda is the modern name Keates.
Nore means narrowness, contraction, and is thus geographic-
ally applied to a narrow entrance or a defile, and is exactly
descriptive. Nore is the old High German " narwa." The
Domesday spelling is Chetenore, and other later spellings are
Cattenore, Chete-nor, Kyd-nore, Kette-nore, and Kitnor.
The name Culbone is later. This is the name that has sur-
vived, it is said, from a saint's name to whom the church is
dedicated. There was a hermit of the name of Ceolburn,
Colbeorn, Colberne (modern name Golbourne, place-name
Kilburn), in the reign of William the Second, and this gives
rise to the traditional name St. Culbone. Some part of the
church may be Saxon. The name Beggar Quarm occurs in
the Perambulation of the forest of Exmoor in the time of
Edward I., Villa de Beggar-Quarm and Villa de Quarmunces.
Obviously, Quarmunces is a funny compresison into one word
of the full name Quaurm Mounceaux, or Monceaux. The
latter name is said to be that of a Hampshire family of
Compton Monceaux, who probably held Mountsey Castle as
a part of their estate. Dru (Drogo) de Monceaux, in the
beginning of the twelfth century, married Edith, daughter of
Earl Warren, and the mysterious Gundreda, long believed to
have been William the Conqueror's daughter, who probably
(we read) belonged to this Hampshire house. There are
several communes of this name in Normandy, but those who
are experts in these matters opine that the one near Bayeuse
is the one meant. The name was more frequent in Yorkshire
and Lincoln. Hurst-Monceaux Castle, in Sussex, is well
known. Montcellis is the Domesday form, and William de
Munceaux was one of the principal tenants in Somerset of
Geoffrey de Mowbray, Bishop of Coustance, frequently called

312

Bishop of St. Lo. Mansel may be a relic of this name, a mere
hamlet name, in North Petherton, and there is a Hope
Mansell, near Ross, Herefordshire. It is a pleasant amphi-
theatre. The popular name in Somerset is Mountsey.
Mounts-ey is quite descriptive. This is how the people called
this stone rampart of a hill-fortress and this defence of the
approach to Exmoor — namely, Mouncey-Castle. Mouncey
is certainly a highland hill, and we suppose that there is more
than the evidence of the name for connecting the spot with
the great family mentioned. The meaning of Monceaux and
Mounc-ey would be the same. Mansel, as a personal name,
occurs in the Bath Lincoln's Inn Chartulary^ in the 12th cen-
tury. The personal name spelt Mancell, Mauncell, Maun-
sell, and Mansell is found in the Buckland Chartulary. Mr.
Bardsley^ derives the name from Maniciple, which was a
name of office, a caterer for a public institution ; and once
in a Bath Charter it is " le Mansell."

Beggar-Quarm brings to our minds such local names as
Beggar's Bush and the like already mentioned, and traced to
the personal name " Bega," " Baega," and " Begha." Bega
was the name of a Cumbrian saint of uncertain history, of an
Irish princess, and Begha (St. Bees) was an Irish virgin.
Beaga is in history a Saxon name. The form was common.
How these names can get twisted appears in such a form as
Lousy Bush. Bush is a copse or wood, and Lousy is, perhaps,
a lazy shortening of the name Malousel or Maloysel, Maloysa,
a name found repeatedly in the Muchelney Chartulary, where
Richard MaloyseP of Ilminster paid tax there. Also found
in the register of abbot of Athelney.

Danesbury, Dawes Castle, Dawesbury, Dinasborough (near
Nether Stowey). The hill is locally known as Dousborough.
It is the king of the hills in its neighbourhood, being nearly
1,100 feet above the sea-level. It is connected doubtfully with
the Danes, and then Dinasborough is considered to mean the
hill fort. In ancient documents it is Dawesborough, and the
explanation is advanced that it is a form of Dawns-berg or

'S.R.S., vol. vii., pt. 11, Nos. 21, 23, 24, and 46. ^Our English Surnames.
'Tax Roll, 1327.

313

Beacon-hill, which were called dauntrees.^ There is an un-
doubted camp here, which Collinson thinks is Roman, and
others, perhaps with more probability, Celtic. The author of
The Quantocks and their Associations, in an article, thinks that
Dansborough is a corruption of Howes-borough (we suppose
from the Domesday owner-name, William d'Ou), which,
however, he interprets as the hill fort. In a sixteenth century
will it appears to be Dawberia. Now Dauberia, Dousborough,
and Dawsebury are corrupt forms of the Saxon personal
name, Daegburt, that is, Daegbeorht. This in Prankish form
is Dagobert, and in low Saxon Day-bury or Daw-bury, and
the other forms are mis-readings and corruptions. This is
corroborated by the local name near Enmore, of Dawburgs-
combe, i.e., Daegbeorth's combe. The spellings Danesbury
and the like appear to be pure corruptions through mis-
readings or mis-spellings. There are earthworks on the sum-
mit which Mr. Page considers are Celtic in origin, and the
Danes certainly had nothing to do with it.

Endestone, in Henstridge, on the River Stour, may be fur-
ther noticed. It would seem to be most simply explained as
the End-stone, that is, a boundary mark, or End-town on the
bank of the river. There are large numbers of places to which
end forms a part, meaning limit. The spellings lead us to a
truer, more satisfactory, and more attractive explanation than
the possible earlier suggestion. As early as 1052 its spelling is
Eynes-ton, and the further spellings are Yan-stone and Yen-
stone, Yenson and Enson. Yenston is an Elizabethan form,
and Endiston appears in the 17th century. The persistence
of the half-vowel representative of the letter " g " may indicate
that the original word is not Henx, but Gean, Gen, Genny.
At the date mentioned there was an alien priory here, accord-
ing to Dugdale's Monasticon. It was a cell belonging to St.
Sevier in Normandy. It is not mentioned in Strachey's
Account oj Religious Houses in Somerset. Many of
these spots where priories and abbeys were founded had been
widely known, and acquired a sacrosanct character as the
abode of a saint or hermit. St. Cenuu was thus possibly a

^Exploration of Exmoor, p. 296. J. H. Page : Seeley & Co., 1893.

314

Somerset lady-hermit. The forms of this name of Cenue, a
daughter of Brychan, Prince of Brychiniog, are Genue,
Genny, as in Llan-genny. There is also a St. Gennys in
Cornwall on the coast, the ultimate confines of the Bristol
Channel. A farm name in or near Oare is called Yean-
worthy. This, too, is the name Gean or Genny. Enmoor is
not end-moor, but, as already pointed out, the Saxon Ani
(D.B., Animere), and there is a local name Inwood probably
of this origin. If any excuse is needed for examining hamlet
names, it is found in the fact that often they turn out the
most interesting from a historical or ethnological point of
view.

Another British hermit saint might possibly be found in St.
Wonna under the disguised place-name of Vanhampton, a
hamlet-name in Norton Fitzwarren. The vicar is the lord of
the manor of Wooney, and so Vanhampton might in full be
Woona-ham-ton. Woona was a Welsh saint. The form is,
however, more easily accounted for by the Saxon name
Wanhelm or Vanhelm. Wan occurs in many names with the
customary terminations Wanwulf, Wangeard, Wanfrith. The
manor of Wooney, however, still is reminiscent of the Welsh
saint St. Wonno, as in Wonna-stow, in Monmouthshire, and
Llan-wonno over the water in Glamorganshire. And Here-
fordshire has its St. Wonards. Wan, on the other hand, takes
us back possibly to the heathen god, for Wan-helm is ex-
plained as Wodenhelm as a personal name. Thus heathen
mythology and Celtic Christianity jostle one another in the
same geographical area of a Somerset hamlet. We are more
inclined to the ethnographical explanation of Wan or Wen as
a racial name, as, in fact, a Wend or Wendish name. There
is a Danish place-name Wan-by or Wand-by. And Wanstrow
may be Wanda's treow or tree. It is a border town at an
ancient forestal entrance.

Oare in the Exchequer D.B. is spelt Are, and in the Exeter
Ar. There is a confusion arising from the fact that Aller
(D.B., Alra), in the Somerset hundred, has got itself spelt
Aure. It is Ar in Kirby's Quest, Oar in Lay Subsidies
(Edward III.), and in the Exchequer Lay Subsidies we find
Ore and Yauer. These are the varieties. In a forestal

315

perambulation we read aquam quae vacatur Ore (the regis-
ters say Ere or Oare), " the water or stream named Ore."
It is thus a river name. The usual interpretation is that it is
from the Latin ora, a boundary, i.e., Oare, the shore. As a
Saxon loan word from the Latin it means a boundary. Ore,
Oare, Owr, and Ower, a border land. Oare in the Car-
hampton hundred (with which we are dealing) is situated in
a delightful valley between heather-clad hills, and three and
a half miles oway is Malmesmead — another existing and in-
teresting name — where the Oare water joins the Badgworthy
water. We are now in the Lorna Doone country on the
borders of Devon. According to the story it was in Oare
church where Lorna Doone was married and Carver Doone
shot the bride. Malmes-mead is worthy of note as reminding
us of Malmsbury with clearly the same derivation, that is in
full, Meald-helms mead. The word Mealdhelm is said to be
a compression of two personal names, Maeld-ulf and Aid-
helm, as the founders of Malms-bury. So unexpectedly and
in such out of the way corners do we meet with relics of long
forgotten names of ancient owners. The Oare water seems
to be a doublet, and Oare, Ar, are forms of Yair, Yare, as in
the river names Yare and Yarrow. Yare is, as is well-known,
widely spread as a river name. This explains the occurring
form just noted as Yauere. The root is Ar, iar. There is the
Yare in Norfolk (Yarmouth) and in the Isle of Wight. There
is a Yauer or Yauer-land in Hampshire. Clearly from the
record given in the middle ages it was known as a river name.

If Vanhampton, as above mentioned, is a disguised form of
the personal name Wanhelm, Bridgehampton, a tything of
Yeovilton, is similarly shaped out of the personal name
Burghelm. It is Burghelm-ton, a common name in the 10th
century. Curious corrupt varieties of spelling in the 16th and
17th centuries are Bridgeinton and Bridgehinton.

Bridgwater is not to be explained as the " Bridge over the
water," but either as the burh of Walter (that is, Walter de
Douai), or as the bridge of Walter. In D.B. it is Brugia,
spelt just the same as the Continental city of Bruges, and as a
matter of fact, the two places were often confused in docu-
ments, and there is abundant good evidence for the preference

316

of " brug," that is bridge, over burh. Spellings are Brigg-
walter in 1201 ; in the Taxatio Ecclesiastica, 1297, it is
Bruggewate and Bruggewaut, and plain Brug. In 1315 it is
Burgus de Bruggewate. In 1256 it is Brugewalt : " lands of
Sir Edward (that is, Edward I.), eldest son of the king, at
Bruge-walt." These we have noted, and other references are
numerous. For the conjecture of St. Bridget^ there is not
sufficient evidence. We may note in passing that Brushford
is D.B. Brigfort. This is explicable when it is recognised
that we have here changed and assimilated forms of Burgfrid
and Burgfrith, and that burg means protection, and frid peace
in the personal names.

It will be observed that Walther, that is, Walter, degen-
erates into the form Wate. As Walter is toned down from
its original form Waldhere, so Walter is again softened in
hasty speech to Wate. An example of this is found in the
local name in Frome, Whatcombe, the spelling of which, as
late as the 15th century (1419-1470) is Walt-combe. This is in
a legal conveyance found in British Museum charters.
Whatley is near Frome, and its origin may be the same
(D.B., Wate-leia), that is Walter's lea. A trace of this may
be found perchance in the Domesday, a sub-tenant of this
demesne of four hides under the abbot of Glastonbury,
whose name was Walter Hosatus. There is another Whatley
in Winsham (D.B., Watelega). This may be the same as
Wate-leia, but the variation in spelling makes us wonder
whether Wateleg is not the personal name Withleg, whose
modern forms are Whitelegg — the literal meaning of which is
ludicrous as accounting for a surname — and Whitlaw. The
etymological explanations are scarcely satisfying, which de-
duces both names from watel or wattle, or hurdle, and eia,
an island — the wattled-island, or place where withies grow,
or from wet lea, on account of the moist situation. Wheat-
hill, in the hundred of Whitley (live miles from Castle Gary),
is spelt in D.B. Watehella. In a charter purporting to have
the date 965, in a grant by king Edgar to Sigar of Glas-
tonbury it is Wet-hulle. Early in the 14th century and in the

'Pring : Traces of Celtic Church, in Somerset.

317

Court Rolls of Edward II. it is Wet-hulle and Wethulle, and
in the 17th century it is Wheat-hall and Wheat-hill indiffer-
ently. This might be Walter's hollow. Hell as a place-name
on earth is interesting. There are several about, and some
hell-bottoms. The ancient hundred of Whitley is dispread
through several modern hundreds, and there are many spots
so-called, as Whitley Batch, in or near Chelwood. These
are relics of names Wigtleg and Hwitlac (modern name
Wedlock !). Lac, lag, leg means law as a root-word.

Rodwater in Old Cleeve and Roadwater in North
Petherton, are forms of a personal name as Hrodbert
(Rodbard), Hrodgard, Hrodni, as in the name Rodney Stoke
(the appelation is modern, as already seen). Rod as a root
means glory, and Rodwater is Hrodwaldhere as its ultimate
explanation. Rodway, in Rodway Fitzpaine, is not the road-
way but Hrodwig (Rodwi). Rodden, near Frome (D.B.,
Reddena), Radene (1255), Raddon, Raden and Roydon in
16th century is, judging by the Domesday form, the name
Raddwin. Road is one side of Frome and Rodden on the
other. There is a local place-name Road in North Pether-
ton. Radehewis {Rodhuish) and Rodgrave, in Wincanton,
are similarly derived, and it would be quite possible that with
this prevalence of the name in the county Radstock is Hruad-
stoke from a personal name, only the prefix rad in this place-
name is not ancient. Grave means a demesne (Graf, a district).
The names Rowden and Rowdon, in Stogumber, occur. Road
is sometimes derived from Celtic rhywth, a clearing.

Watergore is in South Petherton. There are several Gores
in the county. Comparison may put us on the right scent.
When you see a name like this you look out for a tri-
angular piece of land, as is supposed erroneously in the dis-
trict name Gordano, or a triangular piece of water at low-
tide as in Battlegore, between Williton and Watchet. Gore,
too, is sometimes associated with a deed of blood, a murder,
an execution, or a battle. Battle is, however, A.S. and
German Buttel, a village, as in the German place-name
Lorbottle. These Gores are sometimes personal names or
remnants of personal names. We are not, of course, denying
that many names originate in the character of the localities.

318

but affirming that behind the place-name there is most fre-
quently a personal name as the source. Gore, for instance,
is from gar, a spear, as a personal name. Battle-gore would
thus be the Gore village. In the name at the head of this
section, Watergore, we may have a corruption of the name
Waddigar, Waddicar. Waddi is said to mean activity. And
it is likely that Battlegore is a corruption of an Anglo-Saxon
name, Beadhildcar, Badilcar; and then, a battle (we read on
the Ordnance Survey) was fought here. The names Bataile,
in Ilchester (Badhild, Bathild, Batil) and Batelberg occur in
the Feet of Finest

Waterlip, in East Cranmore, sounds much like the water-
leap or waterfall. Is it? Leixleip, a village at the falls of
the Lippy, is Lachs (a salmon), leap. On the other hand,
Dudleipen, in Germany, is Dudoc's inheritance (we have
seen this name Dudoc in Daddocks), because lip is the word
laib, which according to that great authority, Foerstenmann,
means inheritance. Here Walter, sometimes Wate, appears
as Water. It is then Walter's inheritance, but which Walter
does not readily appear.

Iwood, in Congresbury, is of possibly doubtful interpreta-
tion. In the Court Rolls of 1364 we find Inwood Bluet.
The Norman name has been dropped, though preserved in
HInton Blewitt. This Bluet goes back to the conquest, as
he held a sub-tenure for six and a half hides along with
Hugh Matravers (survives in the name Travis locally), but
Congresbury belonged in Saxon times to Haraldus Comes,
and then to the Conqueror. In Ywode Blwet the addition
must have been of a later possession. It is Ywode in the
13th century, for which bailiffs' accounts exist. The most
obvious interpretation is that here we have Saxon, meaning
a yew, and ude, that is, wood, and so it is the yew-wood.
Certainly, yews for bows were much in requisition and were
grown elsewhere than in the churchyard —

"Old yew that graspeth at the stones
Which name the underlying dead."

In Kent there is a name like it, Iwade. There is a creek

»Pages 96, 98. S. R. S. , vol. vi.

319

on one side and a stream on the other, and so it is explained
as compounded of ig, an island, and wade, a ford. Many
Saxon personal names are found in " i " and " y " as the
initial letter, and this, we think, is Iward, an extant name.
That initial vowel stands for an abbreviation, perhaps Hig,
as in Higbald. The aspirate is dropped, the " g " becomes
a half-vowel, Ibald. Thus Iward is from Higweard. In
Norman the aspirate would fall away and the " g " become
" y." Anyhow, it is a personal Saxon name, possibly dating
from the time when Harold Comes was overlord. Wimer-
ham is in the same parish, and the name is Wygmaer
originally, or Wigmaer.

Ball is a well-known name for a hill or prominence, and
this form occurs in such names as the Blue Bowl, the Green
Bowl, and there is an interesting instance in the Taxatio
Ecclesiastica (1297), of Cumok-bally, beside Cumok Decani,
evidently from its ecclesiastical connection. Now the modern
form of this place appears as Combwich. It is in the II-
chester deanery. In D.B. it is spelt Comich. Bally, in
Gadhelic (as in Irish names), means a village; Bal, in Celtic,
is a mine. Cumock standing alone might lead us to the
Welsh Cwmog, full of combes or vales. The place is, if the
identification is correct, of interest in the discussion, al-
ready noted as to the site of that battle of Ethandune, as
this is said to be Cynwit, the place of the skirmish mentioned
in the story. If so, the final consonant is a confusion with
the similarly-made letter in MSS., " c," and it should be
Cynwic. Possibly it is, and (in any case) Combwich is the
personal name Cynwig. Blue Bowl is a doublet. For Bowl
is ball, a hill, and blue is a corruption of belg, bellu (com-
pare the German balge with the same significance with the
primary idea of "swelling out"), and we have some idea
that Belluton, a local name in Pensford, spelt in Domesday
Book Belgetona, has the same origin, and is only fancifully
connected with the historic tribal name Belgae. Certainly
it answers to the description viewed from the railway as you
approached Pensford, passing over the viaduct. Green,
grein, in Green-ball, is, as in some other places where the
village green, or the colour of the grass is thought of, means
flinty soil.

320

Urgishay, in West Camel, is another remarkable name,
and is clearly related to another odd name, Urchinwood.

Urchinwood, in Congresbury, is not a "hay." Nor, for that
matter, is it a wood. Urgis, Urchin, and Urch, in Urchfont
(near Devizes) are the same personal name, namely,
Eorcon, pronounced Erchon, soft and not hard. Urgis-hay
is this name simply, Erchon's-hay. Urchinwood is a dis-
guised form of a double name known and extant as Eorcon-
weald. The shaping of this into Eorconuld, Eorconud, and
Eorconwood presents no difficulty. Urchin no doubt means
a hedgehog, which, however, is not a Saxon word, but a
French-Latin word. The Latin is ericius (the initial vowel
is long), the old French, irecon (with soft " c "), and in
the Norman dialect, herichon and herisson. The name
would thus be late and mean the hedgehog wood, and then,
naturally, we desire to know why? So very many hedge-
hogs? Eorcon as Saxon means a gem or pearl, and weald,
and wald, power rule, and thus the personal name is doubly
significant. This introduces us to the interesting name in
the Somerset Domesday Book of Erchenger, the Priest of
Cannington (1086), almoner of the King. Aluric presbyter
was displaced by or succeeded by Erchenger presbyter. He
was exempted as the holder of the glebe, the property of
Cannington Church, of two virgates, from charges. We
wonder if the present priest holds this glebe? It is, however,
not the glebe and its history but the name that has interested
us in this Erchen-" ger " ; and, in fact, the original turns out
to be Eorcongaer (gar means a spear). It is also written
Herchengar. Now write it Eorcongaer, and then is there
a possibility that Congresbury is short for Eorcongaer-
beorht? No doubt we find the simple personal name
Cunigar, which seems to be a quite simple solution. And is
the saint to which a Somerset church is dedicated St.
Erchenger (Eorcongaer)? These are questions that do not
affect the origin of Urgishay and Urchinwood as above given.
The different spellings of Congresbury are earlier given :
D.B., Congresberia, while the name of the hundred adds a
" t," Congresberiet. Nor is that " t " perhaps foolish or
an accretion, but is decidedly a survival. It is a survival of

321

the name Eorcongaerbeorht become Congaerberiet. Con-
gresberia is thus shortened, and became Congresbury, around
which a legend easily grows. This possibility is certainly
worth considering. The alternative is to suppose Congres-
beriet an entire mistake in the name of the hundred.

At Woodspring, which lies in a hollow within sound of
the moaning Severn there are still the remains of the priory.
Woodspring would naturally seem to mean " the spring in
the wood." But other things spring besides founts of living
water. Spring is the season of bursting buds. And a spring,
or sprinca, is a young wood or plantation. As the original
spelling is Worspring, and as Worle is Worla, a personal
name, hard by, Worspring is probably Worla-spring.

Tyntesfield is a local name in Wraxall, and in the church
are (or were) memorials of the Tynte family, in particular
of John Tynte, who died in 1616. The founder of the family
is said to have distinguished himself at the siege of Ascalon,
under that doughty monarch Richard of the Lion Heart.
His white surcoat was Tynctus cruore Saraceno. This is a very
pretty story to connect with the origin of a personal name.
Probably that tinctus was a poetic pun on the supposed mean-
ing of Tynt, as derived from the Latin tinctus. A tincture
is familiar to us, word and thing. In reality the name prob-
ably contains a piece of social and racial history. The Briton
made a clearing, and lived on it. The Saxon took possession,
and gathered together a great estate of fruitful clearings,
which ultimately came into the possession of that most
voracious of episcopal landowners, the bishop of Coutance
(called Episcopus Constatiensis in the Norman Survey), as
overlord. No doubt he was a great statesman, and made
himself indispensable, and was well rewarded. Tinto is a
fire hill, or lire clearing. That whole plot was covered with
forest trees, and a fire clearing was made in the thick brush-
wood, as is now done in the backwoods of new-world forests
by fresh settlers. Tin-tin-hull is spelt Tinte-hella in the oft-
quoted survey of the Conqueror. It is Tintelle and
Tynthulle in the 11th century,^ and the spellings do not

^Montacute Chartulary, S.R.S., vol. viii.

322

greatly vary, TintenhuUe, Tinteshull, and the like. And
this is Tinto-hill, where the hill is a Saxon re-duplication of
the word " to." There are parallel names, such as Clontinty
and others. That the word, in this sense, is a west country
vocable is shown by the Cornish and Armoric words — teen,
tend, or tine — to light, as "teen the candle"; and Milton
borrows the word when he says, " Tine the fierce lightning."
Teening time is candle-lighting time, and to tend is to set a
light to. Pulman thinks that tintin, or tending, has possible
reference to an ancient beacon, and even thinks tin-tin may
be tun-tun {i.e., town-town), which latter suggestion is
trifling.

In Maes Knowle, in Norton Malreward, Maes is British,
and is employed as the prefix-noun to many parishes in
Wales, and means an open field, applied alike to hill and
vale meadows.

323

CHAPTER XXXII.
Curiosities of Nomenclature (continued).

Hornblotton is exciting as the blast of a horn. It is
decidedly peculiar. Is it not said to be the place where the
huntsmen blew their horns, or at any rate the spot where
proclamations were made after a rousing blast on a ram's-

horn .'' " Blow the trumpet, proclaim ." To those

who are not content with the threefold division into Horn-
blow-town as an explanation, then hor is taken to mean the
colour, as in the plant-name hore-thorn, or the white-thorn,
which word is, as well known, softened to hawthorn ; and
thus, etymologically divided and interpreted, it means the
grey-blue-thorn, for it is said that bio is bleo, blue. If
the grey-blue lias were a prominent geological feature of
the district, then this would be a quite natural and taking
explanation, on which doubtless some would insist. Now
according to an explanation given by a correspondent in
Somerset and Dorset Notes and Queries^ the name originates in
an old, and now completely decayed, industry. It was the
place of the smelting of ore of iron. The ore was blown
there. If, however, we note that in Somerset there is the
name Horbley^ which is a local name in Batheaston, and that
this name in the form Horbling occurs also in Lincolnshire,
we see that the place-name originates in the Frankish
personal-name Herlbald, which is shortened and transformed
to Horbley and Horblaw. The Domesday spelling is
Horblawetona, and it is Horblautone in A.D. 1343 in the
names of villas. It is clearly simply Horbley's ton, or, in
full, Heribald's ton, without much etymological mystery.

Martock is another instance of like character. The name of
this place is in gazeteers said to be derived from "mart" and
" oak " from the fact of a market having customarily been
held under an oak tree in the "centre of the town," "the
site of which (our soothsayer tells us) is now occupied by
an elegant fluted column in imitation of the pillar of Trojan

324

at Rome." That is interesting, but we note that Dr. "Wade,
in his pretty little book on Somerset, tells us nothing quite
so notable of the place. But of course this etymological
and historical explanation is by no means the only one.
Mr. Pulman\ in his book, is responsible for two other
suggestions. These are Mearc-ac the Mark-oak or Maer-ac
the great or famous oak, in which it will be seen that the
" t " is either regarded as an intrusive letter or " t " and
" c " are confounded as often in documents where the
letters are similarly formed. But the Domesday spelling
has the "t," and this form has continued, rendering that
explanation improbable. The spellings scarcely vary, Mar-
tock and Mertock. With regard to mart and oak, to us the
question arises when did mart become a shortened form of
markt, a market .'' and the reply seems to be that this was
somewhat late, and therefore cannot account for the
Domesday form Maertoch. In Mear-ac, it is said, meare is
shortened from gemaer, which means a boundary, and ac
means oak. It is known that maer means famous in personal
names as in Wado-maer, and then, used as a prefix, Maer-ac,
must mean " the famous oak." On the other hand, mearc
is, of course, a mark or limit, and there was here an oak
which marked a boundary. It is certain that marks are
boundaries, as in Mark-bury (if this is original) become
Markbury (Mercesbury), and we have Mark-Causeway
become Mark's Causeway, that is, the chausee or raised
road through the marsh (sometimes also called " brig," or
bridges), which is the place-name Mark to this day. And,
as noted, the moorland round Wedmore was once called
Mark-moor, while we find that in one case Marksbury (not
that on the Bath road) has become Maesbury. Maesbury is
thus a disguise and a puzzle until you read in a Glastonbury
charter of a boundary thus defined, " straight through the
middle of Marksbury," which, in this case, is identified with
Maesbury. This original form continued to the middle of
the 1 5th century. Mearc denotes collectively the meadows,
pastures, and woods in a tract of land belonging to an
ownership. Marksbury near Bath is in 1279 Merkesbire,

'Pulman : Local Nomenclature.

325

and in the 13th^ century Marcusbury and Merksbur. This
looks like the personal name Mark, whether because the
property of the Abbot of Glastonbury it was the appanage
of a chapelry there (or elsewhere) dedicated to St. Mark.

Now Martock does not show any derivations in spelling
indicative of having lost a letter or, on the other hand, of
having assumed a grip letter. In D.B. it is Maertoch ;
T.E. (1297), Mertock, and right on through thirteen
centuries. It is one of those names that has preserved its
identity of spelling most consistently. Maer and Tochi
make up the compound name Maertoch, and the early 9th
century forms Murdac and Murdoc are then extant personal
names, giving rise to the curious present-day name of
Murdock and Murdoch.

Meare (D.B., Mera) was an oasis in the midst of about
eight thousand acres of swamp, which in his reckoning of
the number of hides the Domesday surveyor ignored as
valueless. This Meare was originally in full called Ferra-
mere, and it was in the jurisdiction of the abbot of
Glastonbury. And though the word meare means often a
boundary, shortened from gemeare, as above mentioned,
and mere is often nearly the equivalent of moor, which so
far as can be seen in the interpretation of Merland, in
Withycombe, Merlinch or Moorlinch, and perhaps also of
Merridge, in Spaxton, though the last is doubtful, In Ferra-
mere it is possible that this is the personal name Faermaer,
as Farun in Farringdon is Faerwine-don, and there Is in
Somerset a hamlet-name Farthings which is Faerthegn the
travelled thegn. Faermaer was the name thus of an original
or early owner of the dry bit of land around the marsh,
who perhaps watched the marsh-grass, " in serial shimmers
and shades," and had his eye on the wild duck sailing round
the rim of his island property. Merriott too is clearly not
the mere-yat or moor-gate, as usually interpreted. It is
D.B. Meriyet, and thus is not " the et " or head of the
mere, either, but the well-known personal name Mergeat or
Maergaet, in which both components are Interpretable —
maer famous and gaet a Goth. In 1017 there was an abbot

^Bath Chartulary, p. 6. Lincoln's Inn MSS., S.R.S., vol. vii.

326

of Glastonbury called Merewit, Merewit qui et BrighMui.
He was bishop of Wells and a native of Lorraine. In
France the same name has become Merigot and Margot.
In English this has degenerated into Maggot, which is not a
sweet name, and Merrywit is pleasanter. Merridge, in
Spaxton, is after all probably a compound Saxon name,
Maerrick or Maerrich, maer and reich, as Goodric (also
Goodrich and Goodridge, compare Dodderidge from Dodric)
is Godreich. Reich is kingdom or rule. The mention of
the Lorraine name of bishop Merewit reminds us of another
Lorraine or Lothrlngen name of Dudoc, which was the
name of the fourteenth bishop of Wells, In the year 1031,
that is before the Domesday or Conquest date. There Is a
local uame near Wedmore of Daddocks. Mr. Harvey, a
former Rector, In his Wedmore Chronicle, " made a shot " at
this, deriving It from " dead oaks " as a possibility. Clearly
It Is Dudoc's. Bishop Dudoc was a Saxon of Lorraine, and
was present at a Synod In Rhelms. This is more Interesting
as a local association than dead oaks can be.

Once more this form geat occurs In the mysterious name
Havyatt Green, In Burrington, which Is spelt In D.B. Attl-
geat. This Is subject to the facile interpretation that it
means " at ye gate ". Havyatt as a form Is not easily
identifiable with the Domesday spelling Attigetta save as
regards the last syllable geat. And, indeed, it Is probable
that Att Is a misreading or misspelling, and is possibly
meant for " Alf " The name would then be Aelfgeat, and
the " Av "-or " Hav "-yatt gains Its explanation, and
reconciles both forms. We have already seen that Atte-
mere in a will Is not " at ye mere," but a corruption in the
place-name of Hathemaer as a personal name.

Priddy. This name appears to have the merit of unique-
ness in British gazeteers. We do not find anything like it
elsewhere In England. It Is an Interesting Somerset name.
Unfortunately, we have no Domesday spelling. Nor have
we a Taxatio valuation in 1297, and so are deprived of this
evidence. In this valuation the land Is incorporated in
Wells, as was also the case In the time of the last of the
Saxon bishops, Giso, bishop of Wells. However, in the
British Museum charters in the 12th century It Is men-

327

tioned, " Grant of Pridi to Farley Priory." There is
another grant in Pridia to Bruerne Abbey. Another of
Pridie to St. Swithin's Priory. The spellings do not seriously
depart from this type or form. They are Predy, Priddie,
Pridi, and Prydde. There are some continental names
which appear to give a clue to certain mysterious British
names. And this is perhaps an example. They are from very
primitive roots. For example, in Swiss mountain-names
investigated by Tauber we find analogous, or similar, or the
same names in such forms as Preda, " Predtan-tal " (" tal,"
a valley ; often our " dol " ; German, " thai "), " Prada,"
and Pradel. There is often a confusion of Paradise, the
Persian word found in Holy Writ for garden, and Paradis,
which is a form of this word Prada. There is certainly
a Paradise, the name of a hamlet in Burnham, but we do not
know whether this name is quite ancient or only a modern
fancy designation. If ancient the name is connected
with this root and not with the scripture paradise. The
primitive root is par, found in very numerous words, as
e.g., in the Latin pratum, a meadow. This root also appears
in the Cymric word prydd, pryddion meaning production.
Pridd in Welsh means earth. There is a hamlet-name
Prymmore in North Petherton which seems likely to be
Pryd-more, the two consonants assimilating. So then
Priddie here and in the similar continental names mentioned
simply means meadow land or heath land. We have seen
(" pour rire " we suppose) Prie-dieu suggested. We must
stiU mention that the name Priddy and Preddy is extant as
a Somerset personal name, and the names Preed and Prud
are early names in the 10th century. Why may it not,
after all, have this origin .''

Stavordale is in Bruton. The name is not found in D.B.
or T.E. The earliest spelling we have so far found is in
Bishop Drokenford's Register,^ and there appears to be no
variant, unless of dell for dale ; and there are the 16th
century spellings Stafferdale and Staverdell. Dale or dell
for combe is a great rarity in Somerset, and is scarcely a
correct interpretation here. The local name Stoford is found

'S.R.S., vol. i.

328

in Barwick (Staford and Berewick are conjoined), Stogursey,
and Broadway. The Staford in Barwick is said to be from
" the ford there, now bettered by a bridge "^ over the Ivell.
Then what does Sto mean ? It may be the Staff ford or
Stow a village. Also in the Bath CharMlary (Lincoln s Inn
MSS.f' among some strange boundary names besides Wul-
lega {i.e., WoUey) and Lincumb we read : " J. de Weston
claimed to hold at Stareford half an acre." It is also in the
Cambridge Corpus Christi College of MS. of a Bath Priory
charter spelt Stareford. And the name is also spelt Stoffard
and Stoppard. Usually these names are derived from stave,
a staff, of which stavor is a Scandinavian form. Staves or
upright stones were fixed in the marshes and fords as guides
to show the depth and how and where the stream was
passable. There are such staves now near Moreton Marsh,
standing in the parish of Compton Martin. The place-
name Stafford is said to be so derived. And, besides, you
have Staveley, in Derbyshire, and Staverton, in Devon.
These names Starford, Stoford, Stavord, are likely enough
forms of the personal name Steafhard and Stafhard. At
any rate this list explains Stafordale. The ending is
possibly a diminutive like the ending " et " may be in some
names, though sometimes interpreted to mean " head."
The ending " al " is like " al " in Wraxall, either " hull "
or hill, a hollow, or hill, over which circumstances throw
light. Stavordale is noted for its former Priory of Austin
Canons, of which we believe some remains are found.

Dunkerton is in a deep hollow on the ancient fosse road.
By CoUinson and others the explanation of the name is
found in the existence of a cairn or carnedd, which, it is
affirmed, existed on Duncorne Hill. " North-east of the
church," says Cooke's Topography (date 1800), "there is a
remarkable eminence, whereon once stood a carnedd, or hill
of stones, called Duncorne, erected by our British ancestors
to commemorate some victory or extraordinary event."
Hence it is Dun-cairn-ton. The Domesday spelling is
Duncre-ton. As early as 1297 it is Dunker-ton. The
above historical fact seems to give the most natural explana-

'Gerard : Particular Description of Somerset, S.R.S., vol. xv. 'S.R.S., vol. vii.

329

tion of the name. If we divide the word differently, as
Dun-kerton, we certainly find that kerton has its analogies
in other place-names in which kerton is derived from kirk,
cere. So Dunkirk is " the church on the dune " or down.
Dunkerque, in Normandy, is situated amid the sandy
dunes of the coast. Names of places with this element are
found before the beginning of the eighth century in Europe.
The majority of these kirk names are found in predomi-
nantly Danish settlements. They often are so called
because they indicate that the property is vested in some
ecclesiastical corporation, as Kirby (that is, Kirk-by) Le
Token, in Essex, was a part of the property of St. Paul's,
London. However, we do not discover these indications
of former church ownership in the case of Dunkerton. As
a sidelight on the place-name, we think of a similar name
in Dunkerry Beacon, in Cutcombe. This is spelt Duncre,
and is Duncairn shortened apparently. We may add that a
cairn does not necessarily mean an artificial accumulation of
stones, but may mean a natural rock. On Dunkerry there
may have been the remains of circles of stones or a carnedd.
The original form is in both cases probably Dun-ceryg,
meaning a stony height. On the top of Dunkerry there
are now many loose stones, perhaps the remains of large
fire-hearths, but the stones were already there with which to
construct them.

Dinder is another case of a dun or down, as after prolonged
deliberation we are convinced. This is an instance in which
the earliest spelling appears to be misleading if taken quite
alone, and as the key to subsequent forms, as has been done.
The earliest spelling, Denren, is that of 1064 in a record of
fifty manors belonging to the home estate of Giso, the last
of the Saxon bishops. Then we have the spellings Dynr
(1123), Dynre (1174), and Dynra (1223-1268), and then it
occurs in a form remarkably like Dundry, and appears as
Dindra in 1494. The earliest spellings are clearly abbrevia-
tions, with the elimination of a consonant. The Domesday
register and other lists give clear indications of this.
We have quoted instances before. Den-ren is taken by
itself, and interpreted as Den-ren as a two-syllabled word.
Ren is a watercourse, as in Rhin, Rhine, Rhone, Riana, and

330

the rhines of Somerset.' In Alpine stream-names we find
Ron and the like. In fact, there is a precise correspondence
in meaning in the name Rien-tal, in Uri, Switzerland,^
Rien-tal means " the valley of the stream." Binder stands
picturesquely at the gate of the hills, where the stream
which has come down through the combe to the well of
St. Aldhelm at Doulton bends into the valley. The river
Sheppey obligingly runs through the charming rectory
garden and ripples through the grounds of the squire with
strict impartiality of treatment. The trout may jump for
both alike. The rugged, bald dun, with its light lias stone
(as it seems) overlooks the stream. Dene-ren would
accordingly mean the same as the Swiss Rien-tal. In this
case the " d " is a late intrusive letter. We doubt this
from an examination of the forms amid which Den-ren
seems isolated. Further, this singular name has not merely
its analogue, but its very precise parallel in Dinedor, situated
four miles from Hereford, on the Ross road, near which flows
the "many winding Wye." This rugged Herefordshire
Dinedor hill overlooking the river is an abrupt eminence, on
which are the traces of a Roman encampment, which we
have purposely visited. We have not yet been able to trace
the spellings of the Herefordshire Dinedor. It would
certainly be strange if the " d " is also in this case a mere
intrusive letter. It seems more likely that the " d " has
been dropped in the spelling, though preserved in the
traditional pronunciation, and finding its parallel in Here-
fordshire. And, further, this Herefordshire correspondent-
name indicates an ultimately Celtic origin. In that case it
is, as we believe, Dinas or dun and dwr, water. There are
names — Dan-dris, in Congresbury, and Dundry — ^which are
similar, and in the Bath Chartulary Stanton Drew is spelt
Standondru in 1292, a departure, however, from the earlier
Domesday spelling, " Stantona."

These latter names are, however, more likely connected
with the primitive root, daur, an oak. Tauber quotes
Jaccard (on Continental names), in which he says : " Les

'Canon Church, in Somerset Archceological Society's Proceedings. ^Tauber :
Ortsnamen und Sprachwissenschaft, Zurich, 1908.

331

noms celtiques d'arbres n'ont completement disparu devant
les noms latins." Examples are the Celtic name of the
alder, which has been preserved in the word Verne
(Gwerne). It is possible to compare the Somerset place-
name, W'eame-wyche, and possibly Inverne. Other instances
are the Celtic sapin for the Latin abies (fir), darb, the pine,
and tan {chene) for evergreen oak. He traces this root in
Derby (pronounced " Darby " by a remarkable persistence).
In Switzerland is Derbally, Dorben ; in England, Dart-
mouth. Dun is "down," and daur, an oak, accounts for
Dun-dry, perhaps for Dandris, and might possibly be the ex-
planation of Dinedor and Dinder, i.e.. Dun daur, the " hill
of oaks." The Dun at the Somersetshire Dinder does not,
however, appear a promising place for oak-growth.

Stretchholt, alias Stretchill, in Pawlet is in D.B. spelt
Estragella. In Kirbys Quest it is Stretchett and Strecholt
(Edward III.). In the " Fragment of the Register of Walter
Giffard, Bishop of Bath and Wells, 1265-1267," we read :
" Presentation of Dom Nicholas de StriguU, on the morrow
of St. Mathew the Apostle," Sept. 2nd, 1264. In Estragella
the initial vowel is the usual Norman helping introduction to
the awkward following three consonants, as Stanton is spelt
Estan-tona. We have to deal then with the name Stragel.
The syllable holt is, in this case, a mere delusive corrup-
tion. These holts need almost as much care as the
assimilation of personal names ending in frid and firth when
changed to ford. Thus it is quite possible that Lower Holt
and Higher Holt in Witham are not from holt, a wood or
copse, but the personal name Hold, though the presence
of woods giving the description name are not to be rejected
without examination. We have noted this personal name
in Holford (Holdfrid). Holdgeard, Holdwine, Holdwulf,
Holefest {i.e., Holdfest) are names. The origin of the
word hurst, of similar meaning (a copse) is pronounced
obscure. Horst, in German, Mid-high German, and Old-
high German, hirst and hurst means a hill, or a copse ; in
modern German simply a shrubbery. We do not find a
personal name, excepting Horsa, already noted. There
is a Hurst in Martock and a Dinghurst in Winscombe.
This Dinghurst is of interest, though a mere local name.

332

The Ding seems to be an abbreviation of ,Dinga,
Dingat, again a Welsh saint's name, hidden away in
a corner. It is found in Monmouthshire, Dingastow in
Carmarthenshire, Llan-dingat, St. Dingat's Church. Ding-
hurst is thus St. Dinga's Wood. As Hurst was originally
named Achelai in D.B., or oak-lea, this was an oak wood.
We find accordingly such names as Hazel-hurst, Lynd-
hurst, Dew-hurst, spelt Duerhurst, i.e.^ Deer-hurst. The
personal name Hirst is taken from the place " de la Hirst."
And, of course, so may Holt be " de la Holt " ; and
equally, of course, the name may be the ancient Saxon per-
sonal name Hold, as already mentioned, and it may be hard
to determine in a given case which it is. We do not find
many "shaws" in the county. That we need to discriminate
is shown by the principal name, with which we are now
dealing, Stretcholt. It is Stragel or Strygel only in its
original form. There was a name Strygel extant which was
that of a priest in the diocese of Hereford early in the 9th
century. The old German and Gothic names Strago and
Staracho occurred ; with early and later forms, Stragin and
Stragget. All these names are derived by competent
authorities from a root, strg, strac, strag, with the meaning
violent, powerful, or the root idea of straight, strict,
strenuous. Thus are probably derived the modern names,
Stracey, Strachey, which look so mysterious and unique.
The modern German strecken is to straighten and make
tense. Accordingly, we get nearer the original shape of
this name when we read of a " Sir John Streache " (also
spelt Streeche, Streche, Streech).^ There is also the name
Strechleigh. Sir John Stretche, knight, was lord of Seven-
hampton (Seavington) and held property elsewhere in the
county in the reign of Richard the Second.^ We are, of
course, merely concerned with names and their origins,
regardless of other interests. Stretch-hill and Strech-holt are
but the forms of the word, as personal name, Stragil. The
ending is a diminutive.

'Gerard's Particular Description of Somerset, pp. 139, 166. ^See Calendar of
MSS. of Wells Cathedral, Index ; Bruton Chartulary, No. 91, S.A.S.,
vol. viii.

333

Stringston is still a parochial name, just as Stragel or
Stretcholt was manorial. Another spelling is Strenxton. The
origin of this name is akin to the last. String is an ancient
personal name, String, Strang, and found in the modern
forms, Strong, Stringle, Stringer, and the like. Thus it
means String's ton. Streng and strong mean tense, tight.

Lujton is a few miles from Yeovil. Lufton is identified
with the Locu-tona of Domesday Book. This is spelt Luke-
ton in 1227, Loke-ton in 1417, and Luke-ton (1340), and
Luc-ton in the fifteenth century. In Camden's map we find
Lufton, but not Lucton. Gerard says that the place-name
is taken from the British Luffon,^ which, he says, signifies
elms. Leland was struck with the growth of elms in the
district. But this ignores the early spellings. A further
variety is Lutton in 1386, and Collinson calls it Luston —
clearly a mistake. The name of Luf and Lufie occurs in
the Bruton Chartulary,^ and the name of a bishop Luffe in the
Wells Calendar, and Lufton appears to be later than
Lucton. In the will of Robert Gybbes, clerk, formerly
Prior of Montacute, the " parson of Lufton " is a witness
(1560). It is not easy to see how Loc-ton could
become Luf-ton as a name of one and the same place.
Usually, we have found that when there is an incompre-
hensible variation of this kind, and the identification is
correct, there is a word at the back of both forms which,
variously abbreviated, contains both. Such a personal name
is Lovick, or Lofick; also Luvick and Lufick. This curious
name is found in the peculiar name Lovecocks-hayes, in
Marston Biggott, in the county. Lovick-ton may be short-
ened either to Lov or Luf-ton, or to Lock-ton. Lovick
itself is, as before explained, a form of Leoving, Leofinc,
Lufinck, Lufinc, Leoving, Leofwing (that is Leofwine) and
Leofwig was the name of a bishop at the commencement
of the thirteenth century. Mr. Pring, in his book on
Celtic saints in Somerset, mentions the name of St. Luifa,
which is the same Saxon name.

Oath is a wonderful place-name. Oath is a hamlet name.

'Page 9S, ibid. 'Pages 287, 289.

334

and it is near Olre (D.B. Aire). There are court rolls fo
Othe in the days of Queen Elizabeth. In Smith's Will
occurs the form Woothe, which is Somerset pronunciatio
for Oath. Oth is a very common Saxon name, found bot^
singly and in compounds. What is Othery but the personj
name Oth-here? And so also we have Oth-grim, Oth
helm, and others. Most students of history know the nam
Otho.

Cibewurda is interesting as an obsolete name, because i
reminds us of another Welsh saint-name, St. Cybi, or Si
Gybi, as in Llangibby. It is the name of a manor in Exford
Wurda here appears to be a form of Worth, a homestead
and so in a modern form it would, perhaps, emerge a
Gibsworth or Gibbswood. The modern personal name i
Gibb, or Gibbs, and Cibewurda is likely enough the Saxoi
name Gebeorht or Gebheard, and not a compound of Gib
and worth.

Dulverton is in D.B. Dulver-tona (1086). In T.E. (1297
it is Dulv'ton. Dilverton is a mere variety. In 1314 it i
in Drokenford's Register Dulverne (William de). The mos
remarkable variation is that of Duber-tona, which is foum
in a charter of Taunton Priory (1335). If this las
spelling were to be taken as correct, the explanation wouli
be from dwfr, water. The usual explanation resolves th
word into three parts : Dul, ver, ton. Dul is said to meai
a bend. We do not know in what language. While, oi
the other hand, dol is known as a form of tal, thai, a vale
and, again, dol is known as meaning a table-land or a hill
as Jacard derives the west Swiss names dole, dola, and doli:
from a Celtic root with this meaning. In the former sens
dol is the same as dell. Dol is also taken from theil or teil
a part, the Yorkshire dialectical word thoil, which we re
member as a puzzling word, to a boy, from the lips of
grandmother, and the common words, deal and dole. An
so the Dolemoors on Mendip are explained as a sort of alloi
ments. As is also the case with Dolberry, in the countj
There is a place-name Dole in Brittany. Sampson, schola
of St. Illtyd, consecrated by Dubritius, was abbot of Dol
among the Bretons. Deal, in Kent, is so derived. Vei

335

too, is taken to be a form of wear, or ford. Dulverton is
actually on the bend of the bright little River Barle (spelt
at large Barghel). And by the same authority, Dolfordton,
in Dorsetshire, is said to be similarly situated on a river
bend and has no ford. The explanation is thus : Dol-ford-
ton, the town on the bend of a stream. Ivry, in Normandy,
is a form of a gadhelic word for water or stream.
Berra, Verra, is the name of a lake in France, and
some connect the place-name Bere, in Dorset, with
this root. Verdun, in France, is the " river-down," and
verton, in Dulverton, may be a corruption of the same word.
It will be noted how little the meaning varies. If Dwfra
were the derivation it is the " river by the down." Gerard^
says it is " a little market towne which I think may be named
Dunoverton, for here is a bridge over the Dun or Duns."
That is, it is the Dun-wear, and " Dun " has become " Dul."
We believe that the form Dulverton is a Saxon hardening of
the Celtic word dwfr, water. This accounts for the variety
Duberton, and the explanations from dol, dul are misleading.
This also would explain Dolford-ton, in Dorset. Ton is a
corrupt form of don, down, i.e., Dwfrdon has become
Dulverton.

Another name explained similarly is that of Twerton. We
have no D.B. spelling. But it is Twiverton (1292) in the Bath
Chartulary in Kirby's Quest, and in ministers' accounts
(Henry V.) and in the hundred courts to the reign of Henry
VIII., and right on to the 17th century. The question is as
to the meaning of Twiver. There is Tiverton,^ in Devon,
said to be derived from Twy-ford-ton from its situation be-
tween the Ex and the Loman, and Tiverton as Twi-verton
is the town on the double wear, which anciently existed.
Tiverton and Twerton are varieties of the same name. The
spelling Twi-verton is not compatible with the guess,
" thweor," crooked.

'Particular Description of Somerset, S.R.S., vol. xv. ^Edmonds' Names of
Places derives it ifrom Tiber, Tifer, a sacrifice or gift-offering-, and
instances names Tibberton, and the like. This is guess work, ignores
the ancient spelling, and the fact that the name Twy-ford goes back to
872, and here are two streams, the Exe and the Loman. The division
of the streams is under "Little Silver Bridge."

336

Twynhoe is in Wellow, and here we might suppose that
the prefix is certainly a form of " twain." Curiously enough,
twyn is Celtic for hillock, and hoe is Dansk, with the same
meaning. If descriptive, this is evidently a doublet. Here
we have an instance of the corruption of a personal
name. In 1329 it is Twynyhoe, and in the 17th century
reverts to nearer its original form, Twinio, the personal
name Tuinui. There is a name assuming a patronymic
form. Twining. The old English name of Christchurch, in
Hampshire, was Tweonea, the Normans shaped this into
Thuinam. It was also called Twinham-burn. The priory
name finally ousted both. This name Twine appears to
us to be an abbreviation of the well-known name historically
connected with Somerset, the Saxon conqueror of Somerset,
Kentwine. Twywill is the name of a manor known by this
name in the days of Queen Elizabeth. It has been inter-
preted as twll, Celtic for a hollow, or tuell, a covert. It is
clearly the corruption of Touilda, i.e., Toulhilda. This is
the origin of the curious extant name occasionally met with
of Towell (pronounced Tou-wil). This might be supposed
to be derived from the indispensable toilet requisite after a
bath. Touhilda is a Saxon female name, and Twywill pre-
serves a memory of it.

Bitwynhorde. — This name is found in a Glastonbury
charter : ad quendain trencheam quae vacatur Bitwynhorde.
Horde is, of course, a kind of fence. The Dansk word horde
means a hurdle. We have it in hoarding and hurdle. It
must necessarily be between something, and scarcely needs
the descriptive addition. In reality we incline to the opinion
that it is Beadwine horde, and the name has got changed to
something more obvious. If this were so it would be interest-
ing, as Bedwine is given as the name of one of the knights of
King Arthur's round table. The name is also found in
Beadding-broc, i.e., Beadwine brook, in forestal perambula-
tions. Another boundary name in the same document is
Scearp-horde. This is the personal Saxon name Sceorf and
Sceaf. Wynerd, in Winscombe, is the personal name Wine-
heard.

Wellow and Vellow. — Wellow is near Bath. Vellow is a

337

hamlet name in Stogumber as a manorial name. It is odd
to note that Wellow, Welton, and, unless there is confusion,
even Wells, have all the same spelling. Under the date
725 we find "Grant by King Cyneulph, King of the
Saxons or Gewissi, to St. Andrew's monastery. Wells, of
land on Welewe River." The spellings of Wellow are
Welewe, Weluue, and Welwe. Of Welton, near Midsomer
Norton, Welwe-ton, Welue-ton, Welwer-ton. The hundred
name is Welwe in Domesday. In 1329 and in 1362, earlier
and later, we have Welwe, Welewe, and Walton. Welton
is thus an abbreviation of Welwe-ton.

Wells is in D.B. Wella, doubtless from its springs. Of
roots suggested (as already noted in Banwell) there is the
Celtic gwelgi, a flood. This is unlikely. Weallan means
to bubble up as Saxon, but this obviously does not account
for the persistent strange forms of Welwe. The ludicrous
explanation from the mid-English Weilaway, " wa la wa "
or " wei la wei," that is " woe, woe," has even been
suggested. This is the ne plus ultra of folly. Welwe is, we
believe, a shortened and softened form of an owner-name,
Wealhwine. Wealdwine is a more frequent spelling. All
the hard consonants are dropped as usual, which seems to
us to explain the puzzle. There is a Wellsford in Langford
Budville, which is the personal name Wealh. The modern
personal name Wells is very likely indeed from this root
with the added sibilant.

Vallis is a monkish name. Between Roadwater and Wash-
ford a valley opens out into bright green meadows inter-
sprinkled with ancient orchards. In monkish records this
is Vallis Florida, in the midst of which are the crumbling
remains of the ancient abbey of Cleeve, founded nearly a
millenium ago by William de Romara, Earl of Lincoln.
Vallis, near Frome, has possibly the same meaning. The
explanation from La Valaize, a bank, appears needless.
In the Montacute Chartularyi there occurs the name Sir
Nicholas de Valers, which appears to be the same as the
name Vilers^ and Viliers. There is a possibility that this

'S.R.S., vol. viii., p. 141. ''Eyton's Domesday Studies.

338

name Valers has been corrupted to Vallis. We have not
discovered any connection of this name with the locality.

Failand, in Wraxall, is a district name. We are not helped
by any very early spellings. In 133^ it is Foyland, and later
Feiland, Phayland, and Fayland. Filand is in the eastern
counties a name for unenclosed arable land, that is, land
which, before enclosure acts were passed, was tilled in
common co-partnership. This appears to be a shortening of
feld or veldt lands. In Somerset this would emerge as " veal-
land." A piece of arable glebe is called, in the parish of
Stowey, Law veal (Low-field). The softer form Fay is not
thus accounted for. Then, again, faw, fow, vow is from
British fiau, the den of a wild beast. This requires a stretch
of imagination. Feoh is the same as fee, a lordship or pay-
ment, a fee or fief. Feoh is A.S. for cattle, in which payments
in kind were made. There is a legal phrase " in fee
simple." What peculiarity of tenure of Failand would give
colour to this explanation we do not know. Faer is a sheep,
as in Faroer, the Faroe Islands, and in west Switzerland
this becomes fea, and there is the place-name Faye. This
is practically the same as feoh in meaning. In Somerset we
do not trill our " r's." This is probably the explanation.
If we could find any early spelling to bear out this we should
say that, as there are four places Fy-field traceable to an
owner's name, Fyva (and Fivehead in Somerset and Fife-
head in Dorset may be so derived) that Failand is from a
personal name also. It is anyhow probable that Failand is
an abbreviated name. The personal name Freeland is a
corrupt form of a compound Saxon name, Fridulind, and
there would be nothing wonderful if we found a name Filu-
lind. Lind means gentle.

Dompoll is near Ilminster. It is said to be Dune-pwil,
that is, Dunna's pool. Domp is the name of a farm near
Ilminster. In a charter connected with the name of king
Ina there is the curious name king Domp. Now Domp was
king of Devon. This place-name and the farm-name may
be reminiscences. It is usually said to be a form of Dunepol,
either the down-pool or the pool of Dunna. There are the
names Donyat, Dunna's gate or way; Dungraf, Dunna's

339

holding. Dunere or Doniford, also spelt Donever, in St.
Decumans is derived by Gerard^ from the passage of St.
Donatus or Donett over to Wales. This is the origin of the
name of St. Donetts, on the Welsh coast nearly opposite. St.
Donat was an 8th century bishop.

Bleadon, on the river Axe, has been taken to mean the
bleat, that is, bleak-down, or from bleo, blow, the windy
down, and, as blew also means purple, the purple down.
The heather on the hills is purple. Bleo means blow in the
sense of smelting of ore in former iron or metal furnaces.
In a charter of 973, purporting to be a grant of property
to Winchester, the name is mentioned, and in a charter of
Glastonbury abbey the name Bledan-hit, or Bleadanhead,
occurs. This suggests to us the true explanation from the
name Bledda, with which Chester Blade may be compared.^

Edington and Edingworth might at first blush be thought
to be allied names, and derived from the same names. They
are not. The former of these names lands us in the midst
of a notable controversy. Where was Ethandune, where
the decisive contest was fought out to decide the supremacy
of Mercia or Wessex? Hun, the Ealderman, was the leader,
and the same name is found at Hun's pool {Huntspill, near
Burnham, on the Brue. A writer in Blackwood's for 1911,
for the purposes of his argument, to favour the claim of
Somerset over Wiltshire (Ethandune, now Wilton), sets
aside the Domesday spelling of Edington, where it is found
spelt as Edwine-ton. He calls this a Domesday solecism.
Now Edwine-ton would assume the form of Edington as
Kentwine-ton may give rise to Canning-ton. These
patronymic forms are often delusive, as we have seen in
many instances. They are mere assimilations. The Anglo-
Saxon chronicler gives the site of the battle as Ethandune
or Edandune. Edan is a name which occurs in William of
Malmesbury's chronicle as Rex Scotorum. But what is
Edan but a shortening of the better-known form of Eadwin
or Edwin? In early Glastonbury documents the spelling is
said to be Edindon. Henry of Huntingdon gives Edenes-

^Particular Description of County of Somerset, p. 29, S.R.S., vol. xv. ^See Index.

340

done. There is therefore no ground for special pleading
as to the form of the place-name. It is clearly Edwin-ton.
This writer's identification of Cynwit with Combwich, where
the great skirmish took place, is another matter. If the
" t " is a confusion for " c " once more, then Cynwic may
be the same as Combwich. But this name receives separate
notice. Edingworth is the name of a hamlet a few miles
from Axbridge, in the parish of East Brent. The Domesday
spelling is remarkable enough. It is Jodena Wirda. The
final vowel of Jodena is merely euphonic, and the " j " is
the half-vowel " g," and so the form to be dealt with is
Goden. Wirda may be for worth, i.e., Godworth, but more
probably we have here the extant landowner's name of
Godenweard, also spelt Godeuert. In the time of Edward
III. (illustrative of the half-vowel sound), in the court rolls
it is Yadensworth. In the Domesday we get the apparently
irreconciliable form of Lodena. Now this is an instance of
which we ought to recite several, where the prefix " La,"
the article, has coalesced and become Lodena for La
Godena, since the " g " is a half-vowel. Other examples in
Somerset are Liiminster for La Minster, Lopen for La Pen,
and Elborough, spelt Illebergia, becomes Liberia, and grows
unrecognisable. There are other noteworthy instances.

Two names, Egford, in Whatley (D.B., Hecfordintona),
and Edgecott, in Seavington St. Mary, are respectively the
personal names Echfrid or Hechfrid, a shortened form of the
name Aegelfrid, and spelt Heggeford in a charter. Edgecott
is not the cot on the ridge or edge or corner (eck, a cor-
ner), but a disguised form of Hechgod, or Hechagoz, as Hur-
cot is from Heregod. La Folde, in Drayton, is shortened
from La Filogaud. The name Filogaud becomes Fillgate in
current speech. It is the "Filo" in Filolind, alluded to above
as a possible derivation of the mysterious " Fayland."

341

CHAPTER XXXIII.

Silver Street.

We have purposely left the consideration of a name that
is of more than county interest. Silver as part of a place-
name is one of those words on which the speculation has
been almost endless. To appreciate the curiosity of the
name we cannot do better than give some of these specimens.

In the first place we must note how widely-dispread the
name is, and so wide as to suggest that at least some of these
names are mere fancy names, and not of really ancient
origin; and that others are assimilations from various words
whose meanings have been forgotten, and not therefore all
from one word; and that even the genuine name. Silver,
may be from several sources ; from, for instance, such a Scan-
dinavian name as Solvar, a Viking name as cited by
authorities, or the personal name Selua (Selva), also given
as such in lists. At least, in one instance Silver's-ton is ex-
plained as a mere shortening and popular corruption of St.
Silvanus. It is in Northamptonshire. Consequently, only
the history so far as ascertainable can help in the solution
in each individual case.

How widely spread the name is is well known to all who
have given any attention to place-names. Silver Street is a
name found in many places in the county of Somerset. And
beside this there is the form Monksilver, doubly interesting
in its simple state as Domesday Selura or Selvra, that is,
Selvr, and Selva, and the addition Monk is, of course, in its
monastic connection, of later origin. The explanation of this
prefix-name Monk, or Munksylver, and Munkeselver, as it
is spelt in the 16th century and earlier, is found in the fact
that as early as 1248 it was connected with Goldclive
Priory. We read of an action between Thomas, the parson
of the church of Stokegumer, querent, and Henry, the prior
of Goldclive, deforciant, about oats due to Thomas. It might
be thought odd that in the Engadin and in Switzerland there

342

is a place-name spelt exactly the same, Selt^a and Selvaggia,
which a continental student of these names explains as con-
nected with Silver — with whatever origin — as many do in
England. 1 So there is Selvretta, which is actually a treeless
Alpine heath, and the Silbern Alps, originally Silbrin and
Silbrinon. As mere isolated (and not providing an exhaustive
list) instances we find Silver-dale in Lancashire, Silver Stone
or Silverston (just mentioned) in Northamptonshire, Silverton
in Devon, Selvington in Salop (compare Selvinch in Somer-
set), and many more. Silverton in Devon is explained after
the method that used to be deemed quite satisfactory, such
explanations too easily serving to slake an innocent curiosity.
This Silverton in Devon is in D.B. Sulfreton, and is by Pol-
whele resolved into three components, Sel-fare-ton, " the
great wood town." Sel is taken to mean a wood, and fare is
vaur, signifying great in many Welsh place-names. But
clearly, whatever the underlying meaning, Sulfre is one word.
An alternative explanation is afforded by this author. Silver-
ton means very simply the " rich town." This is comforting
in the mere reflection. This is of a piece with his explanation
of Kilmingon as Kil-maen-ton, " the town of the stony-
bridge place," where surely it is the personal name Ceol-
mund; as Galmington is Galmund-ton and Bondington is
Bondan-ton (the name Bonda). A local name in the county
is Selvinch, also spelt Silving and Sylvinch and Silvayne.^
Gerard places Silvayne or Silveyne in the parish of White-
lackington, which gave its name to the family so called. Sil-
vinch is thus a corrupt form. Silvayne finds its explanation in
the name Selewan, the name of a bondsman or slave in the
Bruton Chartulary, and the name Selewine, Sela, is an extant
name, and as a root word of " sallow " perhaps means swarthy
or dark. But Selvington above points to a personal name.
Clearly there is the name Selva involved. And this, indeed,
looks like a corruption of Selwick (as Selwig). The old name
Selewine still survives as Selwyn, with the same original
syllable sel.

'Tauber : Swiss Place-names. ^Gerard : Particular Delineation of Somerset,
pp. 135, 140, S.R.S., vol. XV.

343

This name Silver bireet occurs everywhere. In the parish
of Westbury there are two,i in Littledean, the next parish,
another; in the next to that (Michaei-dean), another; in the
parish on the opposite side of the river (Arlingham), another.
Other places in Gloucestershire with Silver Streets are Ciren-
cester, Coaley, Dursley, Stroud, Tetbury, and Thornbury,
and there is a Silver Hill in Bromsberrow. Farther afield
there is a Silver Street in Bruges, in Belgium ; and we should
not be surprised if there was one in the Somerset Brugia, now
known as Bridgwater. There is another, Silverstone Farm, in
Micheldean. This, Mr. Wilkinson most ingeniously explains,
from local circumstances, as doubtless is appropriate in some
cases. There was an old stone which served as a boundary
mark for the Forest of Dean which is mentioned in a forestal
perambulation in 1281-2 as Album lapidem. This reminds us
of the White stone of Somerset place-names, similarly derived
from an existent monolith. Hard by this is a cutting
in the rock. The exposed rock has a curious shining
white glint, due to the presence of mica, or some-
thing of this nature. This may account for Silver-stone,
which is not then Silver's-ton or Silva-ton, the wood town,
or the above-mentioned personal name Selva, the modern
names being Self, Selway, Selvey, Salway, Sale. Silver's-ton
might, however, easily be Selva's-ton, from the ancient Saxon
name. Of the Somerset " Silvers " we do not suppose that
we have a complete list, but it would be extremely interesting
to achieve one, and examine them and compare. There are,
however, Silver Streets in Chew Magna with a brook and a
bridge; in Barton St. Davids, near to an old Roman road,
adjoining which ancient road it is said these Silver Streets are
usually found ; and one in Midsomer Norton and one in Hol-
combe. We know there is one in Bristol. With regard to
the one in Holcombe, we observe that the Rev. J. D. C.
Wickham, in his recently published interesting book.
Records by Spade and Terrier, affords the most obviously
simple interpretation, which is indeed that usually given of
Monksilver. He is satisfied with the explanation that Silver

'Rev. Leonard Wilkinson, of Westbury-on-Severn.

344

is the Saxon corruption of the Latin Silva, a wood, and Silver
Street should be Silva Strata, or the " road to the wood,"
and in Selwood Forest the word sel is for him an abbrevia-
tion of Selva. These roads, he says, led to some sacred grove.
We might suggest that the Suleviae were the pet goddesses of
the Roman soldiers and the natural protectors of peasants.
In the West the legionary soldiers were much attached to the
Matres or Suleviae. Hence he might say the " Suleviae
Strata." He quotes the late Mr. Ellworthy, who explains
Little Silver in Wellington as ad silvam, and " one of the
ancient roads of our town leads to Silver Street and to St.
Philip's Well." And both in Taunton and Wellington, Silver
Street lead south, where there was most woodland.

The method of argument is thus applied by Mr. Llewellyn,
of Sandford Vicarage, Devon, leading to a quite different
and apparently equally valid conclusion. Sometimes the
evidently substantive Silver is a hamlet, at others it is a farm
or a cottage, or two cottages, but always a dwelling. In the
parish of Northam (Devon) stands a farm-house called Sil-
jord. It stands close by a ford or a place where a road passes
through a stream. All the Silvers, or Sulvers, he knows
are close by ancient fording-places, or on the road to them.
Perhaps a nameless modern bridge has eradicated the
memory of the ford, except Silverbridge, near Yealampton
(where the ford has given the name to the bridge). Mr.
Llewellyn believes that the original form of the word is
Sulhford, a place-name which occurs six or eight times in
the boundaries of ancient charters in Kemble's Codex Diplo-
maticus. It also occurs in a copy of a Crediton grant of
land (739). The name is non-existent now. But in
either direction there occurs a group of Silvers : Little Silver,
Silver Street, and Silverton. This spot is a land of Silvers,
" all on or near or leading to brooks and fords." We note
that, in Chew Magna, Silver Street passes over the River
Chew, where there is now a bridge, and the same thing is
true of other Silver Streets in Somerset, as well (of yore,
we are told) of the Silver Street in Bristol.^ It seems a safe

'Note also under the name Twerton (in Devon) the menton of " Little Silver
Bridge." If "Silver" is Suhl-ford, the addition of "bridge" is a
natural addition when the origin of the name has been forgotten.

345

conclusion that the word is connected with a ford. This
ingenious gentleman accordingly derives Silver from sulh,
meaning a plough. Zulow is a Danish word meaning a
plough, and twenty years ago, it is interesting to note, at
Long Ashton, zulow was a word used for a plough. " It is
a plough, and nothing else," he confidently says; and so
Sulhford, alias Silford, corrupted to Silver and Silvur, is a
plough-ford; or, as he interprets, in a way not satisfying,
" a narrow ford." We suggest that sulh in this case is more
likely connected with sulh, dirty puddle, wallow slough, and
the Saxon sul, meaning mud, and thus the ancient Saxon name
would be descriptive of a shallow ford. Sul and swale mean
fit-places, watery ground. Suls is a brook in a Swiss place-
name.

If these Silvers were invariably connected with fords, this
inductive reasoning would be conclusive and unimpeachable.
But this does not appear to be so. Of the two Westbury
Silver Streets, one leads to a look-out or elevated spot, and
so the name may be Celtic syllu, to gaze; sylu, a sight. It
appears, however, that Celtic scholars will not allow that
" man," meaning a place, may be commuted into vau or
fau or fa, and thus provide us with the form syllfa, a look-
out place, an espying or watching place. One Silver Street
in Westbury leads directly to a high cliff overhanging the
river (and not a ford) called Garden Cliff, where watch and
ward may have been kept. From this point there is a very
extensive view on all sides, at which the ancient watchmen
of Westbury, mentioned in 1653, may have kept their
watch. The other Silver Street debouches on a wide open
prospect. Silverstone Farm, above mentioned, is near the
edge of a sharp declivity, from which there is a notable
view for a long way of a wooded valley. In Morgan's book
on Welsh Place-names, Llanfihangel Diu Sylwy (Anglesea)
is derived from diu, hill; syllu, to gaze. Aisyllfa is Welsh
for an observatory. Other place-names with this element
thus interpreted and answering the description are Diusol
(St. Michael's Mount), Solihull (Warwickshire), Selsdon
(Surrey), 550 feet high at the cross-roads. Solva in Pem-
brokeshire is a lofty spot overlooking a creek seawards.

346

Going further afield and on to the continent we find that in
Tyrolese place-names quoted by Tauber as connected with
Silver in a specialised sense are Salfeur, Salfhof, Selfenhof.
Selfen is very much like the Domesday spelling of Silver in
Muneksilver, as above given. Very much resembling this
there is a charter connected with Woodspring Priory :
" Maud Ofire's daughter Alice and Robert de Ofire gave
to the Priory four acres in Sulesworth, and one acre in Sulf-
broadacre, three acres in La Heye and half an acre in Estre-
dolmore, and half an acre in Westredolomore." The Sil-
bretta Alps, near Klosten, the Silbren Alps in Klovtar, Silber-
tal (or valley), near Arlberg, Silberhast and Silberstock in
Switzerland, are none of them suggestive of woods or fords.
There are numerous names in Sul parallel to those quoted
for our own land. Sulzgraben, Sulzfluh, and the like, are
frequent.

There is a Silverley in Cambridgeshire, and that in Domes-
day Book is spelt Severlai.'- Skeat is content with deriving
this from the Anglo-Saxon seolfor, meaning silver, as the
later spellings suggest that Severlai is the usual Norman
softening of the word seolfre. He says " the epithet is a
strange one," but not infrequent. He suggests no explana-
tion. Tauber does. Silver (silber in German) is in old high
German, silabar; Gothic, silubi. The meaning is bright,
clear, and the root of all the words quoted, sul and sal in
various names above given is that of " meadow land." It
is the brightness of the meadow land, the Alps, or the stone
that has fixed these epithets. Silva itself is a word that does
not, according to this authority, mean wood, but originally
meadow. One thing seems clear, and that is this explanation
appears to suit all the cases, both where there is a ford and
where the name is affixed to a treeless heath or to meadow
land on snow-clapt mountains. It must not be forgotten
that in each separate case investigation is needed into original
spellings where accessible. We are Indebted to Mr. Wil-
kinson for the following most interesting and instructive in-
stance. Silverdale near Carnforth (Lancashire) was Siues-

'Skeat : Camhridge Antiquarian Society, No. xxxiv.

347

deleye (the vowel "u" pronounced as "v") in 1241.
Now, this is obviously the personal name Siward, which is
in full Sigward. This name, we have seen, occurs in Comp-
ton Dando. Sigweard was the name of an Earl of North-
umberland as Sivar. Sigweard becomes Siward. The Nor-
mans dropped the " d " after certain consonants, " 1 " and
"d," and you get Siwar. This is supposed to represent
Silver. It must mean something, of course, and what does
Siwar mean? This appears to explain the curious name
Zeveres formerly found in Compton Dando. And, no
doubt, personal names like Solvar, Selve, have also given
rise to assimilations.

With such a multiplicity of details, and with so many
sources of information to explore, the author can scarcely
suppose that he has avoided errors, slips, mistakes, nor does
he suppose that the final word has been said. With the
utmost care he recognises that he has missed out some points
unwittingly, of which he could give instances. Many books
contain mere wild guesses, especially the guide books and
county histories of the 18th century. The popular explana-
tions are often amusing. "Why is this called Silver-dale?"
and the answer is, " Once upon a time they made a new road
here, and it cost a pot of money." In South Petherton the
explanation of the name Silver Lane is that silver hidden
during the Commonwealth was discovered here. And so —
perhaps it was. Now, we do at least look somewhat to the
history, to the spellings, and not only so, we try to follow
etymological laws, and to remember that it is not simply
the spelling but the pronunciation that matters.

348

CHAPTER XXXIV.
Miscellaneous Names.

As there may still be local names which are reminiscent of
obsolete manorial names, and are doubtless difficult and
puzzling, it may be worth while to notice some of these as
found in the Domesday lists. There is an obsolete manorial
name Aili, in time of Richard II., also written Ailgi, showing
conclusively that we are here dealing with an abbreviated
name. In the time of Richard II. it is Aylly in the hundred
of Carhampton, and in that of Cante-tone (Cannington) as
Aley in Over Stowey, with still a third in Stogumber. It
is a modified form of Ealdgyth, the Saxon personal lady's
name. This is shortened to Aldgid, then Ailgi and Aylly.
This was the name of one of the virgins to whom Aldhelm
dedicated his treatise de Virginibus. It appears to have
Danish connections mostly, and was formed by a Norman
dropping of all the hard double consonants.

Another curious name already mentioned is that of Avill,
in Dunster. " The Avill flowing down the valley of the same
name." We note that the spelling of the manorial name is
Avena, Avene, and William de Avene occurs in 1332.^
In the Bath Charter, as part of the possessions, it is Avell-
hamme. Avene is a spelling of the river Afon in documents,
and ill is possibly Isle or He, the river name. Avill is thus
shortened from Afon He, " the river Isle," and Avellhamme
of the Bath Charter, the low-lying meadow land near the
river. The D.B. spelling was Avena. Avill is the name of
a stream called the Laun at Dunster. This is noteworthy.
The personal female name as a district name, and giving its
name to the stream perhaps, which combines all these
elements, is that of Avelina, i.e., Evelyn. The name Aveling
is extant according to Forstenmann. Avo is an ancestor
obviously connected with Avus. Avelina may be shortened

^Lincoln's Inn Chartulary of Bath Priory, S.R.S., vol. xii., p. 103.

349

to Avena or Avill, and the end is the Laun. Anyhow, this
is a plausible explanation of Avill and Avena as names of the
same spot.

Evestia belonged to St. Peter's of Bath Abbey. Is there
any local name resembling it? It is found in the Bath Char-
tulary spelt Evesty and Evescia.^ but also illuminatively as
Geofanstiga. In Kemble's Codex Diplomaticus, Evestia and
Ascewic (Aescwig), Ashwick, are joined in a charter pro-
nounced spurious. It is an obsolete name of an estate, which
in 1086 belonged to the Abbot of Bath, and is noted in the sur-
vey, between Corston and Ashwick. The Bath Priory charter
seems to place this spot on the river, near Camelar-ton, that is,
Camerton. Geofanstiga becomes Evestia by the " g " being
a half-vowel sound both at the beginning and end of a word.
Geofan is clearly the form of the modern personal name
Jevons. Stiga seems to mean a steep footpath. Geofan,
however, is evidently Gebwine and Gefwine. This shows
at least how old some names are in the county, for Gebwine
is the well-known name Gibbons, and Gibbons and Jevons
have developed out of the same Saxon name, Geb, Gif,
give. But who would immediately recognise Evestia as
Gibbons? Until we find the key and trace the steps it seems
incredible.

Another name, Gibb or Gibbs, with the inevitable mean-
less plural form, is Chibbet, which is possibly in Exford. This
is from the Domesday name Cibeweard, also Gibheard,
which is the modern name Gibberd.

Eppsa is perhaps Episbury in Wick St. Lawrence, and it
is the personal name Eps. Ebbs Hill is a local name, A.S.,
Ebba, as also in Ebden, and Eppsa; and Darshill, a hamlet
in Shepton Mallet, is Deorweald become Deoral, and accret-
ing the sibilant as a possessive form, Deorsal, and then
becomes Darsell. Maneurda, an obsolete name in Milverton,
is Manweard, with the two elements man for magen,
strength, and weard. Imela in St. Decumans looks mysterious
enough, but it is a softened and abbreviated form of Imhild.

Lanshore, in West Quantoxhead, and Lancherley are both

^Bath Chartulary, S.R.S., vol. vii.

35C

interesting local names, recalling the time when the greatest
part of the cultivation of the land was by common fields.
Landshore in Devon is the headland of a field. It is Laen-
scire-lia or landshores, meaning separations. The Laen
means the part let out for tillage. Another reminiscence
is to be found in the place-names more than once
noted ending in linch. The following is the explanation
of the linches given in Seebohm's Village Community.
Under the ancient open system of agriculture, when the
common field lay on the hillside, it was usual to divide it
into strips, rarely up and down the slope. Each strip was
separated from its neighbour by the usual balk of agricul-
ture land. The observant eye in the country may see relics
even now of this system. Every tenant ploughed his strip
so as to throw the sod down hill, the plough returning one
way idle. If the whole had been ploughed as one field the
soil would gradually have travelled from the top to the
bottom, but as every tenant was stopped at the balk or land-
shore, it followed that in course of time the field became
divided into a series of terraces rising one above another.
These terraces are the lynches or linches found in the place-
names as e.g., Sticklinch, in West Pennard, and Linch, in
Selworthy. Stick is probably as stiga in Geofanstiga, steep.
Freshford, near Frome, is a doubtful name to which a
clue is afforded by the spelling found in Kirby's Quest of
Furs-ford. It is the personal name, in that case, of Fursa,
found in Fursman, a curious name extant in Bristol. There
are two manors, Firford and Fescheford, in D.B., as given
by Eyton. But this latter is identified by Mr. Whale with
Vexford, in Stogumber, and the additional manor Firford as
the Freshford near Bath. This seems easy enough, but the
later spelling gives a clearer explanation. Furs-ford, or the
Fersford of Kirby's Quest,^ or Furs-fird has become Fres-ford.
and then, of course, this can only (it is supposed) be Fresh-
ford, as an intelligible name. The 16th century spelling
Frecke-ford is curious. Frecke is an Anglo-Saxon personal
name, as in Frecken-ham, in Suffolk, but here it is a corn-

's. R.S., vol. iii.

351

plete departure from the aboriginal spellings, and seems
either to be a mistake or there is some confusion.

Berkeley, near Frome, is D.B. Berchelei, which is the
Domesday name of the estate. The owner of Tadwick in
Swainswick was Radulf or Ralph, brother of Roger de Ber-
cleia, Francus Tegnus as he is called. But the name Berkeley
is clearly Saxon, the A.S. Berce, a birch, and so meaning
the berch-lea or meadow.

Hucking Acre is an odd name in Butleigh of more than
local interest inasmuch as Leo in Anglo-Saxon Names of
Places does not derive from Hacke, a hill or hoch-shaped
piece of land, but from Hoc or Hocca, proper names of
men. Kemble, too, states that such names are derived from
Hnaef, the Hocking.

Chesterblade is a hamlet two and a half miles from Ever-
creech. In the Lay Subsidies of Edward L, 1272, it
is Chester Blade. This may be a form of Chestrebald. Bald,
Beald, is an extant personal name, the camp of Beald, by
an interchange of consonants. There is also Chesterlake in
the Register of the Abbey of Athelney, " Asklake to the old
lake, to Chester Lake, to Gorlake." There is a Chaster-
mead in Soc Denis, that is, the Castra, or camp mead.
Chester is " generally formed with a Celtic prefix," and, of
course, is indicative of a Roman colony. But here we have
an afl5x. If there are no pretensions to camps in each case,
Castra, then Chester, is an assimilation perhaps from Ches-
ward, that is Chad's dwr, or water. Blade might be Bled or
Blaed, a personal name. It is compounded in Blaed-beorht,
Blaedhild, and the like. Blaedanhlew is the original spelling of
Bledlow. But Chesterlake is said to owe the first component
to its proximity to the camp on Small Down. There is a
camp defended on the east side by two ditches. The remains
of implements and pottery found are preserved in the Taun-
ton Museum. Bled-low, as a local name, points to the owner-
ship name, as in Blead-don and other names.

Prankets, in Old Cleeve, alias Prankerd.— This name is
said to be a curious corruption of Pancras, the saint of that
name, and so another instance of interchange of consonants.
In Devon there is a Pancrasweek, that is, St. Pancras wick or

352

village. The name Pixton, in Dulverton, is like some other
metamorphoses, a curiosity of change. The Domesday
spelling is Potesdona. The explanation seems to be that
this originates in the personal name Peoht, also pronounced
Peoct. Pixton as a 15th century survival of this pronun-
ciation is decidedly worthy of note. This certainly explains
how Potesdun could possibly be called Pix-ton from Peocts-
dun. Potts is found in Potsgrave, Pothington, and the like
place-names. There is a Putsham in the parish of Kilve,
said to be a Celtic camp.

Dolting and Dulcote. — Dolting in D.B. is Doltin. The
place is ancient and interesting on account of its connection
with St. Aldhelm, to whom the church is dedicated. Doltin
is in form very closely allied to other ancient names as an
Alpine slope called Dolden, and the name in Dolden-horn.
Now, these are derived from an old high German form,
Doldo, meaning a dome, dul, or dhel, and descriptive of
configuration, and to this Dulcote Hill corresponds. Ton
is not ting, a council, but din, or den, as Dolden. This,
too, explains Dultingcote, which is earlier spelt Doulte-cot,
that is, Doulden-cote. Tarnock, a tything near Kingsway in
Badgeworth, is another instance of a name with a primitive
root at its base. The Dpmesday spelling is Ternoc, later
Tornok, Tournock, Tornok, Turnok. The form Tarren
Gower occurs in Pembrokeshire in which, in Welsh, Tarren
means a tump or batch. But this is only another instance of
names such as Tornova, in Bohemia, Turnan, in Austria,
Terne, in Italy, all traceable to a primitive root, tar and
tarn, meaning wood. The ock is possibly og, " full of "
or woody. We have met with the personal name Turnock,
but its derivation, unless from a place, we do not know.
Tolland could be most easily grasped as meaning the " land
subject to toll," but it is Talam in D.B., and in the Exeter
D.B. Talanda and Talam. In 1263 and 1300 the name
appears as Thela, Tela, and Tyla, as a form of a personal
name. It is, we think, the name Towle shortened from
Touhild, already mentioned, that is, Towle-land or Towle-
ham.

"Where does this road lead to?" said the motorist to

353

the stooping labourer, and got the startling reply : " That's
the way to 'ell, sir." So it was— to Healh. " Have you seen
my descent into hell?" said the artist. "No, but I should
like to." This you may do in several places, as at Helford,
which was once a shallow estuary from Eyl or Heyl with
this meaning. Some of these " hells " are from the personal
name El, Ayl, Hel, or Ella. Heli or halan means salt. Or
it is a hull or hollow. Healh is a frequent name of lands,
and is usually the personal name Ealh and Healh, as in South
Petherton and Curry Rivell, and Hele, in White Stanton.

In these days of strikes a paterfamilias would like to go
where coal is cheap. He had better visit Colejree land, in
Kingston Seymour. This, like Coleford, in Stogumber, is,
however, only Ceolfrith or Ceolfrid, a whilom possessor, as
Coley, near Litton, is Ceola. Cold Harbours are everywhere.
The name is like Silver Street, a never-ending subject of
speculation. Our numerous Cold Harbours are mostly in
sheltered situations, and so Leo thinks the name was given
ironically. The Latin derivations, Collis arbour and the like,
are simply stupid. There is a Cold Harbour in Somerset
on the road to Thorncombe. A Saddle Street joins the
fosseway at St. Reigne's Hill. Harbour is undoubtedly from
Herberge, a shelter, and the epithet is probably just what
it says. There are Kalte-Herbergs in Germany.

The meaning of the termination "hanger" as a hanging word
is well known. One of the best-known place-names which
contain the word is Binegar. Its original spelling as Beanan-
hanger is formed, as already noted, of the personal name
Benna, others also are found so compounded. In the charter
of Barlynch Priory are Swyn-hangre, that is, Swegen's or
Sweyen's hanger, Fuges-hangre, Rades-hangre, Chobes-hanger.
Rades-hangre is probably Hrod's hanger. Fug is a name in
the eighth century. There are others too numerous to
enumerate and some so local as to escape attention. Chobs-
hanger is the name Coppa or Cop. Clay-hanger or Cley-
hanger (1232) is probably descriptive of the sloping clay.
Wyche-hanger is the personal name Wich, Wiching.

354

Much also might be written of great interest on the ancient
roads and ways, the streets and weias and geats, as, for in-
stance, the very ancient name of Lufelsgeat, which opens
up the history of the name Lovell, as our observation has
inclined us to think, and shows that the story of its being
derived from Lupelius, on account of the savage temper of the
dog and wolflike lord of Castle Gary, is doubtful. Lupus and
Lupelius were doubtless nicknames latinised from their like-
ness to the good old Saxon name Leofel. Leof means Sir,
and Leofel, Liufel, are abbreviations of Leofhild. This name
is in French Luval, with the same origin. So much for the
story repeated with pious persistency. The Lord of Castle
Gary, the baron of 1138, was Ralph Lovel, and the
father of this Ralph has his name spelt Luval. The ancient
forms are preserved in a charter of Glastonbury Abbey,
where we meet with Lovelegeth, that is, Lovelgeat, in which
geat is a form of gaud or gath, or, maybe, geat, a roadway,
which is the more probable. If we meet with a local name,
as we do, Lovehill, and seek an amatory explanation, it is,
we fear, only this personal name. In the Pedes Finium is
Lovelles-stoc-land.^

The names of roads, ways and byeways scattered through
charters, and used as boundary marks, are very numerous. It
is impossible to examine a complete list of them in a chapter.
Some of the principal names have been noted. The "streets "
were rightly taken to mean the ancient Roman roads. There
is Street near Merriott, Stony Stretton in Evercreech, Stratton
on the Fosse (Stratton St. Vigor in 1308),^ Street in Winsham,
spelt Estrat or Strete, and then Estrat. The initial phonetic
vowel has induced the spelling East-Street. Over Stratton
(D.B. Stratona) in South Petherton, called Stratton Minorem
in 1315, Street (stret, strete) by Glastonbury. Street was in 680
called Lantlocal. There are Broadways equally indicative of
highways, Broadway on the Foss, Brodeway with Apse,
curiously called Les Apses, and then emerging as Rapps. At
Merriott a part of the road leading to Lopen and South
Petherton is called the Broadway. Westowe in Lydeard St.

^Somerset Fines, S.R.S., vol. xx. ^Somerset Fines, S.R.S., vol. viii.

355

Lawrence is, according to Mr. Whale, Wei or Way-stowe, the
Stowe on the way. Ringoldt's Weia is mentioned in Domes-
day as the name of a hundred. Ringholdt is, probably, Hring-
wald as a personal name. It is modern name Reynolds, with
the " s " superadded. It is, in feet, from the possible light
thrown upon better known names, that these multitudin-
ous local names in charters may be worth collecting and
examining. The name Lancher-weye occurs near Muchel-
ney, that is the land-scir way, or landshire way, with the
usual meaning of scir as separation. The following " dies,"
dikes or raised ways, occur in Somerset among many others —
Beorhtulfes-gemaere die, Plegidic,^ near Locking (or Locan-
ton) and the Avon river, Seora dyke, near Pitminster, Weala-
can dyke, near Taunton, by Ofla's dyke or the old dyke.
Beohrtwulf is a man's name. Plegidic is the name Plegwine.
Scorra occurs in Scorranstan, and this is a man's name with
its modern representative, Scurrah. A table of the Anglo-
Saxon roads and dykes would give many other interesting
personal and local names. Near Plegidic is Baelles Meg. Bra-
danweg, Deopanweg, Dicweg, Stanweg, Hreo-dic (or rough
dike) occur in a Bath charter with many others to which
personal names are prefixed.

Stert means a tail, steort, and is found as the name of a
promontory, and occurs as the commencement or end of a
road. Stert was a free-manor in Babcary curiously spelt
" Starle," probably by a copyist's error. Stert Point is a
promontory not far from boatstall Point.^ Gelade means a
way or road, hence in 1296 we find La Lode and juxta Mertok.
It is La Lode in 1233, and is variously spelt Lede and Lodey-
nche in 16th century. This is now called Long Load. The
names " Long " Load and North Lode are found in the days
of Elizabeth. Lode is a shortening of the personal name
Lodar, Loder, Lodere, Lodhere, or the name Leod,
Luid, Lode and Lyde simply, or as Lodeynche perhaps indi-
cates Leodine as shortened from Leodwine. In Witham
Priory boundaries " Frogmere to Clude-weye " (Henry

'Birch's Cartularium Saxonicum, ii., No. 814. 'Gerard : Particular Descrip-
tien of Somerset, p. 36.

356

1st) the name Clude throws light on Clude-ton or Glutton and
Temple Cloud.

Of places with the commencing word " Up," Updown in
Midsomer Norton seems contradictory. Upcot in Ninehead,
and perhaps Uphill, spelt Uphull, Uphulle, Opopulle, Upton,
explain themselves. Upmudford, " which name it very well
Brookes, being exceedingly dirty and miry.''^ In the time of
Richard I. or Henry II. " Mudford had but one lord; shortly
after it acknowledged three, which accordingly were known
by ye names of Mudford Terry (A.D. 1316), Westmudford,
and Up-Mudford."2 Uppington is in Withypool, and Up-
weare in Weare.

Ditton Street, between Ilminster and West Dawlish, is Dike-
ton Street, meaning the street by the dike, or raised way.
The Roman road from Glastonbury to West Pennard passes
between two hamlets. East Street and Woodland street. On
the Glastonbury side of these hamlets there is a raised way
called Pouter's Ball, which latter word is thought to be a cor-
ruption of Vallum. Plaice Street runs towards North Camp,
near Taunton. Perhaps this is connected with the name
" Plecy," as in Newton Plecy. Broom-street is near Culbone,
spelt Brum-stert. This is Brun street or steort.

Slow occurs very frequently as a local name. John Atte
Slew, of Slow Comb, in West Cammell — and the name Slo-
worth occurs here — and la Slo, Sloo, SIou and Slow Comb in
North Curry. There is a " slough farm " in Bishop Sutton,
and a Slowly in Luxborough. Leo^ derives Slastede from
the sloe, the fruit of the black-thorn. It may, however, be
slough, a muddy pool or mire ; as the mid-English of
this is " slough " ; and of the form " slo," this is the more
likely derivation. Slowe, near Stoke St. Gregory, is surely
Slawe.

Newton Plecy was a manor in North Petherton, and took
its additional name from Hugh de Placetis, time of Henry
III. The spellings in the 13th century.^ Richard de Placetis
or Plecy died in 1292. Previously to this it bore the

'Gerard : Particular Description of Somerset, pp. 178 and 179. ^Ihid. 'See
Anglo-Saxon Names of Places, p. 19 (note). ''Calendar of Manuscripts of
the Dean and Chapter of Wells.

357

name Newton "Forrester." Richard I. made William de
Wrotham forester of Exmoor, and also gave him the
Barony of Ambreville.^ in the hundred of North Petherton.
This name is the same as Aubervile and Adburvile. At the
time of Domesday Robert de Aubervile held a small estate at
Wearne, on the north of Langport. But according to Eyton,
D'Auberville was a man of many small estates, somewhat un-
settled, as in Langjord Budville. Aubervile is near Caen.

The place-names Yard, in West Hatch, and near Combe
Florey, in Taunton; Yard-ley in Wookey, and Yard-wall in
Mark, are probably all derived from the name of a man
" Geard." There are four Yardleys. The name is spelt Yerd
and Yurd. It is, of course, quite as likely that the derivation
is from "geard," an enclosure or court, or even a fold.
Yardley would then be the same as Orchard Leigh in meaning.
A name In Charleton called Bugges-ache (A.D. 1232), " two
virgates and a half," is explained by the name of an Abbess
Buggu, mentioned by Dugdale. This Abbess Bugu or Bucga
gave four hides at Ore to Glastonbury. Stibbear is a local
name right on the boundary of the parish of Ilminster. In
a Saxon charter it is Stibbe, and as there is a local name
Stybbansnaed, i.e., that is, Stibba's allotment or apportion-
ment, this is a Saxon personal name become Stibbear. A
curious local name is Stickleball Hill. This is a threefold
agglomeration : Stickle means steep, ball means a knoll or
top, and then hill is added; and there is a Stikelpath-mere.
But all the hill-names require a separate examination, and
to obtain a list is not easy. In Winsford field names are
Great Broomball and N. and S. Horseball.^

The names La Seo and Jordan occur in Ilminster. Seo is
also spelt Sea, and Jordan, Jurdan. La Seo is merely a
dilapidated farm near Dimpole on the south side of Ilminster.
Sea and See and Sae are likely forms of Sige. Seaborough
is the name Seabar, for Seabiorn or Sigbiorn, rather than
sea, a lake; and Jordan is the same as the French Jourdain
and probably originally a name of religious character. At
least this is the only origin given, but it may be a disguise.

'Gerard : ibid., p. 133. ^Somerset and Dorset Notes and Queries, vol. ii.

358

though not very likely. Smynge is in Milverton, and Smin-
hay is a local name, both indicative of a name Smeyn. Near
Frome is a hill called Mortuary Hill. This has been sup-
posed to be a mortuary, that is a burial place. Impossible if
the name is ancient. Like Murder Combe in Whatley, it re-
presents the very old name Muatheri, the origin of the per-
sonal names Modar, Mutrie, and Murtrie.

Rapps, a hamlet between Ilton and Broadway, is remark-
able. It is written La Apse and Les Apses in the reign of
Edward I. The owner was Ralph, and these three words,
Ralph La Apse, appear to have coalesced into one word. The
name Rapps is extant, apparently originating in the place-
name. Whether Apses is not itself a corruption of Earps
is a question. In Winsford field-names is Long and Little
Rap. A rap of ground is a Somerset expression, and hrep
is a measurement, hrep or rope. Sussex is the only county
divided into " rapes." Districts of Iceland are called hreppar.
The name Rapp or Rapps may thus be a Scandinavian re-
miniscence, whether it is Ralphs (Rapps) or from the measure.

La Folde is usually explained as meaning a deer enclosure,
but perhaps it is shortened from the name Filogud.

Pennard (East and West) was called Pengeard Minister,
or was so frequently written according to Collinson, and
also Pennar. " The Church itself holds Pennar Minster."
This is the name Penheard, Penhearding, or Penearding
of the 10th century and earlier, as "Six manentes or home-
steads " were given at Pennard Minster to abbot Hemgisel
of Glastonbury (681).

Atherstone in the parish of White Lackington is Addres-
ton, Alardstone (1225), Athalardstone (26 Henry III.),
and Atherestone (47 Henry III.). This is the name Ethel-
weard, a 10th century name.

Wike Perham, now Wick, in the parish of Curry Rivel.
The Perham family were owners of Wyke in 1234. At Wyke,
John held four carucates of land. A " Bull " for the foundation
of a Chapel was granted in 1254 in the pontificate of Alexander
IV. on the plea of bad roads.^ Perham is conjecturally and

'Bishop Salopia's Register.

359

with some probability thought to be an abbreviation of the
place-name Pedredeham, also Petherham, like Petherton.

Toomer, an ancient manor in the parish of Henstridge,
was held by Nicholas de Dummere, who, in the time of
Edward III., gave lands in Saltmere to the Abbot of
Athelney. To him succeeded John de Dommer Lord of
Chilthorne Domer, who was living 20 Edward I. Toomer
is Domhere, a personal name.

360

ADDENDA.

(Accidentally omitted from the text.)

Trent is a river name. Bosworth, in his Anglo-Saxon
Dictionary, says the river-name Drouent is from the
winding course of the stream. More likely is the deri-
vation from y dwer went as a Celtic origin. In Derbyshire
is the Derwent. In Kent the name Dartford, the ford of the
Dwr-gwent or Darent. There is also a Derwent in York-
shire. Trent is an abbreviation of this longer word.
Gwent means a fair and open region. There is the name
Trient in S. Tyrol, supposed to be abbreviated from the
Latin Tridentum, and Taranto (Tarentum) in Lower Italy.
Trient is connected by Isaac Taylor with the Cymric tre, a
village. There is an Alpine village name Torrent, near
Lenk, the " forest-stream." The river origin is the most
likely.

Vohster is a hamlet of Mells. In the Somerset Fines, 1233,
we read of " the water of Melnecumbe above " Fobbestor,"
and the " enclosure which Ralph Fobbestor formerly held."
Vobster is thus a form of Fobbe's-Tor, and Fobbe is the
name Fobba. This can scarcely be a form of Forrester, as
stated. Fob is an old low German word, meaning a
pocket, whatever may be the significance of the personal
name Fobb. Tor is the hill. Fobban-Wyl is a local name.

Wraxall is spelt in Domesday Book, Werocasala. This is
a Norman spelling with the helping vowels inserted, and
the form to be dealt with is Wrocs-al. Wero-cas-al has
been interpreted, as Celtic, to mean "the hall of bitter
strife." Examination of persistent spellings clears this
doubt, and we see that it is Wroc's hall or hill, in which

361

Wrac is a personal name. The name occurs elsewhere in
the form of Wroc. There is Wroxhall in the parish of
Marston Montague in Bedfordshire.

Misterton is spelt Minster-ton, and doubtless this is the
true spelling. This is in the reign of Edward I. There
is a Misterton in Nottinghamshire, which Edmunds explains
as from maeste, mast, that is the " swine-feeding town."
It may have been the residence of a minister-thegn.

ERRATA.

Page 81, line 3 from bottom, for " Estarerewicca " read " Estalrwick.'

Page 85, line 4 from bottom, for "bolt" read "holt."

Page 96, line 14 from bottom, for "Pafuhild" read "Pfanhild."

362

INDEX OF PLACE-NAMES.

Abbas Combe. 47, 186, 187
Abbot's Buckland, 21, 188
Abbotabury, 21
Abbot'Bi Oamel, 188
Abbot's Leigh. El. 73, 188
Abbot's Sutton, 21
Abdick, 22
Ache,, 93
Ao (root), 94
Aohelal, 94, 332
Aclo 94
Adber, 84, 235
AjdTington, 121
Ads-oombe. 47
Adsboroufb, 233
Agwes Wells, 17
Ali-la-Chap«Ue, 8, 12
Alibum Konajsterium, 30
Aloombe, 60
Aldwiick, 50, 83
Aley, 348
Alfoiton. 179
Alhom, 105
Alhampt/oni, U. 105
Aller, 42, 64, 160

Butler, 160

Alterford. 160

Allermoor. 64, 160

Aaierton, 106, 1*0

Ailmewortihj^, 288

Alston Marie, 295

Altcar, 107

Altham, 107

Alum, lit 106

Amerdown, 26

AndeTB&eld. 93

Angersleigh, 73, 76

AnafOTcd, 11

Ar (root), 315

Ardland, 28

Aeh, 1*0

Ashbrittle, 1188, 189

Aahbullen, 248

Ashoott, 42, 110. 160, 183, 188

Ashoombo, 42. 161, 188, 190

Ashington, 110, tS9

Ashherbert, 189

Aehill, 91, 159

Asholt. 49, 180

A&hmiayTiie. 190

Ashlake, 61

Ash Priore, 21

Asihton Alexander, 190

Dando, 190, 218

Philips. 191

Ash-wiay, 190
Atheiney, 13, 293, 307
Ath6T!rt.on, 368
Avill. 3M
Avena,, 346
A-ron, 2, 7
Aibodee, 8
Axe, i2
Axzninster, 8

Babbinfftoe, 110
Bahbingiey, IM
Baboary, 110
Baibenheim, 111
Balbiew. 178
Baokwell, 227, 290
Badidiley, 167

Badgewoirth, 6'3, 142, 241. 296
Bflig'boiroug'h. 19, 147, 242
Baigihayy«s, 24l
Baginigham, 241
Baltonsborouglh, 140
Bagley, 241
BaOll. 319

BamiibcHrougih, IdiO
BamiweOa. 52, 78, 289
Bair (noot), 17
Bapeiegis, 76
BarJinch, 71
Barle (riTer). 12
BanringliOn, 112, 166
Bamrom G'UXiieiy. 195

• Minichiii, 193

N. and S., 193

Bartlemooir, 66
Batooimibe, 58, 72. 88, 161
BattlebOTOUgih, 158
Bath. 16

Batihaimipton, 105
Batheaston, 305
Bathland, 78
Bathiwiok, 80
Battle aoire, 173, 317
Bafyford, 70, 71
Baw-djrip 503
Beaoh, 42

BeaiminstHT, 148, 269
Beannianciodnb, 52
Beauchamp Stoke, 2S5
Beokington, 78. 80, 116
Beckeiry Island, 292
Bedbopoiugh, 55
Bedfioird, 65
Bediminster, 21
Beer, 112

Beggiair Quarm, 310, 312
Besearn Huialh, 247
Belleriioa, 158
BeUiutom, 319
BBllyswiok, 97
"BemBtone, 179, 268
Berkeley, 65, 97, 551
Berrow, 80
Bemwiok, 71, 84
BioMey, 42
Biokenlhi?!!, 42, 73
Bididisiham, 55. 57
Biitfidenhiaim, 55
Bidjda&oote, 55
Bidstone, 157
BiilbiPOO, 158
Billesiwick
BinegaiT, 31. 52, 353
BinEley, 264

Binsham, 264
Biniewestoini, 264
Binham, 78
Binmairsh, 48
Bird«omibe, 48
Bishop's Axbridg«, 1S4

Hull, 194, 195

Lydeard, 22, 194

eutton, 5, 194, 256

Bishopsworth, 196
Bi6hoi>»wood, 194
Bitwynehoirde, 62, 336
Blaokdown, 33, 64, 166. 16J
Blackford, 166
Blackmore, 166
BlakesaU, 166
Blagdon, 118, 166
Blea/dou, 339
Bkuicmiinister, 3(
Blue Bowl, 319
BlTimdwell, 17
BonhiU, 78
Bondlttgton, 127
Bonnyledeh, 78
Bossington., 115, 221
Bosham, 115
Boston, 115

BOSTTOTth, 115

Bower Ashbon, 195, 228

East, 1195, 228

West, 195, 228

— ronton, 31, 32, 136, 228
BJeaton

— Mead, 195, 228
Bourton, 195
Bowerwaie. 195, 228
Bradou <Joviz, 284

North, 284

Bradfleld, 234
Bradenaot, 284
Bratton S'eymifvur, 197

Lyndes, 198

Breach Hill, 146. 147
Breuit Marsh, 64
Brew (river), 5
Brewham, N. and S.. Il09
Bridgwater, 12, 17, 74. 171. 315
Bridgehampton, 315
Brighton,, 114

Brinsea. 75

Brislirngton, 31. 65, 112
Bristol, 114, lis
Briae Norton, 114
BriwiBtou., N. aiai S., 5
Broadway, 284. 354
Broc (root), 40
Brockley Ctombe. 39, 40
Brortiemeston, 245
Broford. 70
Bromfleld, 167, 194
Bromley. 198
Bpompitan. Balpta, 199

BegiB. 60. 198. 199

Broomba,!!, Gretbt, 351

Brown. 138
Brusia, 31S
Brushford, 316
Br/tooua, 5
BuokXamd Din^ham, 22

Minchin, iU, W5, 200

St. Mary, 22, 201

Prioris, 201

Buggee Ache, i57
Butleigh Wootiott, 201
Buistoiie, 22, 179. 266
Burg (root), 85
Bum (Bourn), 12
Buimham, 12

BuTrington, 10, 25, 31, HI, lil2
Burtle, 65
Batoombe, 53

Oad (root), 36
Oadser (root), 36
Oadbury, 36, 37
Oeren-oeastor, JOB
0am (root), 3, 4, 23
Camalar, 4
Camel, 4

Abbot's, 64, Zn, 204

Queen. 64, 203, 204

Eumara, 64. 203, 204

Gamely, 203
Canjnangton. 116
Cannstadt, 116
(Jantoo, 100. 101
Oarbampton, 37, 76, 106
Carleon. 16, 19
Oary, 13

Fitpaine, 316

Caetl* Gary. 36, £06

iNeroohe, 15J

Uatash, 38
Cathliregion, 36
Catoot, 38
ObafToombe, 157
Obelka, 191
Chantry, 22
Ohapel Lsieb, 76

AMertonp, 204

Cteove, 205

Oambwioh, 205

Hiayea, 205

Ohard. 51. 63, 73. 80, 144
Chiardleigh Qreca, 73
Ohiarlcombe, 157. 156
Cbarterhoase Hinton. 21
— - Hydon, 188
Ghairlton, 207

Adiam, 207, 208

Makrall, 207, 208

— MusgraT-e, 209

Borethome. Mfl. 210

Oha-roombo, 60
Obedeaford, 71, 221. 315
Obeddon I^tzpayne. 206
Cbedzoy. 207
Chelstoioe, 294
Chelvey, 295
Obelwood. 172
Oherlton KanvU. 211
Chester Lake, 64, 351

Blade, 351

Cbi&w (river) 4
Ohew Magna, 4. 5, 23. 24, 78
Chew Stoke. 4, 6. 23, 275
Ohewton Glen. 4
Chewton iDendip. 4, 244
(Jhibbet, 349
(3hiloonipton, 212
Cmilton, 212, 213

Oantelo, eii

Trepit, 214

Trinity, 211

363

Childhey, 213, 214
Childerley. 213
Chilford, 213
Chilthorne Domer, 211

Vag*, ail, 213

OhillinEton, 116
Chilworth, 41
Ohlpperley, 78
Ohipley. 78
Chipetaple, 40
GhiseJboroTiffh, 294
ChiBfwiok, 294
Ohobbea Baugenr, 353
Oholwell, 171
Churcbeye Stathe. 283
Churchill, 143
Cibewurda, 334
Oindoo Monaohomm, 283
Cinderford, 28
Cinmael (root) 4
Clapton. 64. 176
Clapham, 176
Clatworthy. 48
Clayhangeir. 353
Claverton. 42
Clav.elshay. 264
Claverley. 43
Clayford. 43
Cleyedon, 247
Clewer. 296
Clifton. 247
Cloford. 296
Cl'OSwoTth, 41, 295
Clofutaheim, 18
Cludwoie, 355
Glutton, li, 171
Cod«oombe, 171, 298
Ooffinawell, 277
Cokeo-, 161

Oold Hairijour, 20, 353
Ooleifkxnd, 558
CoLfres Ijand, 353
CoUina Haiys, 242
Oombewich. 78. 319
Com.be Allain. 222

Pl-jrey, 214

Tjadie3, 17

Sydienham. 222

St. Niobolas.

Oomjpton Bisboip, 194

Bando, 172, 217

DurTillo, 219

• Dandiom, -217

Miurtin, 65, 219

Magna,, 221

Monceauz, 311

Pauncefoot, 226

ViTonia, 219

Oondorer, 87
Oonpresbnry. 19, 20, 320
Coniull. 20
Gorton Denham, 34
Oorlac, 61
Cossington, 117
Cothelstone, 17
Cranmoor. 11, 121
Crandon, 302
Creech S. Michael, 218.

222
Grewkeme, 53. 223
Ori'cket MaMiorhi"- 73Z

St Tbomjas. 222

Criokham. 108
Crookorcombe, 30. 63
Grooombe, 53. 84. 112
Orookern Pill. 53
Orook amid Pill, 53
Onookhoime, 53
Croaoombe. 56
CruB (Ouca) 38. 39. 53

Cuokfleld. U7
Cucklington. 117, 176
Cuokney, 117
Ouckworth. 282
Cumokbally, 319
Ooimok Deoani, 319
Oushuish. 242
Ourland, 56
Gurry Mallett, 56, 223

Moor, 64

Pool, 66

RiTal. 25. 56, 56, 156

223. 237

North, 25

Cuaop. 23
Custoke, 23
Cutcombe Mohnn. 298

Daddio«e. 326
Dandiris. 330
Banesbury, 312
Bamube, 7

Beoumans 3., 15S, 183
Bee, 11
Ben dene, 73
Beopanweg, 355
Berbam, 46
Bi-cweg. 3S5
BilUngton, 118
Biletone. llJ
Bilworth. 118
Binder. 329, 330
BingiastOTt'. 332
Binghunet. 332
IMnnington. 116
Bie-oova. 178
Bitton St., 356
Bitobeat. 74. 106
Bolbury. 334
Bolemooins, 334
Bolting 13. 208. 352
BompoU, 333
Bonyatt, 72, 218
Bonniford. 70
Bovorooiart. 19
BoTBrhay, 18, 87
Bowlish Wiake, 278
Bruoombo, 67
Bulcote, 362
Bulverton, 334
Bun, 6, 109
Bundry, 5, 266
Bunkerton, 328
Bunkerry Beacon, 329
Bunnimgham, 108
Bunwera, 174, 274
Burhill (Berlie), 231
BuTkdirh. 231

Ea (iroot), 8. 12

Earn (river). 310

Earuaill, 309

Eaton, 10

Ealh (Healh), 50, 86

Elan (iroot), 9, 10, 23

Eaat Lay. 88

Baaton-in-G'Ordano. 265

East Luoaam.be, 192

Eaat Ludfoird. 240

Eaetrip, 303

Eaatwwk, 82

EderaJse. 75

Edgibonoueb, 294

Bdeeoott, 340

Edington, 75, 78. 101, 339, 340

Edvin BaJiplh, 65

Bfard, 171

Egford, 340

EgePlay, '/a

Ek«iwick, 82

Elbarouieh, 293

364

EOilmick, SO, 83
Elm, 265, 292
Elwarth, 58, 183
Elmwortihy, 292
Biniboroiugih» 43, 62, 179
Empioete, 305
Enidestcme, 313
Eraglieh Coimibe, 46

Batch, 46

Eppea, 349
Eflk <Ux, etc.), 21, 71
Esiwick. 79, 82
EdkdaJie, 64
Estimdon. 32
EveiTcirieecli, 38
Evertonn 38
Eivestia, 349
ExnucKxr, 64, 111, 112

FaJXanid, 338

Farliedgli Himeerfcird. 227

Montfoaxl, 228

FajmubOTOugh, 228
Parrington Bliuet, 230

Guirney, 193, 229

reJton Ocmunon, 29, 127
Jjfraw <riTer), 41
Fidwiok, 119
Fil (Ml), root, 29
Edltan, 28, 29, 31
FiJlwood, 28, 29
Fiv«liead, 89
Fittington, 119
Fivaah, 26
PleuTy, 2L5
Foddineton, 114, 120
Foacote, 184

Freeihfoird, 72, 80, 184, 350
Flax Borairtoii, 196, 228
Fleotley, 28, 196
Fleckii«y, 196
Froginiieiriek 365
Prome, 10, 41

Gaer, 76
Giaieimill, 63
Gainsborotigh, 25
Galmiineton, 107
Gialby, 107
GaAocanbe, 39, 58
GelU, 107
Gemiajer (root), 66
GSlletone, 183
Glaed (plat, clat), 43
Glastonbrary, IM, 15, 115
Cioa.tliiU, 39, 168
Goathurat, 39, 63, 161, 168,

169
Goblin Oombe, 40
Qodimlnster, 164, 168, 169
Godney, 65, 168. 170
Godiwln>68 Bower, 170
Goceslode, 61
GoIdenBeott, 168
Giooeefoird, 192
Goosemoor, 66, 192
Gordano, 173
Gore, 61, 175
Goiaf, 317

Great Elm (see Elm')
Greylake, 61
Giimeditcli, 27
Grobbeewyk, 84
Gpobeecombe, 84
Gximney Stree*, 193

Slade, 193. 230

Gwyjad yr ei, 2
Gnami (Toot), 100

Hiaea (root), 85
Hadspeii. 164
BiaJliaitn>w. 306
Ham, 85, 105, 216
Hambridge, 108, 276
Baimitiglx)'!!, 120
Hampton, 106
Hanger, 76, 353
Hardene, 297
Bartcliffe, 297
Hardington, 230. 231
Hardingham. 123
Hlardenbiiiisih, 121
Harpford, 279
Harpitree, 39, 97, 286, 287
Harmsnuigg, 309
Haselbury Pluoknett, 233
Haselby. 234
Htajseliing, 234
Haegland«>n>, 234
HIaich Beauchamp, 235

Menoatoriim, 236

Hath-way, 217

Havreni, 2

Hawkfield. 256

HJawkwedl. 256

Hawthorme. 89

Hay, 19

Hlaynje, 86, 88

Hajnstreet. 87

Healh. 50, 353

IJalbot, 231

Heathmoonr. 65
Heigroye, 88
Heiligenstadt, 41
Heimingeby. 121
Kemmington Hill. 237
Hemmem (root), 85
Hemminebury. 121
Hemmingford. 121
Henford, 71

Matrayers, 257. SB

Hengbridge. 123

Heirdy Moot, 64

Hertham. 63

Herleia (or Worleigh), 122

Hessile, 234

Hester's Oomer, 57

Hetbooimbe, 57

High Littleton. 306

Hilborooigh, 237

Hilcombe. 251

Hill Farranoe. 161, 230, 236

Hiltom, 293

Hinton, 31, 38

Blewdtt, 257. 238

S. George, 237

Hoggeshole, 93
Holoombe, 49. 50
HoMord. 49

Tirebbles. 238

Glen. 295

Holt. 85
Holton, 49. 50
HoneychuTob, 150
Honeyoote. 149
Honeywyk, 84
Honeyreecre Frome, 160
Honibeire. 148
Horbtey. 325
Horethoime. 183
HoTnblotton,, 323
Horringlord. 122
Hoirtringer. 122
Horndion, 122
Homeir. 307
Bopring. 122
Horsey. 125
Pignes. 123. 257

Horeeai. 123
Horsingto-n. 123
HorsBford. 123
Homseleaae. 125
Horsham, 123
Honstone, 123
Hoirwood, 309
HoundBborooDgh. 150
Houndsmoor, 64
Hoiumdstreet. 150
Hrefn (root), 66
Huokingaore, 351
Hiuish Ohamipflower, 240

Episoopi, 239

HimlavingVwi, 150
HTinspiiUe. 65. W8. 149
Bunstilla, 148, 150
Huntley Moor, 65, 66
Hmroott, 74. 297
HuirBt, 97, 150
Button. 278
Hiixham. 108
Hwaet (Iroot), 3B
HwittuoB M;ead, 33
Hwpp (root). 25
Hydom Grange, 186

Wych, 58

Inglefield. eto.. 47
Irnsill, S09

Isar Isle, etc., 7, 8, 12
Isohalis, 8
Isenthal, 8
Isleoombe (Hilloombe),

58. 251
lT«l. 9
Iwood, 318

Keinton Mandeville, 231
Kelston, £.95
Keyfordi 67
Kenn, 146
Kewstotke. 33
Keynsham. 24. 112
Kilmlington, 124, 324
Kllmersdoitt, 125, 29J
Kllton, 295
Kilne, 295
King's Ourry, 225
Kingston iSeyimour, 197
Knapp Hill, 147
Kno-wT«, 27a, 285, 308
KnoUiewOirtto Steregham, 285
Kyrewood. S23

Lad (lode), 61
Lake, 60
Lanionerley. 349
Lancherweye, 365
Langford, 11!1

Budvllle, 279

Langport. 13
Lansnore, 349
Laverton. 108
Llanibadarn. 17
Llandilo, 18
Llan-dlngiat. 333
Llanfihaneel, 345
LIan{g«fnny, 314
Lansdown, 42
Lea (root), 73
Leodhmioor, 62
Leigh. 73
Lexworthy, 106
Lie (root), 62

365

Licihiiaket 62
Lidmeirsli, 66
IiiLburne, 52
LUstook, 51, '126
Lilli's HaU. 52
liiminea (riT«r),
Limply Stoke,

lane (LeJie), IS, 76, 200
Idttileney, i08
Uttleton, 306
Litton, 51, 62
Loohsbrook, 1126
Locking, 106, 355
Loh (root) 85
Lone Aahton, 188

Load, 355

Loliston, 52
Lottiaham, 106
LoTington, 111, 124
Loxbere, 125
Loxton, 125
Loxley, 89, 126
Luccombe, 18
Luckinston, 1125
Lude Miu«hgTos'
Lud Huiah, 240
LuUworth, 62, 127
Lullineton, 126, 127
Luiagate, 29, 52, 127
Luxboroagli, 126
Luzton, 96
Lyde, 194
Lydbrook, 158
Lydeard S. Lawrence, 22

Episoopi, 194

Lydford, 247
Lympsfleld, 109
Lynspsaham, 109
Lynoocmb, 198
Lyons Ashton, 191
Lytea Cary, 205

Miaegan (moot), 93
Maergeat, 59
Maesbury, 324
Ma«a Knoll, 257, 322
Malmesmiead, 315
Jlaimsbury, 3115
Uanoombe, 53
Manea, 97
Manewid«i„ 349
Mamnhead, 97
Mans el, 512
Mainiworthy, 97
Mark, 80
MarkmooT, 181
Markabnry, 324
Manah MiijB, 255
Miarstom Magna, 59, 243

Bigot, 243

Martock, 42, 248, 324, 325
Mawan (root), 74
Mead, 74
Mea-re, 91, 325
llJeloombe Paulet, 255
M«lbonime. 210, 252

Port. 26. 251

Mena, 97
Mendip, 97. 98
Merland, 325
Merridg*. 325, 326
Merriott, 325
Middeltoc, 4. 8, 247, 253
Midid/leoot, 253
MidgehiM. 77, 269
Midsomer Norton, 176, 243,

244 246
Mislestokc, 269
Milverton. 64, 253
MinehesMl, 98, 99

Milton, 246, 247, 248

OlevedOTi, 247

Fanconbridge, 248

Skilgate, 248

Minster, 21
Mieterton, 361
MJoiel (root). 95
Monkton Combe, 253

West, 253

Weald, 171

Monks Ham, 253
MonksilTer, 221, 341
Montacute, 261
Moariinioh, 38, 3^
Moi>eton, 220
Mortuary Hill, 358
Mountaey, 312
Muohelney, 13, 164. 210
Mudford, 32, 70, 268, 356

Soc, 262

Mudgeley, 76

J^taalsoei, 51
Nailsaa. 13. 17, 51

Mocxr, 64

Naileoombe, 51
NailswortJi, 51
Nempnett Tlirubwell, 304,

305, 306
Neroohe, 129. 153
Nether Stiowey,, 90
Nettileoombe, M5, 281, 282
Nettleham, 232
Nettleton, 5i82
Nettlieatead, 282
New Hitcbings, 285
Newton Pllecy, 356

Somerville, 250

3. Loe, 249

Nine £lms, 26
Nightoott, 185
Nonington, 299
Nartbovier, 74
Noirth Penrott, 165
Norton Hawkiield, 255
— — Fitzwarren, 171

Malrewiard, 255

Norton-sub-HJamdon, 264
Niuiniey, 297, 298
Nynehead, 22, 215

Oak, 93

Oafchill. 94

Oakey Hole (vide Wookey)

Oaktrow, 91. 92

Oakley, 93, 94

Oa.Te, 514, 315

Oath. 333

Odoombe, 58

Ohxdntt, 303

Old OleeTe, 74, 76, 78, 317, 351

Odd Knoll, 308

Oigos Oroot). 92

Orchard Portman, 254

Leigh, 254, 357

Wyndhiam, 254

Ottery, 140
Otterford, 140
Otterhampton, 80. 265
Ottersay, 140
Ottershaw, 274
Over (root) 74
Over Leaze, 74

Stowey, ir, 47, 154. 348

■ Stratton, 91, 554

Paddock's Mead, 74
Padenberia, 17
Panborough, 17. 164
Panfleld. 17

Fantesheiad, 220. 290
Panteshay, 220
Ba.rdle (Bardie), 17
Parleston Lane, 17

Common, 17

Parrett, 78, 95, 299, 300, 301
Panilet Glaiunta, 97
Paulton. 96
Pawlett, 96, 162, 197
Peasedown, 66
Beasemarsia, 161
Peasemore, 66
Peasenhall, 66
Peakirk, 66
Bedwell, 90, 163
Pennard, 268, 280
Fendomer, 280
Penryn. 66
Pemiselwood. 280
Pensford, 220, 290
Periton, 273
Perlesbon, 154
Perridge, 302

Pierrott, N. and S.. 299. 501
Perry Fitohett, 275, 502

Funneaux, 273

Mill, 302

Peter's Well, 17
Petooe, 246
Petton, 246
Pettaugh, 246
Petworth. 164, 246
Petherham, 299
Ptetherton, 299
Pibked Ham, 108
Pighaynes, 185
Pightley. 128
Pippledeu Down, 165
Pllton. 29
PinJabe. 61
Pitcombe, 163
Pitcot, 165
Pitmiuster, 21. 162
Pitney, 163, 164

Lortie, 245, 246

Pitt, 163 (note)
Pixtom, 352
Pixies Pool, 66
Flanesiiield, 154
Plegidic, 355
Podymore Milton, 243
Pointington, 127
Poke-landi, 128
Polden, 15, 96, 162
PoleshiU, 97
Poppleton, 177
Poppleford, 177
Portbtiry. 57, 118
Porlock. 16, 18. 87
Portland, 115
Portishead, 115
Prankets, 351
Preebridge, 254, 255
Prestley, 254
Prestmoor. 234
Preston. 253. 254. 254

Bermondsey, 234

Bower, 234

Pliuoknett. 234

TorrellB. 234

Monaohorum. 235

Prlddy, 97, 326, 327
Pri«ton, 255
Publow, 51, 165, 177
Puckington, 128
Pucklechniroh, 129
Puddecombe, 247
Puj-iton, 502
Piirv Fumeaux, 302
Puxton, 129

Fykes Aeh, 128
Pyukeney, 18
Pwll (root). 95,149

Qua« (cae) root, 23
Quantocls, 99

Farm, 17

Head, 99

Ouapurmbogg, 310
Quarum, 310

Kitnor, 310

Honoeaux, 310

Quaver Lake. 5
Queen Oamel, 4
- — Charlton, 31

Eaddington, 129
Badesham, 129
Eadlow, 130
Badway, 130
Badstook, 129, 130
Bameoombd, 48
EamBrey, 48
Bawm«ra, 66
Bedolyffe, 129
Beding, 129
Bedla^e, 61
Eedlinoh, 129
Beghill, 83. 129. 152, 153
Beeilbury, 152
Beiworthy, 153
Ehine (rhin), 7, 66, 131
Eiio (Toot), 71
Eloford, VI
Biential, 33D

Eimpton, 132
Eingoldetwe-la, 74, 91, 355

Binwell, 133

BiBOtnne. 60

Bead, 130, 272

Eodd«n, 130, 317

Bodsrrave, 317

Eodhuish. 131, 317

Bodmead, 66

Bodmey Stoke. 68, 270

Bodwater, 317

Bodway Fitzpaine, 317

Honoombe, 131

Bowbarton, 193

Bowberrow, 193

Eowdon, 317

Bownham. 105, 131

Budlake, 131

Buishtoai, 60

Bunnlngton, 131

Eus-pidse (HOte), 28

Bye, Boa, Bay. etc., 11

Siaddle St., J53
Ssihada (root), 41
Salford, 64, 259
Saltmere. 63
Sampford Arundel, 269

Brett, 260

Oroae. 259, 261

Sanle (Seille) 41
ficearp (root), 63
Soearphorde. 62
Scobiriabra, 161
Soroedhay. 88
Seayington. 26, 106

Denis, 263

Sedgemoor, 59
Salsdon. 345
BaligenBtadt 41
Selvretta, 342
Selylnfftoo, 342
Selworthy, 41
Selwd'Od. 41
Frome, 41, 64

366

Seo, 357
Seven Oak», 26

Sieteps, 26

WeUa, 26

Sbapwiok, 83

Plene, 83

Sharpliam, 63
Sharpehaw, 63
Sheerstone, loS
Sheppey (river), 10
Sheepham, 262
Sbepton Beauchamp, 83, 235,
261, 262

Buokland, 262

Mallet, 29, 41, 261

Montagnie, 261

Sbipham, 40
Shockerwick, 83
Shoaoombe, 50
Shrowle, 155
Shurston, 50
Sidenham, 182
Kittisford, 183

Sidoot, 182

Sige, V5

Silbeirn Alps, 342

Silverdale, etc., 342
Silver St., 20, 173. 175. 341, 347

SilvertoD, 342
Silvierley, 347

Simona Barrow, 283

Skarabore, 88

Slaed (slatt), 43

Slow, 356

Snowdon (root). 161

^elJle&'Ooim'b&, 53

Soobum, 262

Boo BenniB, 83. 262

Malerbie, 262

Soii-hiU'll, 346

Solsbury, 26

Somerset, 2

Somierlida, 2

SoiUitharp, 303

Sparkford, 88, 161, 162

Sparkshays, 87. 162

Spraooombe. 88

Somerton. 2, 205, 245

Sparerove, 161

Spaxton. 80

Standerwick, 82

Stanmoor, 64

Stanton Brew, 57, 80, 257,
264, 267

Prior, 21, 264

Wick, 79

Stantoneswick, 267

Staple (root), 40

S&apIiBton, 207

Staple (5Tove, 207

Stavordale, 91. 327

Stawell, 89, 265

Stibbear, 357

Stert, 355

Stewley, 89, 90

Stlddeball OECIU, 357

Rtoo. 85

Stockland Gaunts, 271

Stooklinch Ottersay, 274

Magdalem, 274

Stocliand Gaunte. 97
Stoford, 71
Stogumber, 270 ,
StogurBey, 245. 270, 271
Stone, 268
Stoke, 5, 23, 269

Abbots, 273

Bychen, 275

Giffard, 68. 291

Trister, 2M

Stoke UaJeiTbie, UK)

Militis, 275

Pero, 273

Eodney, 271

S. Gregory, 22, 264, 269

-Bub-Hambdon, 276

8. Mary. 251

Stone Easton. 86
Stoniland, 269
Stoney Littleton, 269

Stratton, 269

Stoke, 269

Stour (river), 6

Stowe Farm, 89 _ __ _, __

Stowey, 3, 7, 17. 40. 89, 90, 91

Bottom, 44

Over, 17

Stratton, 91. 244
Stretohholt, 331, 332
Street, 74. 91, 354
Stringston, 84, 332
Suokley, 262
Sulesworth, 346
Sunder (Synder) root, 48
Sundeirland, 48
Sunderedge, 48
Swan's Mead, 43
Sweyniswiok, 8, 80
Sweynhianger, 353
Syndercombe, 48

Tad (root). 80
TadhiU, 80
Tadley, 80
Tadlow, 80
Tat, 7

Tam (Tamer), 7
Tamook, 362
Tatworth, GO
Tatwiok, 80
Taninton, 7, 21
Taw (Tavey, etc.), 7
Telm, 77
Terna Colftrini, 171

Tedriei, 171

Templariorum, 184

Tone, etc., 6, 7, 8, 9, U
Tedbury, 60
Tediuton, El
Tedstone, 80, 81

Tei?rn+«>nj Drewa, 267
Tellisford, 72
Temple Brewer, 187

Combe, 124, 186. 187

-^ Cloud. It 18. 184, 187

Down, 187

Hydon, 184. 187

Newton. 187

Templaton, 188

Thamea, 7

Thorne, 21, 27

■ Coffin, 276

Corabe, 64

I\alcon, £76, 277

S. Margaret, 277

Prior, 276

' Parors, 277

Thorpe, 304

Thirippe, 209

ThrubweU 303, 304, 305

Thrupe, 303

Thurloxtoin, 180

Thurlbere, 180

Tlokonham, 37

Timtinhull, 178

Tiw, 6

Tolland, 352

Toom»r, 359

Tra«r (drag), 57
TreborouBh, 49, 56, 57

367

Trendies 56
Trent, 900
TriEoombe, 56
TriBtoke, 57
Trnli, 180

Trnllox (Trn<Wioi) Hill,
Tiuabeli, 77
Tun, 85
Tunl«y. m, 292
Tunmere, 6S
TuDStone, 63
Tiin8ginw«re, 62, 63
Twerton, 335
Twineton, 135
Twinnoe, 3.16
Twinhead, 135
Ttrinstead, 135
Twyvnins, 135
'IVimnoutn, 7
Tynt6Sfiel<lj, 321, 322

Ubley, 77. 78, 139, 140
Ufford'B Hill, 71
Ueley. 93
Underover, 74
Upbay, 88
OpllUl, 9

Upper Clock Farm, 78
XJiTMiinwood, 320
Ui^iBbay. 320
Uxlord, 71

Vaes (see Chilthorne)
ValUa, 357
Vanbampton, 314
Vellow, 336
Verdun. 336
Verra* 335
Vexfoid, 72. 360
Vob«tor. 360

Wac (root), 72
Wace l¥oot), 33
Wadlbuiry, 18R
■Wadford. 182
AVanachaa, 132
WaQoot. 1.83, 265
WaUington. IBB
Warod {root), 36
Wandedyke, 4'z
WajiBtfrow, 27
Waipley, 170
Wao^leigb, 78
Warmoor, 64
Wajmngton, 132
Wadiford, 71. 72
Waterlieaeton, 72

Waterlip, 318

Watiohett, 72

WaAcbfield, 72

Wealiheoombe, 55

W«are, 295
184 Weami BlTiolmett, 233, 296

Wyoh

Wedmore, 17, 69, 62, 76. 181

Weoirbhi (root), 41

Wellimgrton, 25, 132

Wellow. 43. 68, 82. 336

Welto, 34, 337

WieiUdsfatid. 367

Weillisley, 74

Wembdon, 182

Wendlesoombe, 60

Weet BradJiew. 106

Oammell, 64

Chariton, 205

— Ham, 105

Westenea«ta, 86

Weatioombe, 72

Weston, 13, 72

Weebooi-sxipeir-llaie, 23

W«Bbliay. 88

WeeternMke, 62

Wliatco'mbe, 316

AVhatlBy. 316

WheathiM. 316, 517

Wliiitaicore, 33

Whitchruirdh, 21, 28, 31

Oanoni<x«rum, 30

Whitfield, 35
Whitelafce, 61
Wlhitel/aokington, 31
WMtley, 35
Whittington. 132, 133
Whitetrtaunton, 30, 33
Wihitstonje, 35, 201, 268
White ox Mead. 33
Wiok, 79
Widcombe, 58
WifleJiurst. 154
Wii9«ehaJil, 154
WLfloilake, 154
Wikie Perhaan. 358
Wiila (root). 90
Wilcot, 155. 183
WiUiaynie. 183
Willett. 156. 183
Wills Neck, 155
Wilmaersham, 151
Wilmington. 133, 151
Wilton, 156
Winoanton, 5, 193
WineheBter, 116
Wirmipeg, 166

Winford, 5, 29, 67, 286
Winscoonbe. 5. 133
WinfifoTd. 5
Winterstote, 71. 165
Winteirboumne. 166
Wippanhoh. 170
Witoombe, 35
Witheyoomba, 53
Withid Flori, 216
Witham Friary, 21

cum Ulftone, 34

Witherington. 133
Witlag's Ford, 32
Witches Well, 17
Wiveliscombe, 74, 154
Wlvelimgham, 154
Wode Advent, 245
Wodnes Lane, 27
Wonarda S., 314
Woninastow, 314
Woodborough. 60, 80
Woodford Terry, 262
Woodwiok, 80

Woodspring, 64. 202. 260, 321
Woolard. 151
Woolavington, 134
Woolforda Hull. 151
WoolfrLngton, 134
Woolmeredon. 151
Woolminetone, 133
Woolyerton, 134, 161, 168
Wookey, 91
Woking. 93
Wooton Oourtney. 201, 202,

277
Worio, 64 78
Worleiigli, 122
Wormtneber, 78
Wraxall, 328, 360
Wring (rhin), 11
Wrin^ton. 11, 112, 331
WringmarBh, 151
Wyi-t. 85

Yarlington. 111. 134
Yatton, 10, 80. 84
Yatesburh, 10
YiaAtenden, 10
Yeadon. 9
Yeldon, 9

Yeo (river), 9, 10, 26
Yeovil, 9
Yeovilton. 9
Ylake, 62
Ywere. 62

Zermatt, 74

368

INDEX OF PERSONAL NAMES.

Adam, 208

Adelhard, 83

Adhelm, 265

Adelatau, 57, 233

AduU of Taunton, 52

Aodgifu, 70

AeUnelm, 232

AeUmaer, 292

Aeliweard, 64

Aelsi, 293

Aielstan, 57

Aeso, 42, 169, 189

Aesowald, 171

Aeeowid I'AsdTiitih), 79, 82.

159, 160, 171
Aethelnod (Elnod), 82, 201
AUaee, 179
AUra-d, 68
Aldor, 64, 160, 204
Aldbelm, 292
Alnumid, 282
Almar, 292
Aliirio. 320
Alwine, 307
Alfred (Kins) 51, 59
Altwyuia, 301
Amal, 180
Andeire, 161, 230
Ansoytel, 166, 169
Ansgar, 76, 260
Ansbedm, 76
Asoeline, 256
Asgot, 160
Ashman, 189
Asliwood, 160
ABser, 61
Atterbury, 233
Atheletan, 35. 57, 61, 90.

252. 265, 293
Athelwin, 293
Avicia (Avisliayes), 37

Baal, 95

Bandoohar, 201

Babb (Babe, Bebb, etx>.), lilO,

HI
Babenberg, 110
Babilo, 178
Baoo, 292
Badbild, 157, 168
Baoola, 291
Bacoise, 291
Bad (Bada. etc.), 157
Badbeim, 157
Badulf, 157
Badoc (Madoo), 77
Baldaeg, 48
Baldhun, 100
Baldr, 95
Barnwulf, 290
Bariinig, 112
Barratt, 302
BaroewelL 290
Baudeiich, 302
Batt, 58

Bea« (Baggo), 42. 241, 242,

Beald, 351

Beana (Boonina, etc.), 79,

290
Bede, 56

fledhild, 157, 158
Bediwine, 336
Beer, 112
Beorn, 112
Beomsigo, 75
Bei-nhard, 75
Bigod, 163, 243
Bill, 158
Billing, 158
Billingeley, 85
Billthegn, 158
BiUstan, 158
Billsnot, 158
Binna (Binning) 264
Black, 166
Blakeman, 167
Blacker, 166
Blaed, 351
Blecca, 167
Bond, 128
Bord, 284
Bosa, 115
Botolph, 115
Bower, 229
BreteBohe. 147
Brewer, 250
Brioe, 113
Brigihtrio, 114
Brightheim, 114, 115
Bristric, 11
Brito, 260
Brittel, 189
Brook, 40
Brod;rip, 305
Brown. 167, 198
Browning, 198
Broughton, 197
Brimhelm, 198
Brunhild, 198
Brycban. 24, 314
Buck. 128
Budan, 68
Bugge. 121
Bula, 22

Bull (Bullo), 179. 268
Bnllmaer, 179
Bure, 229
Burg'heard, 228
Bnrghelm, 228
Burghild, 228
Burr (Borr) 111, 112

Cadoo, 23

Oaffo (Chiepin, Coffin), 26,

277
Caeg

Oaerwinie, 101
Caewulf. 68
Caine, 220

Calda, 38

Calway (Kelway), 29a

Cameileao, 203

Camiulos, 26

(banning, 116

CSantdlnpe, 2114

Cantmael, 204

Carantacus, 101

Oarew, 63, 64

Carw (root), S3

Carthegn (Garthegn) 52

Oaaswiell, 192

Ceada (Chad, Oedd), 58, 207

221
Ceadmada
Oeadwald, 207
Oeawlin, 104
Oewydd S., 23
Cedrio, 51, W4, 157
Centwine, 106, 339
Ceob, 78
Oeol (Cole, Keel), 172, 214,

297
Ceolbeorn, 311
CeoU, 296
Ceolfrith, 69, 296
Ceoltwig, 296

Ceolmiund (Oolman), 124, 125
CeoLsig, 259
Ceolwieard, 172
Ceolwig, 195
Ceolwyn iKelwyn), 11?

(Colline) 172

Chetol, 156

Ohetolfwald (Kettlewell), 156

Chislett. 269, 294

Choke. 191

Oini, 283

Olifford, 69, 296

Cniva, 306

Oockingas, 64

Colgrin. 171

Couroi, 271

Courtney, 202

Coke, 117

Cridiaeaud, 156

Crocker (Krokr) 53

Cuckwin, 117

Culbone S., 311

Culmingas, 128

Ounigar, 320

Cutihweard. 282

Cydda. 311

Oyneulph, 337

Cymbald (Kejnball) 283

Cyna, 24, 25

(Jynegyth, etc., 25

Cynhclm (Kenelm), 20

Cfymegair (Conig»*>, 20

Cyneh»ard (Kennard), 65.

283
Cyntoch <Kintoch), 102
Cynnlf, 283
Cyrig (Onrig), 22, 25, 26

I)a«ebeor<th (Dawburg), 313
Daudo (Uaaidalo, D'AJiio),

218
David S., 14, 16. 17
l>el Estre, 2/0
Ilenhiam, 222
Bennis, 263
Deinine, 118

Dennds dDionyciius). 263
Devi, 16

Diga (Dyoga) 178
Dilwyn, 118
DiUioar. 118
Dillon, etc., 118
Dompt K^ine, 15
Durdher© (Driu<y, Dury), 184
Drew (Dru), 57, 267
Drogo-de-Mouteoute, 74, 266

311
DubritiuB, 16, 18, 19, 30, 87
Dunn, 118, 120
Durnnigeii, 54
DurvUle, 219
Dyf rig, 18, 19, 87

Eadbeorht, etx;., 70

Badgar, 75

Elahlmniid, 183

Eahlstan, 64, 90, 265

Ealdlrith, 49, 50, 69, 70, 171

Ealdhiere, 60, 161

EaUihelm, etc., 50

Ealweard (Blworthy), 58

Baanfiridi, 71

Easton, 33, 34

Ecgwig, 83

Eddemje, 70

Edrio, 71

Edem (Hedern), 149

Egelsige (EM), 293

ElenthemiB, 22

Ellereliaw, 42

Elworthy, 292

Emp, etc., 305

•Bolesc, 39

Eotortard* (Everafl^), 39

Boformaer, etc., 39

Eaf«irtliegn, 227

Estan, 90, 265. 266

Etheiburh, 294

Fedan (Feather), 119
FUertiue, 28
Fitchett, 273, 274, 302
FUwald, 29
Fitzurse, 199
Fitzmartin, 219
Flaeo (Fleck), 196
Fobbe
Freckei, 350
Purnjeaiux, 302
Fniea, etc., 184

Galmund, 107
Gamalhieiie, 4
GaiUBvald, 192
Gebwine, 349
Gif heal JGifel, etc.), 9.
Gibby (Cybi), 334
Gibba, 349

369

Gifheard, etc., 68, 872
Girling, 136
Giso, 190, 194
Goda, 65, 169, 170
Godma^r, etc., 169
Godwin, 81, 199
Godimn. 175, 181
Gogo, 61, 64

Goueld (Gould, «to.), 162
Goviz, 284. 285
Grimhild, 27, 113
Gotihwif, 170
Gurney, 193, 330
Guthrun, 156
Gytha, 199, 203

Haiesta (Hastings), 67

Hago (Kagan), 87

Halgo. HaWo, 307

Hamo, etc., 120

Hamrbling, IBO

Bann, Haunay, 238

Harvey, 232

Harding, Ul, 122, 144, 225

HasseU, 234

Hautvilie, 2S, 266

Hiamsia, 47, 239

HayWard (Ayward), 86

Hmhm'umd, 25

Healh, 50

Henget, etc., 26, 124

Hensmau, etc., 127

Heor, 122

Herbert, 189

Herduin, 230

HerfeJt, 232

Hewish (Hiuiah, etc.), 239

Hildemo (Childeric), 212

Hai, etc., 236

Hoeing, 26

Bold, etc,, 331, 332

HoiPd'giar (Oirdgar), 254

Hmaban (Eaban), 48

Hrod (Eod), 130

Hugo, etc.

Hulfrit, 49, 70

Humbeorht (Hummer), 120

Hungerford, 227

HumM, 166

Hwaetlac, 32

Hwit, 33

Hwitgyth, 53

Imbild, 180, 349

Ina, 71

Ingwald. etc.. 46, 47

JoTidan. 357

Ken, 145

Keneyard,, 62, 65
Keutwtne, 339
Keiw S., 2E, 23
Keyme 8., 24
Eillamiairish, 125
Kinemaer, 243
Knaiet, 26

Leof, 25

Leofwine <L,ewln), 124, 125,

15L 191, 233
liibhoimo, 120
]jidiha(Pd, 194
Linidwin, 198
Iiodeear, 195, 261
Lcdhere, 355
lioiki, 126
Iiord, Lording, 246

Lotte, 106, 107
SjovelX, 354
Imid, etc., QAO
Lulla, 126, 127
I/ump (Iiymps), 109
Lyde, etc., 52. 184, 355
Lyons, 28

Madock (Mattiok), 17, 21, 77

Maeg (Maggs), 77

Misuen, 60

Mam, etc., 58, 98, 99

Mamweard, 349

MaJirewaird, 257, 258

Mallett 225

Malhenbie, 226

Mandeville. 250

Matoell. 209

iMatravere, 71

Mayne, 190

Mildie, 247

Millard, 253

Mealdhelm, 315

MJohun (Moon), 190, 297, 298

Montague, 261

Mongret, 16

Murteie,, 358

Muegrave, 209

Naal, 51
Negei, etc., 51
Netted, 282
Nigiht iTSToedt), 183

Obba, 78, 139
Ocing^ (HJoocingas), 93
Odda. 58, 138, 139
Odwine, etc.. 138
Qrescuiltz. 261
Osibeorm, 75
Oeoytel, 94
Oegar, 63, 76
Osgood:, 176

BajdajBn (Patermue), 17
Patrick S., 15
Baiulet. 97
Paunioefoiot. 220
Peohit, 164
Pigbum, (Piigou). 183
Pippa. 168
PoiWe, 177
Point, 129
Port, 115
Pow. 96, 162
Pudida, etc., 247

Eainhold, 175
Biaileigh, 281
Eiaad, 129
Beigne S., 30
Ehodaii, 157, 272
Biki. etc.. 71
Bingoldt, 74, 555
EdvaJl, 225
Bivere, 286
Bod, 317
Bomaira, 337

Saimavililie (Som«rTille), 250

Soard (Soartih), 88

Schyrewald, IBS

Seabioim, &li

Sletlf (Selvey, >eto.), 343

Sexmon, 250

Sevior, 84

fiewaird, 84

Seymour, 1|97

Bigebeoiribt, 65

370

Sida. 182

Oompoundfl of, 182

Siret (Sisred), 155

Smeyn, 82

Snoirri, 6

Soioh^, 262

Sooawig, 83

SoMrra (SoiTiar, Silver), 173,

34i 347
Somer' (Sakna), 243, 244
SpaiTkes, 88
Spiitee, 298
Spralir, 161
Sprot, etc., 161
gitallere, 82
Steafbanl, 323
S. I/O, 248 249
Stimg (Strachey), 292
Sul.26

Byndarih, eto., 49
S-weyn. 81, 113

Tatmeil (Tallie), 72
Tamewym, 8
TecJia, 294
Teilo, 18
Telford, etc., 287
Theodwulf, etc., 171

Thor, 96

ThOTold, etc.. 180

Thoirn, 54

Thoirwiinie, 277

Thrista CSrist), 5.70

TimnoT. 26

Tofig, 176

Torreill. 180, 184

Toiuihl'ld (Towel, etc,), 336

Trevet (Tteuefit, etc.). 214

Tunn, 63

Tunnweald, etc., 63

Tynte, 321

Twigg (Twioga), 135

Twyn, 135, 336

Ubba <Hubba), 78, 139
TToca (TJcco),, 71, 95
Ulfer (TJlyert), 161
TJlfweard (Unlfweard), 34,

161, 167
Ulmaer CWoolmer), 151

Vage, 22

Wado, 69, 181, 278
Wadmaer, 60, 70, IBl
Waermund, 78, 79

WaJUs, 74. 89, 279

Waring. 132

Weala, 155

Weland. 25

Wenstan, eitc., 60

Wendieh, 27, 166. 314

Wickhiam (Wieoym), 55

Wifel, 102, 164

Wigfirth, 55

Wigod, 79

WihtgaiT, 33

Wilmnnd. etc., 166

WUlB, etc., 134, 183, 184

Winagar, 60

Winchild

Winfred, 57

Winheard, 336

Witta, 133

Woden, 26, 51, 314

Wodwlg, 80

Wonna S., 314

Worla, 64, 78, 321

Wulfric, 134

Wymaer, 65

Wynhelm, 133

Wytgyth (Withey), 53

371

LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS.

Abbot. H. N.. Esq., DoilTerton,

Allen, E. G., aind Son, Ltd., 12 and 14 Grape Street. Shaf teeburj' ATenue,

London, W-O.
Atohley, Bev. H. G, S., M.A., Oakhill Vicarage, Bath.
Aneten^ Eev. E. G., M.A., Chaflcombe Bectory. Obard.

Baker, G. E., Esci., The Old House, Freshford, Bath.

Baker, A. E., Esq., Public Library, Taunton.

Bamicott and Pearce, The Wessex Press, Taunton.

Batten, Gary, Esq., Clifton.

Batten, Mrs., PooU Boad Manor, Bath.

Beale, F., Esq., Bank House, Clevedon.

Boodle, B. W., Esq., Birmingham.

Bowen, Ber. T. J., St. Nidhiolas Vicarage, Olifton.

Bradlnuin, Bev. O. H., The Vicara^re, Higb Littleton.

Bristol Librariee Committee. (6 ■oOTnes).

Broadmead, W. B., Esq., Enmore Castle, Bridgwater.

Broderip, Edmund, Esq., Cossington Manor, near Bridgwater.

Browne, Bev. C, LL.U., Butcombe.

Bulleid, Br. Arthiur, Bymboro', Mideomer Norton.

Butt, Bev. Wialter, M.A., Chepatow.

Carr, Mrs. J., Wood House, West Twerton, Bath.

CaudweU, Bev. E. S. S., M.A., Backwell Keetory.

Cay, Arthur, Esq., OUIton.

Colthurst, W. B., Esq., A.B.I.B.A., 51, High Street, Bridgwater.

Oommans, J. E., E^., Baith.

Cooke-Burle, J., Esq., Brislington.

Cottle, H. G., Esq., 34, Bridge Street, Bristol.

Coward, Bev. B., M.A., Worth Tamerton Beotory, Holsworthy.

Danell, !>., Eeo., Trewoman, Wad«bridge, Oornwajll.

Davey,, T. B., Eeou Winaxall Oonirt. Someirset.

DaTis, Oliver C. W., Esq., University of Bristol.

Derham, Hy., Esq., J.P., Sneyd Park House, Stoke Bishop.

De Sails, Bt. Bev. C. Pane, D.D., Bishop of Taunton, Bishop's Mead, Taunton

Doggett. H. G., Esq., Ledgh WoodB, Bristol.

Evans, Charles E., Esq., Nailsea Court, Somerset.

PauEBett, Beiv. Preb. Torke, M.A., The Vicarage, Cheddar.

Pawn, J. and Son, 42, Queen's Boad, Clifton.

Psry, Bigiht Hon. Sir Edwaird, G.C.B.. Padland House, neiair Bristol.

Gamble, Bev. J., B.D., Clifton.

George's, Wm.. Sons, 89. Pairk Street, Bristol.
Gooding, W. P., Esq., J.P., Durleigh, near Bridgwater.
Qoodriok, Bev. A. T S., M.A., Winterbourne Eeotory.
GcHuM, P. H., Bsiq., Sutton Houee, Wembdon Boad, Bridg.Tater.
Guyon, Bev. H. 0., M.A., Lamyat Beotory, Evercreech.

Badiey, Ohaihnerrs, Esq., Denver, Ool.. U.S.A.

Hancock, Bev. Preb. P., M.A., Sunater Priory, Taunton.

Hawkins, Walter, Esq., Heale House, Tyndall's Park Boad, Bristol.

Hellier, Bev. Preb. H., Binder, WeUs (6 copies).

Hill. Mire. Burrow. Leigih Woods, Bristol.

Hipplsley, Henry E., Esq.. South Lawn. Ston Eaaton, neaa? Bath.

HobhouAe. Bt. Hon. Heniry, Hadepen House, Oaetle Oary

Hoddinott, W. J., Esq., 3, Christmas Steps, Bristol.

Holmyard, Eric J., Esq., B.A., Midsomer Norton.

Honnywlll, Bev. J. E. W., Leigih-oiihMendip Vioarag*. Bath

372

Hoekyne. H. W. P., Bsg., North P«rroM. Manor, Orewk«me.
Hope, W. H. B., Esq., Bast Harptree, near Bristol
Humphreys, A. L., Esq., 187, Piccadilly, London, W.
Hunt, Eev. B. C, Walton Eectory, Clevedon.
Hylton, Lord, Ammerdown Park, Hadstock.

Isaac, Chas., Esq., 15, Gotham Vale, Bristol.

Jolrason, Kev. J., M.A., Nadteea Beotory.
Joseph, H. W. B., Esq., Binder, Wells.

Keanble, C. A., Esq., J.P., HaUiatrow, High Littlieton, Somerset.
Kettlewell, W. W., Esq., Harptree Court, East Harptree.
Kidner, T. B., Esq., Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
King, Dr. J. E., Clifton OoHeee.

Leng, W. L., Esq., Hill Road, Weston-super-Mare.

Lethbridge, Sir Wroth, Bart., Sandhill Park, Taunton.

LetrtB, Winear, Oaidogan Place, Ixmdon.

Llewellyn, Col. H., Langford.

Lyon, Bev Gdlbeirt, M.A., Oloford Viaarage, Erome.

Ijysaght, G. S., Esq., WeiUington.

Marshall, P. T., Esq., Langford.
Marwood-Blton, Major Wm., Heathfield, Taunton.
Meade-Kdng. Edward, ESiq., Seveji Elms, Stoke Bishop.
Miles, Col. S. B., Hiniton Chiairtemhoueie.
Milne-Ee(ihead, G. B., Esq., Millard's Hill. iProme.

Olivey, Hugh P., Esq., Albion House, Mylor, Penryn.

Page, Herbert W., Esq., Hinton Bluett Manor, Temple Cloud.

Page and Sons, Stationers, Bridgwater.

Palairet, B. H., Esq., Norton Court, Bristol.

BarBons, Bev. O. J., Knowle.

Paynteir, J. B., Esq.. TeoTil.

Perceival. Miss. Welsh View, Waiton, Cleviedon, SkMneirset.

PefToeyol, Cecil H. Spenceir, Ee«i.. Longwitton H'aill, Northiuiaiberland.

Ponsonby, TJhieolbald, Esq., 4, TJpper George Street, London, W.

Price, L. Ealph, Esq., J.P., Clayerham House, Yatton.

Prldham, Harvey, Esq., Montrose Cottage, Clyde Boad, Knowle.

Pyne, M. Taylor, Esq., Prinoeton, New Jeireey, U.S.A.

Eeeder, Bev. W. T., M.A., Selworthy Bectory, AUerford, Somerset.
Eendell. Bey. L. T.. M.A., Cleivedon, Torquay.
Bitsom, Howell, Esq., c/o T.M.O.A., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Eobinson, Edgar, Esq., The Grove, Wrington.
Bobinson, Eev. B. Hayasi M.A., Yatton Vicarage.
Eoiblnson. A. E., Eiso.. J.P. Backwell Housie, Baokwell, Bristol
Bogerson, Bev. G., M.A., Ubley Bectory, nea,r Bristol.
EoUeston, Col. V., Saltford House, Bristol.

Sage, F. S., Esq., 11, St. Stephen Street, Bristol.

Sialt, Mrs. Gordon, Chew Magna.

Sampson, Thoa, Esiq., 5, Hatiierly Gao-deme. Horneey, N"

Savory, J. Harry, Esq., 4, Eodney Place, Olitton.

Scobell, Lt.-Col. Barton, Kingwell Hall, Bath.

Scott, M. H., Esq., 5, Lansdown Place, West, Bath

Shickle, Eev. G. W., M.A^ St. Johm's HospitaJj, Bath.

Sibbald, J. G. E., Esq., Mount Pleasant, Norton St. Philip, Bath

Simmonds, T. G., Esq., The Hill, Congresbury.

Sherratt and Hughes, 34, Cross Street, Manehieater.

Skrine, Miss, The Eedlands, Bishop Sutton.

Somers, B. B., Esq., Langford.

Somerville, Arthur J., Esq., Binder House, Wells.

Stanton, J. Gilmore, Esq., Nelson Lodge, Queen's Eoad, Clifton

Strachey, H., Esq., Stowey.

StTarfjhiiei, Bight Exxn. Bao'on, Sutton Court.

Stoate, Wm., Esq., Gorden Haven, 2, South Side, Weston-super-Mare

Stoc'dart, F. Wallis, Esq., Grafton Lodge, Sneyd Park.

Sully, Thos. N., Esq., "Avalon," Queen's Boad, Weston-super-Mare

Swann, Edward J., Esq., Leigh Woods, Bristol.

Talbot, Eev. Canon, B.D., Bristol.

Tate-Stoaite, Bev. W. M., M.A., Pebworth.

Taunton Puiblio Lihrajry.

Taylor, L. Goodenough, Esq., M.A., 19, Sion Hill, Clifton,

Thatchers, College Oreen, Bristol.

373

Thatolier, Allen, Esq., Midsomer Norton.

Thatcher, Edward J., Esq., J.P., Manor House, Chew Magna.

Thatcher, J., E8iq„ Chew Magma.

Tbompsan, Eev. H. J. Ker, M.A.. Pensitorid Vicarage, Bristol.

Thompeon, Mias Archer, Weston Park, Bath.

TiUairid, Admiral P. P., Caetle Gary.

Tite, Oharlee, Bsg., rSlbomeledgh, Soru'th Bead. Taunton.

Toike, IjMlie A., Esq., Stsrattcn-on-thie-PosBe, near Bath.

Trow, E. B., Esq., M.A., D.C.L., Eelsted, Essex.

Turner, Bev. T. H., M.A., Ohelwood.

Tyrwhitt, Bev. O. B., M.A., Nfflmpnebt.

Vaughan, Eev. Preb. H., M.A., E.D., Wraxall (12 copies).

Wainwright, Chas. E., Esq., Summerleaze, Shepton MaUett.

Warry, Capt. B. A., Shapwick House, near Bridgwater.

Watson, E. J., Esq., P.E.Hiat.S., F.E.S.L., etc., 12, John Street, Bristol.

Way, Lewis J. Upton, Esq., F.S.A., 15, Caledonia Place, Clifton.

Wells, Chas., Esq., 134, Cornwall Eoad, Montpelier.

Were, Francis, Esq., Walnut Tree House, Druid Stoke Avenue, Stoke Bishop

WhittuiCik. E. A., Esq., Claveirton Manor, Bath.

Wllkinison, Eev. Leoaiard, M.A., Westlrary-on- Severn.

Wills, H. H., Esq., J.P„ Barley Wood, Wrington.

Wills, George A., Esq., Burwalls, Leigh Woods.

Wills, W. Melville, Esq., Bracken HiU, Leigh Woois.

Willla MisB M. M., Bishop Pox's School, Taunton.

Wood, Joseph Foster, Esq., 35, Park Street, Bristol.

Worsley, Philip J., Esq., Eodney Lodge, Clifton.

^*^^ ^^ ^ I—— — — - riii i iinriiriirir m rii T riminiirriiiiiiii'irrii i i i llllffl

Encampments.
Roman Station,},.
Canals.
Railways.

The sm.all figures denote the distance of each
place fro'mJi.ondon on the old Coach roads.

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