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Arlingtons, the Walsinghams, and the Warringtons. The 

 Wealing of Saxon times is commemorated in the town of 

 Wellington, which again gives the title to a modern warrior 

 of Saxon lineage, who has far excelled the fame of his ancient 

 Saxon namesake. From the central settlement thus formed, 

 the toicks and hams and burghs and tons would gradually 

 radiate, each forming the nucleus of a society, gradually 

 acquiring a little jurisdiction of its own, until, with the pro- 

 gress of improvement, and the fusion of the separate indepen- 

 dencies into larger aggregations, and finally into one great 

 kingdom, all traces of the mark would be lost until disinterred 

 and brought to light by the curious antiquarian research of 

 future generations. 



Tiie question very naturally occurs, are there any instances 

 which can be given exhibiting, in a tolerably clear point of 

 view, an illustration of the' principles here laid down ? If the 

 principles be correct, instances should not be far to seek ; and, 

 in our own neighbourhood, with very little research, I have 

 been enabled to trace out very distinctly vestiges of the ancient 

 Mark boundary. There is no name in the old Saxon legends 

 which stands higher than that of Billing, the progenitor of the 

 royal race of Saxony. His name is commemorated in many 

 parts of the country — Billington, Billingham, Billingsley, and 

 others. Those names of places which have the patronymic 

 uncompounded with the suffix, seem, with reason, to be 

 considered the most ancient. We have, then, in our own 

 neighbourhood, the name Billing or Billinge, in its original 

 form, as the name of a place ; and if, upon examination, we 

 find indications in the surrounding country of the usual Mark 

 boundaries — the woods, the dens, the marches, and wastes — it 

 would seem a fair inference to consider Billinge as the original 

 seat of a Saxon settlement or Mark. 



Commencing at the south-east, we find the first indication 

 of the Mark land, or bordering forest, in the name of the 

 township of Burton?r(?<x/. The ancient heath at Bold, and 



