152 MR. CARIl ON COMPOSITE NAMES OF PLACES. 



cognate word is vecl, pronounced vedh; and it is not impossible 

 that the transformations that appear of the termination in Domes- 

 day Booh, may be partly attributable to the influence of Danish 

 pronunciation in England. Ringwood, in Hampshire, appears 

 as Eincwede; Ravenswood, in the North Riding, seems to be 

 represented by Ravenswett ; a place called Rocvid, in the West 

 Riding, was equivalent doubtless either to Rockwood or Rook- 

 wood; in Hampshire again is Escwit, evidently Eshwood or 

 Ash wood. 



In like manner, saugh-with, beech-with, birch- with, appear to 

 have given rise to family names, originally names of estates, and of 

 which the composition is still perceptible, notwithstanding con- 

 siderable variations of spelling. 



From Birchwith or Birchet, (or, as it is said, from Birch-hope,) 

 the township of East Bolton, in Northumberland, has assumed 

 the strange disguise of " Bridget,^'' and is commonly so written ! 



There is, indeed, no limit to corruption in language but a careful 

 examination of etymology. 



Wald, wold, A.S. weald, is assigned in Yorkshire and elsewhere 

 to wild unreclaimed tracts. It is used in composition, as Easing- 

 wold, Cotswold, but is quite distinct from the preceding. The 

 cognate word in Old- Norse is, if I mistake not, vollr, campus^ 

 viretura, pronounced vodlr. 



Hurst, hirst, A.S. hyrst, in Germ, horst, a thicket : frequent in 

 composition in the South of England ; and occurring sometimes 

 in Northumberland, as Longhurst, Linhurst. 



Holt : A.S. holt (es, masc.,) Dutch hout. Germ, holtz, a wood 

 or grove. Not so frequent in the composition of Northumbrian 

 names as in those of southern counties. Contracted sometimes 

 into liot and ot in its final position, as, Eshot. 



Den, A.S. (neuter). The dens were those portions of the mark, 

 or outlying lands, (surrounding the cultivated ground of an Anglo- 

 Saxon community,) which were most resorted to by the hart, the 

 roe. the fallow-dear, hares, and other game and beasts of chase ; 

 and where herds of swine were turned out to forage, and to fatten, 

 as best they might, upon grass, earthworms, haws, and acorns. 

 Respecting this term, which is one of great interest, I must refer 



