OP ANGLO-SAXON DERIVATION. 155 



that our numerous villages, so designated, were each in possession 

 of a certain tract '>f land, clearly defined hy a fence or by boundary- 

 stonos, and t]iat soniotimes llie lianilet itself mi^cbt be surrounded 

 by some rude kind of wall, mound, or palisade. Above all, the 

 Saxon tiln was a community separated from others hy its own 

 distinct system of self-government. It was, as we should now 

 say, a township. 



Names of places witli this termination have been formed in 

 great numbers from Anglo-Saxon patronymics, or family names 

 distinguished by the syllaMe inrf, as Easington, Bassington, 

 Ovington, (in A.S. Easingatun, Bassingatun, '^ifingatun;) that is, 

 the town of the Esiiigs or progeny of Esa, of the Basings, (progeny 

 of Basse,) of tlie Oflings, sons or family of Oifa. To make this 

 observation more clear to tliose wlio are not familiar with the 

 extensive application of these patronymics in Anglo-Saxon, the 

 following passage from the Skvon Chronicle niay be us.JliI: — 

 " A.D. 5J:3. This year Ida began his reign ; from whom first arose 

 the royal kindred of the Northumbrians. Ida was son of Eoppa, 

 Eoppa was son of Esa, Esa was son of Ingwy; (Ida vjces Eopping, 

 Eoppa UKGS E&ing, Esa w<vs Ingwing.) Ida reigned twoive years : 

 he built Bamburgli, which was fii st surrounded by a hedge and 

 afterwards by a wall." 



— ham : Anglo-Saxon ham, home. Over great part of England 

 this termination recurs continually, though there are districts 

 w^here it has oftener given way to others. 



In the form of helm we find it very frequent in certain parts 

 of Germany, especially along the Bliine. It appears in the Low- 

 Countries as hem, em, ur/i. And again, under the form of hjein, 

 (Old-Norse heimi,) Ave meet with it m Norway and Sweden. 



It conveys the idea of home or fixed abode, and to those con- 

 sequently who appreciate its iuiport in times of old, it is full of 

 interest and home-feeling, wheresoever recognized. To bring 

 forward instances of so common an ending, would be idle. Like 

 the termination ton, however, it is often affixed to Anglo-Saxon 

 family names in m^, which, being of themselves of an historical cha- 

 racter, become all the more interesting to us when linked to a term 

 like this, which points to the very hearth-stones of the rude Anglo- 



