There are also not a few places in Derbyshire which derive 
their names from words that merely speak of the generic term 
“tree.” Thus, for instance, we meet with TREETON from 
trean, a tree; whilst BamrFreLp, Bamrorp, and THE Bam 
(T.C. South Winfield) obtain their prefix from eam, which 
also signifies a tree, and from which our modern English 
“beam” is obviously derived. _NewsoLtD and ANKERBOLD 
(Tupton) are indebted for their suffix to the do/e, or trunk of 
a tree, and the same word supplies the prefix of BouLton.* 
Although Bote Hit, of such frequent occurrence in many 
parts of the county, may not in each instance refer immediately 
4 
PLACE AND FIELD NAMES OF DERBYSHIRE. 75 
} 
to a tree, it invariably possesses a cognate signification. 
The first thing that strikes the inquirer into the number of 
Derbyshire place-names, derived from trees, is the curious 
superabundance of those connected with the “lady of the 
woods,” the silver birch-tree. There are, to give only the most 
obvious, five BirrcHwoops, two BIRCHFIELDS, a BIRCHAY, 
BircHey, BiRCHOVER, BiRCHILL, BIRCHITT, BIRCHLOW, BIRCHIN- 
FIELD, BIRCHINLEE, BIRCHINTON, BIRKIN LANE, BIRKINWOOD, 
BirkinsHaw, Bircin ciose (T. C. Belper), THE Birks (T.C. 
_ Bsimington), and Turee Bircues, besides frequent instances 
of farm houses and fields called THe Brircues. It may be 
remarked that a large portion of these names are found in the 
north of the country. These numerous references to the birch- 
tree are the more singular, as Glover and other writers have 
noticed its present rarity. The solution of this difficulty may 
be found in the fact of the great reverence with which this 
tree was regarded by the Celtic population. The birch was 
only second to the oak in sanctity, and in the frequency of 
‘its use for the purposes of divination. It is, therefore, only 
Natural to suppose that the Celts, who tarried so long in the 
fastnesses of the county, would guard their favourite trees 
‘with zeal from the hands of the encroacher; and that birches 
* «*Bold” in the Saxon Charters generally signifies a dwelling-house, 7.¢., 
a building made of planks. Wagéold is a ship, or wave-house. Thus New- 
bold may mean ‘‘The new building made of wood.” <Aemdble, Codex 
Diplomaticus, vol. iii. p. 17. 
