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{Continued from page iO). 



The Chapelry of Etchilhampton. 



SOEVER perhaps was there a greater etymological puzzle than 



^thederivationof thenameofthischapelry. Spelt, at the present 

 time, ordinarily — Etchilhampton, — it is, with provoking inconsist- 

 ency, pronounced as though written Ashelton . And so varied are the 

 forms in which the word appears, that it is in vain to guess which may 

 be nearest the original. In the Domesday Record, the oldest form 

 of the word we meet with, it is written Ecesatingetone, though 

 the spelling of Norman scribes cannot be implicitly trusted. Then 

 in records and charters of different dates, we meet with it as Ethel- 

 hampton, — Ethel meton, — Hochelhampton, — Echeliutun, — Heth- 

 eseling, — Ethelington, — Ashlington, — and Ashington. Some in 

 modern times have, in their spelling, copied closely its common 

 pronunciation, and written it Ashelton. He must be a bold ven- 

 turer, who, with this mass of conflicting authorities, will attempt to 

 solve such an etymological riddle. 



This Chapelry, which, though it has its separate Church, seems 

 from time immemorial to have been a dependency of All Cannings, 

 and with it to have formed one benefice, is about two miles and a 

 half in length, and about one mile in breadth. It is bounded on 

 the south by Patney and Stert, — on the west by portions of South- 

 Broom (itself a chapelry of Bishops Cannings), — and its north- 

 eastern boundary is coterminous with that of All Cannings. 



The acreage is as follows : — 



