&. Names descriptive of Physical Features. 81 
_ This is the origin of Suaw, the name of two places, one 
iM near Melksham, the other by Alton Priors. From the compound 
___ bremele sceaga, literally “ bramble-wood,” we have the name Bram- 
sHaw. I am inclined to think that the name SHockErwICck, on the 
- Somersetshire border, by Batheaston, is a corruption of sceaga-wic, 
and means simply the “ dwelling by the wood.” 

















45. In some eases the peculiar shape of a manor or estate seems 
to have fixed the name. Srert, near Devizes, may fairly be presumed 
_ to be the Anglo-Saxon steort, which means a tail, an extremity, a 
promontory. Gorz, a tithing of Market Lavington, would seem 
to be gara, an angular point or neck of land stretching out into the 
plain, a word which, according to Kemble, is itself to be referred to 
gér, a javelin or pike. 
Then from the Anglo-Saxon dién,) which signifies hill, and from 
which we get our common expression “the downs,” come amongst 
others the following names: Downton (dién-tin) is the village situ- 
ated between the hills or in the neighbourhood of the downs ;— 
- Dowuxan (diin-hedfod) means literally the head, z.e.,the commencing, 
or the highest point, of the downs; Hinpon (hedu-din) means high 
hill, an apt description of the locality of the now decayed town 
bearing that name, and which at first was simply the hilly part of 
_ the parish of East Knoyle. 
46. Then,amongst the names derived fromthe xatwral ‘productions 
of a locality, the following may be mentioned :— 
(a2) Those derived from the vegetable kingdom. _ 
Such for example are AsH-pown (esces-diin), the “hill of the 
4 ash-trees,” and the similar compounds of AsutTon, ASHGROVE, 
Asuton, which sufficiently explain themselves. Again Garspon 






7 
TAs regards this well known word, a philological friend has sent me the 
4 illowing observations: ‘‘ Dan (—hill, a fortified hill) is foundin Anglo-Saxon 
7 Dictionaries but it is not Teutonic. It is the Ir. and Gael. dun, a fortified 
house or hill; W. din, a fortified hill or mount, a camp or fort. Its appearanco 
in such Celtic names as Lug-dun-um, and Lon- din-ium, shows clearly its origin. 
It has been imported into the German dialects: Frisic diinen and S. German 
4 donen are instances, but its proper home is on Celtic ground. Buda § says it is 
_ aword of the ancient British language.” See Pritchard’s Researches, iii., 126. 
