198 



Upon the first five stanzas quoted, we may remark that they 

 are distinctly addressed to a place of some importance, near the 

 scene of conflict, which had sent forth its fighting population to 

 swell the ranks of the British army, and that this place was 

 called, in the old British language, " Dref wen,"^the " White 

 City." Its importance as a military position, may be estimated 

 from the frequent attacks to which it had been subjected, from 

 " the time that it was being built," until the time of the battle 

 which so much affected its fortunes. The circumstance of its 

 not being specially mentioned in the Saxon Chronicle, with the 

 cities of Gloucester, Cirencester, and Bath, may be attributed to 

 its insignificance, in comparison with those great Eoman-British 

 stations. The operations of the inhabitants referred to, as being 

 so persistently interrupted by attacks of enemies, were probably 

 endeavours to repair, extend, or improve the old Roman-British 

 fortifications. The wood, in the " bosom" of which we are 

 told that it was situated, must have been the present Selkwood, 

 which, would then have naturally exceeded its present boun- 

 daries, and probably surrounded the town. In proof of its 

 Roman occupation, many coins and other remains have been 

 found here, and the remaining traces of fortifications tell their 

 own story ; moreover we know no other place in the vicinity of 

 the battle-field, to which the name of " city" or "town" could 

 be so fitly applied. 



Bearing in mind, thatLLYWARcn's appellation of "Dref wen",* 

 corresponds in a remarkable manner with the name vphich 

 common tradition asserts to have been given it in pre-Saxon 

 times, I believe that I am advancing no forced theory, in sup- 

 posing Sceorstaujf — Sherston, to be tke "White City" of the old 



* Modern Welsh — Tref gwyn. 



t Sceor-stan was the Anglo-Saxon form of Shire-stone, the stone which 

 marked the junction of the boundaries of the counties of Oxford, Gloucester, 

 Worcester, and Warwick, and so occurs in the Chronicles. When recording 

 the battle between Edmiind Ironsides and Canute, which took place at 

 Sherston, the village, several centuries after its possession by the Saxons, 

 the scribe, writing phonetically, probably adapted the name of the one 

 well-known locality, to the other, — possibly confounding them with each 



