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Wood, which it enters, and is again visible a little to the 
south of Englishcombe Church. Keeping westward through 
an orchard, it appears in a meadow in its original grandeur, 
exhibiting a lofty mound 12ft. high, and a deep ditch to the 
south side. 
A quarter of a mile from Englishcombe Church it still takes 
westward, but is lost till it presents itself at Stanton Prior, 
Publow, Norton Malreward, being conspicuous at Maesknoll 
and again at Wansdyke in the Long Ashton Road, five miles 
N.W. of Maesknoll. 
Descending Dundry Hill it crosses Highbridge Common, 
where its track is still visible, and thwarting the Great Western 
Road from Bristol (through Bedminster Down) to Bridgwater, 
it forms by its vallum a deep narrow lane overhung with 
woods and briars, leading to Yanley Street in the parish of Long 
Ashton. From Yanley it traverses some meadows to a lane 
anciently denominated from it, ‘“‘ Wondesdick Lane,” as 
appears from a deed wherein William Goldulph grants to 
Alan de Clopstons “a cottage with a piece of land adjoining 
it in Aystone juxta Bristol, situated in the Eastern side 
benelle de Wondesdicke.’’ Here it crosses the Ashton Road 
at “‘ Reyenes Cross’’ (a mile and a half westward of the 
church), and ascending the hill enters the hundred of Port- 
bury, in the parish of Wraxall, and terminates at Portishead 
in the Severn Sea. 
By some antiquarians the word ‘‘ Wansdyke”’ is traced 
to a Celtic word meaning separation, i.e., Gwahan. Others 
are of opinion that the name is derived from the name 
“Woden,” the heathen god to whom the dyke was said to be 
dedicated. 
The name Odd Down is said to be derived from Wodens 
Down, and thus associated with the Wansdyke. The names 
of the Scandinavian god, Woden and (Odin are, of course, 
identical. 
PrIoR PARK AND ITS ASSOCIATIONS. 
Ralph Allen, being desirous of demonstrating the quality 
of the Combe Down stone, purchased Prior Park about 1739, 
from the executors of the first Duke of Kingston, and requested 
the elder Wood to build a mansion which ‘‘ would prove to 
succeeding generations the good quality of the famous oolite 
stone of Combe Down, and show to the world and all posterity 
its elegance and durability.” A better position could not be 
