27 
too much reliance must not be given to the names now borne by 
places—a place in this neighbourhood now marked on the 
Ordnance Map ‘The Vineyard’ was called ‘ Naboth’s 
Vineyard ’—the origin of the name had nothing to do with vine 
growing.” 
Leland, 1540 to 1542, speaks of the Elm wood he saw in 
Somersetshire. (1) 
We.ts to Bruton.—“This far I saw some store of Elm 
wood.” 
SoutH Cappury To ILCHESTER.—‘ Al this way the pastures 
and feeldes be much enclosed with hedge rowes of Elmes.” 
CREWKERNE TO BRIDGWATER.—“ From Crokehorn by hilly 
ground but plentiful of corne grasse and Elme wood wherewith 
most part of al Somersetshire ys yn hegge rowys enclosed.” 
The Saxon time lasted until about 800 years ago. 
Enough has been said to show that the English Elm had long 
been a tree of the country when that time came to an end. 
Since then it continued to increase, and the Elm, the 
“ Somersetshire weed” as it is called, has long been the prevailing 
tree. 
Professor Earle, in his recent work, the “ Alfred Jewell,” p. 112, 
has the following :—‘‘In Alfred's time the eye was greeted by a 
variety of trees which are not observable now. The Elm 
predominates all over the plain. I asked the occupier of 
Athelney Farm about the trees on his land, and he said there was 
hardly anything but Elm. Of other kinds he had only two ash 
trees and one beech; ‘but,’ he added, ‘we find bog oak in the 
moors and it makes good gate-posts.” : 
“The Elms have driven out both oak and ash, and whatever 
other sorts they touched in their ‘ wrastling ’ progress. 
“These sombre grenadiers dress up their lines so close as to 
leave little room for other trees. They suck the fruitful soil more 
than any other tree, and they repay their costly nurture with 
(1) See ‘* Pro. Som. Arch, and Nat. Hist. Soc.,” Vol. 37, p- 111. 
