300 The Battle of EtMndun. 



to the fact than Mr. Matcham's assertion : nothing more conso- 

 nant to the habitual usage of Anglo-Saxon nomenclature than the 

 supposition of Dr. Thurnam and Whitaker, that Ethandun is now 

 represented by Etton-down. Mr. Matcham fills an entire page (182) 

 with something ver)"- like ridicule of the notion, which seems to him 

 preposterous, that the terminating syllable of Ethandun can have 

 been used for 'down.' What does he think is the site of the other 

 famous victory of Alfred over the Danes, iEscesdun ? Is it not no- 

 toriously Ash-down, in Berkshire, and if so, would it be extraor- 

 dinary that Ethandun should correspond to Etton-down? But ho 

 goes on to ask, as if in the pride of superior information, "Has this 

 compound ever appeared in writing, or (perhaps) in common par- 

 lance before his (Dr. Thurnam's) ingenuity 'ho.di fahrieated it?" 



The reply is decisive ; though Mr. Matcham having, as he admits, 

 little or no knowledge of this latter locaKty, is evidently igno- 

 rant of the fact, viz., that the high ground in the parish of Yatton 

 adjoining Slaughterford was, within the memory of living men, an 

 open down, and known by the name of Etton-down. He even 

 demurs (p. 182,) to Dr. Thurnam's assertion of the similarity of 

 the two names. I am much mistaken, however, if my readers will 

 not agree with me that, both in orthography and sound, the word 

 Etton-dun bears as close, or even a closer resemblance to Ethandun 

 than does Edintone or Edendone. 



But passing to that which forms the staple of the argument of 

 both Whitaker and Dr. Thurnam, namely the inconsistency of the 

 position of Edington with the description given by Asser and the 

 tSaxon Chronicle of Alfred's proceedings previous to the battle ; I 



ton are mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle always under names termina- 

 ting in tune ; whence we may fairly conclude then, had Edington been men- 

 tioned at all in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles it would have been as Edintune, 

 not as Ethandune ; e.g. 



Creditune now Crediton. 



Bertuno ,, Burton. 



Hamtune ,, Hampton. 



Kingestune ,, Kingston. 



Middletune ,, Middleton. 



Tantune ,, Taunton. 



Huntendune,, Huntington, &c. 



