Lincolnshire Notes & Queries. 



may still be seen in the Essex marshes. The various places 

 situate in the bed of the estuary still bear the names of 

 islands. Thus, we have Moles^y, ChesiW (now Chelsea), 

 Putney, Batters^, Bermondsra, Pits^, &c., &c. The street 

 called " The Strand " took its name from being the strand, or, 

 as we should say, " the beach " of the estuary, although it is 

 now half a mile from the present course of the river. 



Lewes was formerly on an estuary, and the marks of the 

 tide may still be seen on the neighbouring hills. Between 

 there and the sea are the islands of Horsey, Hindnea, Lzngney, 

 Pevensey, &c., &c., now surrounded by dry land. 



Norwich was formerly a seaport town, and remained so until 

 the sea was kept out by the bar called Yarmouth, i.e. 

 Yaremouth. 



Sedgemoor was formerly a large inland lake, in proof of 

 which it is enough to say that every place in it is called an 

 island, although for many years past surrounded by dry land. 



I propose in this article to show the history and change in 

 the Wash, and that Lincoln was formerly a seaport town, that 

 is to say, that it was situated on the Wash, which is now about 

 30 miles off. 



In considering this question it is all-important to show what 

 the Wash was, and how far it extended. 



This subject has already been considered by the Rev. Canon 

 Taylor in his Words and Places, and he comes to the conclusion 

 that the Wash was formerly six times as large as it now is, and 

 in my judgment he has rather understated than overstated the 

 case. 



Let us take the present fen country and marshland, bounded 

 on the east by the highlands of Norfolk and Cambridge, on 

 the south by the counties of Huntingdon and Northampton, 

 and on the West by the highlands of Huntingdon, Northamp- 

 ton and Lincoln counties, and on the north by the highlands of 

 Lincolnshire, and we find that with the exception of two bars 

 or deltas, which I will presently mention, every place is called 

 an island. 



Among other places, too numerous to mention, may be 

 noticed in Lincolnshire Sticky, Frisky, Sibs^, Gedw^y, 

 Southerly, Bardney ; in Northamptonshire Eye, Oxnea ; in 

 Cambridgeshire, Man^7, Thonz^, Whittles^, Ely i.e. Eelej^ ; 

 in Huntingdonshire Rams<?y, Sawtrey, Swathes^. 



The terminals ey, ea, eye, are Saxon names for islands ; 

 while nea and ney are Scandinavian, or, as we now say, 



