CASTERS AND CHESTERS. 287 



ceaster a form explained by the alternative Mamucium 

 in the Itinerary, which would naturally become Mamuc 

 ceaster. Colchester of course represents Colonia, 

 corrupted first into Coin ceaster, and so through Col 

 ceaster into its present form. Porchester in Hants is 

 Portus Magnus ; Dorchester is Durnovaria, and then 

 Dorn ceaster. Grantchester, Godmanchester, Chester- 

 field, Woodchester, and many others help us to trace the 

 line across the map of England, to the most western 

 limit of all at Ilchester, anciently Ischalis, though the 

 intermediate form of Givel ceaster is certainly an odd 

 one. 



Besides these Chesters of the regular order, there are 

 several curious outlying instances in Durham and 

 Northumberland, and along the Eoman Wall, islanded, 

 as it were, beyond the intermediate belt of Casters. 

 Such are Lanchester in Durham, which maybe compared 

 with the more familiar Lancaster; Great Chesters in 

 Northumberland, Ebchester on the northern Watling 

 Street, and a dozen more. How to account for these is 

 rather a puzzle. Perhaps the Casters may be mainly 

 due to Danish influence (which is the common explana- 

 tion), and it is known that the Danes spread but 

 sparingly to the north of the Tees. However, this rough 

 solution of the problem proves too much : for how then 

 can we have a still softer form in Danish Leicester itself ? 

 Probably we shall be nearer the truth if we say that 

 these are late names ; for Northumberland was a desert 

 long after the great harrying by William the Conqueror ; 

 and by the time it was repeopled, Chester had become 

 the recognised English form, so that it would naturally 



