ON ITER XV. OF THE ITINERARY OF ANTONINUS. 131 



minology to Celtic words in combination. Our difficulty, as 

 etymologists, is to determine what those words are and their 

 meaning ; for words of similar sound may become sources of 

 frequent and great error. Scholars who give great attention 

 to the Cymric or Welsh language tell us that the word Gladia 

 represents the Celtic Kledh, Claddau — dyke, dykes ; or Gledd 

 — open pasture. Vindo, Venta, are Latinised forms of the 

 Celtic Gwyn, Giient, Went, &c. — white, bright, fair, &c. Hence 

 in combination these words may mean either white dyhes or 

 entrenchments ; or hright, open, pasture land ; champaign country ; 

 down, &C.'* With either of these meanings the name Vindogladia 

 might be applied to the earthworks on Gussage Cow-down or to 

 Badbury. I am not myself in favour of the first of these mean- 

 ings ; for, as applied to earthworks on a chalk soil, it could be 

 only of temporary fitness, as nature would soon efface the 

 whiteness and brightness of such works of art. On the other 

 hand, it seems that the meaning of bright, open, pasture land 

 meets the requirements of the etymology : it is equally applicable 

 to both localities. There is a fancifvd idea that Gladia is from 

 the Celtic Gladh — sword or river ; but it is not clear that these 

 definitions were ever used synonymously, although we admit 

 that they may in strictness be referred to the Sanscrit root hlad, 

 which seems to have the primary meaning of shining hy reflected 

 light, and so has numerous outgrowths, sword and river amongst 

 the rest. As regards Givyn, Wyn, it may be applied as an 

 epithet to a river as well as to a pasture. The stream which 

 derives its head-springs from the base of Gussage Cow-down, and 

 flows on through the valley 10 or 12 miles to fall into the Stour at 

 Winborne, seems to owe its name Gwyn or Wyn-lourne — bright, 

 clear stream, to the Saxons. Its more dignified title of " the 

 river Allen" is probably of later date, a mediaeval misnomer, 

 Alauna being the Eoman name of the river Stour, of which 

 Allen seems to be a corrupt rendering. 



The situation of Badbury is such as will satisfy the require- 

 ments of the name Vindogladia. It is surrounded by bright, 



*Rev. W. Bariios ex. inf. priv. 



