Books on Northern Topography. - 429 
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Place-Names of South-West Yorkshire. By Armitage Goodall. Cam- 
bridge : University Press, 1913, pp. viii. + 314., price 7s. 6d. net. This 
is one of the most scholarly volumes that we have read for some time, 
and contains much of interest to the naturalist, antiquary and historian. 
The area dealt with is really that part of the West Riding which lies south 
of the Aire from Keighley onwards, and in this limited area no fewer than 
1,500 names are enumerated, and each in the fullest manner possible. 
Nor is each dealt with by the usual guess-at-the-simplest methods of some 
so-called phylologists. The author has carefully studied the old forms of 
each place-name, with, in many instances, rather startling results. For 
example, Golcar, (which might by some thought to be the place of the gold 
car or golden chariot), formerly rejoiced in such names as Gouthelagh- 
charthes, Gouthlacharwes, and Goullakarres! The derivation of the 
names York and Whitby are given as shewing two different ways in which 
names have been changed from Celtic times onward. ‘It is interesting 
to note that quite a number of places are designated by a simple tree-name. 
In the south-west Yorkshire the examples include Crabtree, Ewes (yews), 
Hessle, Lighthazels, Oakes, Popples (Poplars), Thickhollins, Thorn and 
Thornes. Chief among the wild animals was the wolf, referred to in at 
least eight names, such as Woolley, Wooldale, Woolrow and Woolgreaves. 
The hart has also given rise to several names, among them Hartcliff, 
Hartley, and Harthill. The two places called Earnshaw bear witness to 
the former appearance of eagles, and the two called Brockholes to the 
presence of the badger, which formerly was called the brock. The rearing 
of cattle had a very important place in the rular economy. Shepley, 
Shipley, and Shibden are so called from the rearing of sheep; Swinden 
Swinton, and Swinnow, from the keeping of swine ; Horsfall and Horsehold 
from the keeping of horses. We are reminded by Hardwick and Hard- 
castle of the herds once sheltered there, and by Storfold and Stoodley 
of important stud-farms. Near Halifax there is evidence of the cattle- 
rearing energies of our forefathers in the place-names Cruttonstall, Hep- 
tonstall, Rawtonstall, Saltonstall and Wittonstall, while such a name as 
Bellhouse may perhaps point to the means by which a great army of 
farm servants was controlled.’ The notes on ‘ Halifax’ are peculiarly 
interesting. Mr. Goodall will have none of the holy-face nor holy-hair 
business, and brings in Hallikelf and Bellyfaxe to show that Halifax is 
Scandinavian, and means ‘ the shelving land overgrown with rough grass.’ 
The author has not been able to resist the question of the site of the battle 
of Brunanburh, and suggests that the site was near Brinsworth, between 
the Rother and the Don. 
Vegetation of the Peak District, by C. E. Moss, B.A., D.Se., ete. Cam- 
bridge University Press, pp. x. and 235. 12s. net. 1913. The author 
of this work is well known to our readers, and his reputation as an ecologist 
is wide and well deserved. Since the publication of the ‘ Vegetation of the 
Leeds and Halifax District,’ in which he was associated with Dr. Wm. G. 
Smith, rapid progress has been made in the study of British Vegetation. 
This is strikingly brought out in che present volume which deals with an 
area immediately to the south of the one above-mentioned. The work 
was commenced in 1903 and has been completed several years, but the 
difficulties of publication have resulted in an unfortunate delay. Mean- 
while the circumstances which called forth Tansley’s ‘ Types of British 
Vegetation,’ led to the publication of many facts dealt. with in the present 
volume and perhaps rendered parts of it unnecessary, still we think a 
wise course has been followed in retaining the original form of the work. 
A glance at its pages shows it to be much more than a local study, as the 
frequent comparisons made with the vegetation of other areas renders it 
a useful text book of ecology. The ‘ Peak District’ covers an area of 
432 square miles, includes portions of five counties and varies in altitude 
from 300 feet to 2088 feet., a large part of which consists of the unenclosed 
moorlands of the southern Pennines, An introductory chapter deals with 
1913 Dec. 1. 
