tEESDALE PLACE-NAMES. 69 



'' The Fortli," or firth, at Newcastle, (supposed to have been 

 originally a fort in connection with the castle), was a square 

 grassy place of recreation, containing eleven acres, enclosed by a 

 double row of lime trees and a low brick wall, situated outside 

 of the town walls, i.e., forth of the walls. It was abolished 

 when the Central Station of the ]S"orth Eastern Eailway was 

 formed; the offices, at the top of the Forth Banks, opposite to 

 the pig market and the Infirmary, were erected on part of the 

 site, the rest being occupied by the top of !Neville Street ad- 

 joining. 



Forth and ford, in the three examples below, are convertible 

 one into the other, and are often confounded together in popular 

 speech in Northumbria. In the West Eiding of Yorkshire, Cas- 

 tleford is commonly called in the local vernacular Castleforth 

 "Woodlesford, "Woodlesforth ; Bradford, Bradforth ; and there are 

 numerous other examples. 



In ITorthumberland, Stamfordham was anciently Stamfortham, 

 Hodgson's Hist, of liTorthd. 



" In Lincolnshire and the borders thereof /or(? is sometimes 

 corrupted into worth instead of wath. Two places named Bot- 

 tesford are Bottsworth with the common people." 



Examples : — 



Barforth — " formerly Bereford, in Doomsday Book ; the barred 

 or fenced ford ; the supposed site of a Roman station and tra- 

 jectus over the Tees, no vestige of which remains. 



Old Richmond was at, or close to, Barforth. It is possible 

 that it and Richmond on the Swale derived their names from 

 the ancient Dyke or Riehmound. A.-S. nee, power, kingdom, 

 and munt, a mount. 



Startfoith, or Stratforth, or Stratforde, or Stretford ; High 

 and Low, on the south side of the Tees, at Barnardcastle. — The 

 passage forth of the street or Roman road. 



Eorthburn — ford of the burn, or fordable burn. 



GAmroED. See Ford. 



