OLD NAMES OP WOODS. 137 



special characteristic at the times at which these names 

 were given. Passing those cases in which this reference 

 to particular kinds bi trees is manifest at first sight — the 

 Oaks, the Elms, the Beeches — we meet with others of older 

 date, in which older forms of the names given to different 

 kinds of trees occur. Thus it is with Bishop Auckland, or 

 Oakland; with Bucklands, Beechlands; and Buckingham, 

 Beech Forest. 



These names have occurred to. me while writing 

 Currente calamo. 



The names of places derived from trees and woods with 

 which they were associated have suffered much, as other 

 names of places have suffered, from friction. One may be 

 amused with the difference between the pronounciation 

 and the orthography of such places as Siscister (Ciren- 

 cester)!; Chumly (Cholmondoly) ; Leester (Leicester) : and 

 Woster (Worcester). 



We find like effects of friction not only in the pronoun- 

 ciation of names of some places, but in the orthography. 

 Thus is it with Shrewsbury. The old British name of the 

 town when it was the capital of Powysland and the 

 residence of the Welsh powers was Pengwern, and many 

 of the streets still bear names which seem to speak of that 

 time, such names as Mardol, Dogpole, Wylecop, and 

 Shoplatch. But the Saxons gave to it the name, of which 

 the modern name Shrewsbury may be considered a 

 corruption, Scrobbeshyrig , the Shrubby Hill, or hill 

 covered with shrubs ; in which a reference to the shrubby 

 character of the country is apparent, as it is also in the 

 name of the county, Shropshire. In the same county, not 

 far from Leighton, wo have a village called Cressage — a 

 curious corruption of the older name, which was Christ's 

 Oak. 



Like corruptions of older names are not uncommon, and 

 amongst them may be found not a few such eases of names 

 of places embodying a reference to woods once existent but 

 existing no more. In Cumberland there is a village called 



