Miscellaneous Words. 



255 



Now there is a word in Welsh which is most common in 

 local names. This word is Aber, as in such names as Aber- 

 ystwith (= mouth of the Ystwith), and Aber-avon (= mouth 

 of the Avon). It is composed, as Garnett tells us, of the 

 particle " a" denoting juxta-position, and the root ber (= 

 water), and so means much the same as our word (< con- 

 fluence. 33 See above § 11. It denotes generally the fall of 

 a lesser water into a greater, as of a brook into a river, or a 

 river into the sea. It corresponds with the Gaelic In-ver, as 

 in Tnver-nethy, which was also at one time called Aber-nethj. 



Now Avebury is situated at the confluence of two small 

 streams. Why then should we not, accepting for what it is 

 worth at all events the only really ancient form of the, word 

 preserved to us, regard the former portion of the Avre-berie 

 of Domesday as the Norman equivalent to the Welsh aber, 

 and the latter as the not unknown Teutonic term berie, 1 and 

 so the whole as signifying " the enclosure 33 or it may be "the 

 open field 33 near the "confluence of the streams" 



If it be objected that it is not likely that so small a spot, 

 as would be indicated by such an etymology, should have 

 given its name to so large a parish, the answer is ready. The 

 name in Domesday could only have applied to a very small 

 portion of the present parish, the remainder being accounted 

 under the entries of Chenete (West Kennet), Bachentune 

 (Beckhampton), and Stamere (Stanmore), all of which are 

 now reckoned as tithings of Avebury. 2 



1 Jacob, in his Law Dictionary, quoting from Cowell, gives berie or bevy as 

 meaning a "flat wide campaign." He adds that the spacious meadow between 

 Oxford and Islip was called in the time of King Athehtan, Berry. And he 

 defines Berryjield, no uncommon name in Wilts, as meaning any open meadows 

 or pasture that lay adjoining any vill or farm. 



2 The present parish of Avebury contains 4526 acres. The entries in Domes- 

 day making up this total are as follows : — 



Avreberie (p. 16) assessed at 2 hides, or about 470 acres. 

 Bach en tune (p. 95) „ 2 hides, 470 acres. 



Chenete (p. 84) ,, 134 hides, ,, 8000 acres. 

 Stameee (p. 96) ,, 2£ hides, ,, 586 acres. 



Total 4526 



U 2 



