By the Rev. Preb. W. H. Jones. 343 



extent endorses this statement, nevertheless adds some important 

 qualification. Mr. Scarth, in a paper contributed to the Archae- 

 ological Association, on " Ancient Earthworks near Bath/'' after 

 noticing Camden's opinion, that the Wansdyke was ™ called from 

 Woden, that false imagined god and father of the English Saxons, 

 who made it as a limit to divide the two kingdoms of the Mercians 

 and West Saxons asunder/'' goes on to say — " Sir R. C. Hoare 

 observes, that this dyke was most probably, in ancient times, the 

 boundary of the Belgse before the invasion of Csesar. But we must 

 not suppose that in those early times it existed in its present elevated 

 and extended state, for its increased strength may be attributed to 

 the Saxons. This, in another place, he states to have been clearly 

 demonstrated by cutting through the dyke in two places, where the 

 more recent ivorh appeared superadded to the old. Stukeley also 

 points out where he observed that the dyke had been turned to the 

 purpose of a Roman road, and part of the agger left as a parapet to 

 protect the road on the side of a deep declivity. Stukeley's words 

 are, — " The Roman workmen have thrown in most part of the rampire, 

 still preserving it as a terrace to prevent the danger and the terror 

 of the descent on the other side." Mr. Leman also says, " the Saxon 

 bank and ditch are plainly visible, being made on the foundation of 

 the previous Roman road, in the grounds of Mr. Fuller, at Neston." 

 Thus we have three periods of history marked in Wansdyke : its 

 Belgic origin or foundation, — its Roman adaptation, — its Saxon 

 completion. 



On these statements and opinions I would venture to make a few 

 remarks. 



And, first of all, as to the meaning of the Name. On this there 

 can be little doubt : it is clearly Woden's- Dyke. It occurs in char- 

 ters as Wodnes-dic and is not unfrequently met with. Near it is w 

 place now called Woodborough but which was originally Wodnes- 

 beorg i.e., WodenVhill. Applied to the dyke, the appellation 

 would seem to have reference to its being a boundary-line, for Woden, 

 like Mercurius, was the god of boundaries. 1 Numerous references 



See Saxons in England, i., 52, 343. 



