220 On an Anglo-Saxon Charter. 



that is still the boundary for nearly a mile between the two! 

 parishes. 1 The next point, called Widan-cum (=Widcomb), was! 

 probably by the pond at the bend of the road. By Odenford is < 

 meant Oodford St. Peter, a small portion 2 of which parish would 

 seem to have touched Stockton ; and by Codan-ford, the point from 

 which we started, — that at which the north-western extremity of' 

 Stockton touches Codford St. Mary. 



It is certainly a matter of no little interest to be able thus to I 

 interpret a Charter granted well-nigh a thousand years ago, and 

 to be justified in drawing the conclusion, that the boundaries of 

 this estate of " ten hides by Wyly" known now to us for many 

 centuries by the name of Stockton, are substantially the same as 

 in the days of Alfred the Great. We have no records which throw 

 any light as to the period when the divisions of estates were first 

 settled. Most probably these were arranged from the earliest 

 occupation of the country by our English ancestors, and before they 

 were converted to Christianity. Certain it seems, that the bound- 

 aries, once settled, remained unchanged from generation to gener- 

 ation. The fact is in itself a testimony to the deep respect paid by 

 our forefathers to constituted authority and the rights of property ; j 

 and, if our conjecture be true as to the great antiquity of the first 

 settlement of the boundaries of these estates, their remaining the 

 same through so many centuries seems indirectly to shew, how 

 natural as well as revealed law speak the same language, — " Cursed 

 is he that removeth his neighbour's land-mark." — W. H. Jones. 



x In a Charter relating to Alton Priors, contained in the Codex Winton, fol, 

 73 b., and printed by Kemble in the Codex Diplom., No. 1035, we have the 

 expression Weala-wege. In tracing out the boundaries of that parish with a 

 friend, well acquainted with the locality, we came to a point which tradition 

 marks out as an old British road. The spot is close by what is now tortured 

 into W ilke^s Hill, though a shepherd, speaking to us of the same place, called 

 it Walc-way Hill. It was, in truth, the old Welsh-way, the ordinary name 

 for the old British roads. 



2 Since the above was in type, I have learnt that at this very point there is a 

 small triangular piece of ground, having on one side Stockton, on the two 

 others Codford St. Mary and Sherrington, which is assessed for the poor rate 

 still to Codford St. Peter, though no other part of that parish comes within 

 some 500 yards of it, and the tithe from it is paid to the Rector of Codford St. 

 Mary. No account can be given now of this curious anomaly, but it is a 

 singular confirmation of the accuracy of our ancient Charter. 



