Welsh kind; and there is an ordinance about the reign of Athelstan made between the Witanagemote and the chiefs of the Wealh nation established among the Dunsettas, or mountain dwellers, wherein the Britons are called Wealhas, and their territory the Wylisc. Wallaford, the road of the Wealhas; Wallabrook, the Welshman's water; and the river Walkham (Wealhas cwm, the Welshman's valley) are all traceable to the Saxons. Both the Shillstone Tors have names derived from Selvestan, the hanging stone, and both are close to the cultivated country; while picturesque Hey Tor will be discovered in heah, high. This word, which is a strong guttural, was perhaps the predecessor of hoga, whence springs the term 'hogsback'; unless, indeed, the Cornish hôch, a hog, be the true root. In the Perambulation of 1240 Cosdon Beacon is called Hoga de Cossdonne. Within the Moor, but still visible from its borders, is the Thirlstone, on the summit of Watern Tor, a fine pile with a large opening. To this hole (or rather passage, for it does not quite meet at the top) we must look for the name, which I agree with Mr. King in thinking clearly derivable from thyrelan, to drill or pierce. It may be mentioned in passing that Watern is probably a contraction of Waterdon, as in the Survey of 1609 the hill is called Waterdon Torre. The rivers Plym and Lyd, too, apparently own Saxon names. Chapple, in his review of Risdon, says the former means 'the rolling water, which in Saxon is pilim. Part of the river, however, is still known as the Cad, the ancient British name, signifying a battle-field. The smaller stream is thought to cerive its etymology from hlid, a covering, alluding to the gorge at Lydford, the name of which village is, of course, Saxon too. Time would fail if we discussed the names of border towns and villages, but perhaps, as a general rule, they are Saxon, though many seated on moorland rivers bear Celtic names. As to Scandinavian names, I have drawn largely on the list given by Mr. Spence Bate in the paper to which reference is made above. He traces many a well-known Dartmoor name to the pirates known (according to the Rev. Isaac Taylor) to have made descents on the north and west coasts of Britain; and though his assumptions are occasionally somewhat bold, they are certainly worthy of respect. At what period these Norsemen first invaded Devonshire matters little; they may have been forerunners of the Saxon conqueror or hoverers on his heels; or it may not have been until 787, their first recorded appearance, that the black raven on its blood-red ground floated up the Dart, spreading terror and desolation wherever it fluttered. Scandinavian names, then, are borne by Hameldon, the hill of the viking Hamill by Buttern Down and Butterdon Hill, named in memory of Buthar; by Thornworthy Tor, which perpetuates the name of Thorni (perhaps one of the kistvaens on the slope marks his tomb); by Grimspond, Grimslake, and Grimsgrove, respectively the enclosure, stream, and grave of Grim; by the rivulet Silver, a tribu Mr. Worth suggests ymyl-don the boundary hill. The great Central Trackway passes over it. tary of the Yealm, which bears the name of Sölvar, also appearing in Siward's Cross, written in Risdon Silvard's Cross; by Swincombe, near the Dart, which contains a kistvaen, probably the grave of Sweyn; and by Horse Hill, which brings before us the chieftain Horsa. Whether the sea-robbers of the North have left their imprint upon Dartmoor in this unmistakable fashion I cannot say, but surely Thornworthy (another border tor, by the way) may with equal probability be traced to the Anglo-Saxon thorn or thorniht, a thorn-tree, and weorthig, a farm or estate. The name is borne by the farm beneath it, and it would seem quite reasonable here to suppose that the land has given its name to the tor, instead of the tor to the land. But Thor in Thurlestone (or Thirlstone), Hogni in Hoga de Cosdon, and Bakki in Becky River, I decline altogether. An attempt has already been made to account for the first two, while there can be little doubt that the third is nothing more or less than the northcountry beck, a word apparently having its source in the Icelandic bekkr, cognate with the German bach, a brook. Skir Gut (which Mr. Bate interprets 'the rocky passage,' is (I do not remember at this moment whether he says so) apparently a compound of Icelandic and Saxon, the first word being sker, a precipitous bank, and the second gut, a channel, answering in every respect to this wild valley near Hexworthy. From sker, too, comes the first half of Scorhill, a down ending abruptly in the North Teign, as well as Scorraton, a farm above the glen of Dean Burn. Local names are found in Sourton, Lydford (though a long way from the village), Manaton, and several other tors. Many Dartmoor eminences take their titles from real or fancied colouring-e.g., White Tor, Grey Tor, Blackator; a few from their resemblance to animals, such as Hare, Fox, Vixen, and Hound Tors; others from natural objects or surroundings, as Three Barrows, Warren Tor, Staple (with its steeple rocks), Pew (with its curious square crevices), Feather, Saddle, Bog (commonly called Baggy Tor), Sharp, Great or Gert, and Bench Tors. And, lastly, a few tors have ordinary English names, but so corrupted by the Devonshire vernacular as to be almost indistinguishable. Of these, the most important is Yes Tor, till the last Ordnance survey pronounced the highest point on the Moor. East Tor is the derivation most favourably entertained. Rowe, at p. 198 of his Perambulation, says: 'The change of E or A into is common in the Devonshire vernacular. Thus we have Yeaffield for Heathfield, and yeffer for heifer, and yafful for handful.' I, myself, however incline to yst, a storm.* It is not for a moment pretended that more than a small selection of Dartmoor names have been discussed in this paper. To attempt such a task would be an arduous undertaking, and the result achieved would be anything but commensurate with the amount of trouble involved. I have merely endeavoured to indicate a few of the sources * Vide ante, p. 67. whence certain spots on our great mountain moorland have derived their strange nomenclature, and it remains for others to trace, if they can, the balance. The hope is expressed that this venture to assign some likely root to the place-names of Dartmoor may have the effect of creating a wider and more exhaustive inquiry into a very interesting but little considered subject.* [B.] COMMISSION FOR AND PERAMBULATION OF De perambulatione facienda inter Forestam de Dertemore et alias terras.† Rex vicecomiti Devonie Salutem. Sciatis quod dilectus frater noster Ricardus Comes Pictavie et Cornubie pro parte sua et Henricus de Mereton, Hamelinus de Eudon, Robertus de Halyun, et Willelmus le Pruz, pro parte militum et libere tenencium habencium terras et feoda juxta forestam ejusdem comitatus de Dertemore posuerunt se coram nobis in perambulacionem inter terras eorum et predictam forestam ejusdem comitatus faciendam et ideo tibi precipimus quod si alii de comitatu tuo habentes terras cognoverint coram te et coram custodibus placitorum corone nostre quod predicti quatuor milites de consensu aliorum omnium posuerint se in perambulationem illam pro omnibus aliis tunc assumptis tecum duodecim legalibus militibus de comitatu tuo in propria persona tua accedas ad forestam et terras predictas; et per eorum sacramenta fieri faciatis perambulationem inter predictam forestam et terras predictas ; ita quod perambulatio illa fiat per certas metas et divisas. Et scire nobis facias ubicunque fuerimus distincte et aperte sub sigillo tuo et per quatuor milites ex illis qui perambulationi illi interfuerint per quas metas et divisas perambulatio facta fuerit et habeas ibi nomina militum et hoc breve. Teste Rege apud Westmonasterium decimo tertio die Junii. Rot. Claus., 13 June, 24 Hen. III. Perambulation made under the above Commission : Hec est Perambulatio facta et ordinata per commune consilium Ricardi Comitis Cornubie et Pictavie et militum et libere tenentium in comitatu Devon per preceptum domini Regis Henrici filii Johannis anno coronationis dicti Henrici vicesimo quarto in vigilia sancti Jacobi Apostoli per sacramentum militum subscriptorum, scilicet, Willielmi de la Brewer, Guidonis de Bretevyle, Willielmi de Wydeworthy, Hugonis de Bollay, Ricardi Gyffard', Odonis de Treverbyn, Henrici filii Henrici, Willielmi Trenchard, Phillipi Parrer, Nicholai de * A portion of the above was published at pp. 107 and 125 of vol. vii. of the Western Antiquary, and is here reproduced, in much altered form, by kind consent of the editor, Mr. W. H. K. Wright. It will be seen that my views, particularly on the subject of the Druids, have undergone considerable change. † Rowe, p. 265. Heamton, Willielmi de Moreleghe, et Duranti filii Botour, qui incipiunt perambulationem ad hogam de Cossdonne et inde linealiter usque ad parvam hogam que vocatur parva Hundetorre et inde linealiter usque ad Thurlestone, et inde linealiter usque ad Wotesbrokelakesfote que cadit in Tyng, et inde linealiter usque ad Heighestone, et inde linealiter usque ad Langestone, et inde linealiter usque per mediam turbarium de Alberysheved et sic in longum Wallebroke et inde linealiter usque ad Furnum Regis et inde linealiter usque ad Wallebrokeshede et sic in longum Wallebroke usque cadit in Dertam, et sic per Dertam usque ad aliam Dertam, et sic per aliam Dertam ascendendo usque Okebrokysfote et sic ascendendo Okebroke usque ad la Dryworke, et ita ascendendo usque ad la Dryfeld ford, et sic inde linealiter usque ad Battyshull et inde linealiter usque ad caput de Wester Wellabroke et sic per Wester Wellabroke usque cadit in Avenam, et inde linealiter usque ad Ester Whyteburghe et inde linealiter usque ad la Redelake que cadit in Erme et inde linealiter usque ad Grymsgrove et inde linealiter usque ad Elysburghe et sic linealiter usque ad crucem Sywardi et inde usque at Ysfother et sic per aliam Ysfother et inde per mediam Mystor usque ad Mewyburghe et inde usque ad Lullingsfote et inde usque ad Rakernesbrokysfote, et sic ad caput ejusdem aque et deinde usque ad la Westsolle et inde linealiter usque ad Ernestorre et inde linealiter usque ad vadum proximum in orientali parte capelle Sancti Michaelis de Halgestoke et inde linealiter usque ad predictam hogam de Cossdonne in orientali parte. EXTRACT of so much of the Survey of 1609 as relates to the bounds of the Forest of Dartmoor : At a Court of Survey holden at Okhampton in the countie of Devon the xvith day of August in the sixth yere of the raigne of our most gratious Sov'raigne Lord James by the Grace of God of England France and Ireland Kinge Defender of the fayth &c. and of Scotland the forty second, before Sr. Willm. Strode Knight, Richard Connocke Esquire Auditor of the Dutchie of Cornwall, Robt. Moore Esquire and Robt. Paddon Gent., Com'issioners by virtue of a com'ission from his said Matie. to them and others directed bearing date the daye of in the ffyvth yere of his said Maties. most happie Raigne concerninge the Survey of divers honors castles mannors messuages lands tenemts. fforestes chases parks and other proffits belonging to the said Dutchie of Cornwall as by the same Com'ission under the great seale of England more at lardge doth and maye appere; The jurors then and ther retourned scilt. Edward Skirrett, Walter Hele, Roger Cole, Henrie Burges, Richard Edmond, Gregory Gaye, John Bickford, Hugh Elford, John Masye, Roger Drake, Walter Lillicrappe, John Chubbe, Stephen Taverner, Andrew Haywood, Roger Wickett, Wilim Searell, Rob Hannaford, John Willes, John Hele, Walter Tookerman, Willm. Mudge, William Ilbert, Thomas Turges, Ellies Harryes, and John Parnell, all wch. being sworen to enquire of the boundes and limitts of the Forrest of Dartmoore and of all such pson. and psons. as have interest of Com'on there and wth. what beastes and at what tymes and seasons and what other com'odities the same pson. and psons may usuallie have and take wth. in the said fforest and mannor of Lidford and what proffits and como'dities doe from them yerelie come unto his ma and to the Lord Prince for the same-And lykewyse what other landes and tenemts royalties rightes estrayes and profitts do belonge unto his said matie. and Lord Prince lyinge adjoininge and near to the said Forrest and what right title or occupacon anie pson. or psons. do clayme or ought to have of and in the same and what yerelie proffitts do arrise and growe out of the said landes and lykewyse what offences trespasses and misdemeanures are com'itted and donne wth. in the said Forrest and lands and by whom: The said jurors uppon good testymonie showed them witnesses sworne, and uppon their own knowledges do p'sent upon the'r oathes as followeth FFIRST they p'sent that the bounds of the fforest of Dartmoore as they the said jurors do fynde partlie by the coppies of auncient recordes pilie. uppon the evidence of other p'sons and partlie uppon their owne knowledge but especiallie as the boundes have been and are used and accustomed to be these as follows.-Beginning at a high hill lying in the north quarter of the said fforest called at this day Cosdon al's Cosson, and in the old records written Hoga de Costdonne and from thence lineallie eastward by estimacon one mile or more unto little houndetorr wch. in the said records is called (hoga de parva houndetorr) and from thence lineallie to a place named in the said records Thurleston, now as they suppose called Waterdontorr being about three quarters of a myle from Houndtorr aforesaid, and from thence near a mile to Wotesbrookelake foote wch. falleth into Teynge and wch. lake they thincke to be the same which is now called Whoodelake, att which place they accompt the North Quarter to end; and froir. thence near one mile to Hingeston, al's Highstone, in the east quarter lyinge near ffernworthie hedges, and from thence lineallie nere one mile to Yeston, al's Geston, now com'onlie called Hethstone, and from thence lineallie thorough a fennye place now called Turfehill, but named in the old records per mediam turbariam de Albereeheved, to a place called Kinge's Oven and in the said record namely Furnum Regis, and from thence to Wallebrookeheade and so along by Wallebrooke until it fall into easter Dart and so downwards by the said easter Dart to another Dart called wester Dart, and from thence ascending by the said west Dart unto Wobrookefoote wher the east quarter endeth; and from thence lineallie ascendinge to Drylake, al's Dryewoorke, and from thence ascendinge by Drylake unto Crefeild fford or Dryefeild ford and from thence to Kna tleburroughe, wch. they take to be the same that is called in the old records Gnatteshill, and so from thence descending linyallie to wester Wellebrooke headd, and so by the same wester Wellbrooke untill it falleth into Owne, al's Aven, and from thence linyallie to easter Whitaburrowe and from thence liniallie to Redlake |