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Kidderminster, and standing about a mile from Blackstone Cave, or Hermitage, not far from Wassal Camp and the Hoar Stone. The following curious legend is told of the "Devil's Spadeful:"-As a cobbler was returning home at night with a pair of shoes to mend, he was met by a certain old gentleman carrying a spadeful, who enquired of the cobbler how far it was to Bewdley, as, on account of its great godliness, he wanted to drown it, by throwing the spadeful into the Severn: to which the cobbler replied that it was so far off that he had worn out the pair of shoes he then exhibited in walking from it; whereupon the old gentleman threw the spadefull down at the spot in question, and declared he would not carry it any further. With respect to the size of this spadeful, a gentleman of Bewdley, James Fryer, Esq., favoured me with the following particulars :-" The circumference of this rock at the base is about 291 yards. It is naked at the summit, and has a small cavern at the south west end, which has been inhabited. The length at the summit is 67 yards. Its average width is three yards; and its height about 35 or 40 feet. The rock stands insulated in a basin of sandy soil, the contents of which may be about a square mile. It has been planted on the sides with beech, Scotch fir, and other trees that grow well."

About four or five miles north of the above-mentioned place, there is a spot called the Giant's Grave.

Wribbenhall, above referred to, is a hamlet in the parish of Kidderminster, and situated on the left bank of the Severn, immediately opposite Bewdley.

In the " Archæologia," Vol. xxxi.*, there is the following curious account of a grant of land in this hamlet :

"Remarkable Charter of the Twelfth Century from the Muniments of the Lechmere Family.

"18th April, 1844, Evelyn Philip Shirley, Esq., M.P. for the county of Monaghan, exhibited a charter of the twelfth century, from the muniments of the Lechmere family. It is a confirmation from Ralph de Mortuo Mari of a grant of land in Wribbenhall, Co. Worcester, made by Turstinus to the monks of a

Appendix, p. 475.

monastery not specified. The peculiarities of this charter consist, first, in its being signed with a cross, by each of the persons who made and confirmed this grant-a practice of very rare occurrence; and, secondly, in the seal being suspended by a thin label, not as usual, from the foot of the charter, but from the middle of it. It is believed that this is the only instance hitherto known of such a singular mode of attaching the seal being prac tised in England; although something similar exists in the collection of charters in the Hotel de Soubise, at Paris."

With respect to the above-mentioned mode of signature it must be remarked that few persons signed Anglo-Saxon charters and grants without using either the tauma or the cross*. The hammer of Thunor (Thôrr) was the true heathen symbol of all contracts†, and it is well known to have been represented by the cross.

In WOLVERLEY§ there are Portway Picce, Big Oldbrough, Round Hill, Solcum, Street Meadow, Street Leasow, Axborough Lane, and Great and Little Axborough. The name Wolverley was anciently spelled Wulfirdingly, Wulwardinglea, Ulwardelei, Wlwardeley, Wlverslawe, and Wlfreslawe. In "Domesday Book" it is written Ulwardelei, and in Anglo-Saxon charters, Uulfferdinleáh, Uulfordileá, and Wulfweardiglea||.

In OVER ARLEY, or Upper Arley, in Staffordshire, there are Cold Ridge Wood, Lower Coldridge, Kitlands, Kitlands Coppice, Wall Croft, The Yeals, Wall's Meadow, Upper Burgage, Lower Burgage, Castle Field, Tedge Hole, Hennage, the Innage, The Walls, Little Yeals, Big Yeals, and Hawk-batch¶. Over Arley

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+ See "Codex Dip.," Vol. i., Int., pp. 94. 100.

In Kemble's "Saxon's in England," Vol. i., p. 347, it is stated that this peculiar weapon of Thor "seems to denote the violent crushing thunder-bolt, and the Norse myth represents it as continually used against the giants or elemental gods of the primal world."

§ A branch of the road in question is supposed to have run from Wolverley to Kenvaur Edge, &c.

See "Codex Dip.," Nos. 291, 292, App., Vol. iii., and 766. The same work sets forth other names of places in Worcestershire, having the prefix "Wolf," as Wulfandún, No. 59 App., Vol. iii., &c.

¶ See p. 145, as to the Portway, Roman Camp, Castle Field, and other relics in this parish.

was anciently written "Ernlege. Ernleah," Arnley and Arlegh. With respect to the etymology of the suffix "ley," see the account of Abberley Hill; the prefix "Ar" is British, and signifies the same with super in Latin †.

EASTERN SIDE OF THE COUNTY.-ANCIENT
ROADS AND CAMPS, &c.

The lines of the ancient roads and camps, on the eastern side of the county, from Middle Hill near Broadway to Bidford, will appear in the account of the Lower Salt-way: and from Bidford to Edgbaston, near Birmingham, &c., in the account of the Rycknield Street.

* See "Codex Dip.," No. 705.

+ See Dugdale's "Warwickshire," Vol. i., p. 103. Ed. Thom.

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THE Upper Salt-way, although not noticed in the Ordnance Map of Worcestershire, is set down in the Rev. Thomas Leman's Map of Ancient British Trackways*, as proceeding north-eastward from Droitwich, through Worcestershire, and along the northern side of Leicestershire to Lincolnshire. Its line from Droitwich to Birmingham, &c., probably was as follows:

From Droitwich, (anciently called Wic and Wich), by Doderhill, and near the line of the Salwarp or Saiowarpe River to Upton Warren, by Stoke Prior, through Bromsgrove, and by or over the east side of the Lickey, and through Shepley, where it probably fell in with the most primitive line of the Rycknield Street, as hereafter stated. Thence, after their juncture, the two roads passed by Twatling Farm, Tin Fields, Fire or Firy Hill, and Barn or Barnt Green, and through Coston Hacket, Northfield, and Witchall, to Edgbaston, where they separated as hereafter stated. The road then continued by Camp Hill, and on the east side of Birmingham, by Ashted to Salteley, near Duddeston, &c.; so on to Stretton, on the border of Warwickshire, as stated in the

See Brewer's "Beauties of England and Wales," Int., p. 13, thirteenth edition, 1818.

+ See the conclusion of this article, and also the account of the Rycknield Street. I do not pretend to say which is the oldest, the Salt-way, or the Rycknield Street, but should think the latter.

That is Stretton en le-Fields, in Derbyshire.

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Beauties of England and Wales," Vol. i., pp. 61, 62; and in "Richard of Cirencester," p. 116.

DROITWICH.-Much has been said in the former part of this work as to this place having been the Salinæ of the Romans; and that the Salt-ways thereto, which are generally considered to be British, strongly tend to prove that the salt springs at Droitwich were used by the Britons. With respect to the Anglo-Saxon times, it appears that, in 716, Æthelbald of Mercia granted certain salt works near the river Salwerpe at Lootwic*, in exchange, however, for others to the north of the river.

In the same year he granted a hide of land in Saltwic (Saltwych), uuico (vico) emptorio salis, to Evesham 1.

In 888, Æthelred, Duke of Mercia, held a gemót at Saltwic, to consult upon affairs both ecclesiastical and secular. The Witan assembled from far and near§.

66

Saltwic was frequently in Anglo-Saxon times called Wich or Wiche only, and the prefix Droit" was added in later times. It is observable here, that the Anglo-Saxon kings possessed a right to levy certain dues at the salt-pans, or the pit's mouth, upon the waggons as they stood, and upon the load being placed in them: these dues were respectively called the wænscilling and seampending,-literally, wain-shilling and load-penny.-See the Charter of Ethelred, Duke of Mercia, in the " Codex Dip.," No. 1075, and the account of Alfrick in this work. Mr. Kemble, in his "Saxons in England," Vol. ii., pp. 71, 72, in speaking of these dues, says :-" The peculiar qualities of salt, which make :—“ it a necessary of life to man, have always given a special character to the springs and soils which contain it. The pagan Germans considered the salt springs holy, and waged wars of extermination

* And Coolbeorg.

+ See "Codex Dip.," No. 67; and Kemble's "Saxons in England," Vol. ii, p. 70.

"Codex Dip.," No. 68.

§ Ibid., Nos. 327, 1068, 1075; and Kemble's" Saxons in England," Vol. ii., p. 252. Also see Archbishop Wulfstán's Charter, No. 1313, dated 1017,

relative to Scaltwic.

See p. 200.

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