Iter XVII.

THE LOWER SALT-WAY,

FROM

DROITWICH TO BROADWAY HILL, NORTHLEACH, &c.

THIS Salt-way is set down in the Rev. Thomas Leman's Map of Ancient British Trackways as proceeding from Droitwich, through Alcester, to Cirencester, &c. It appears to have gone eastward from Droitwich (Salina), through Hadsor (where it bears the name of the Salt-way in the Ordnance Map), thence to Mere (or Meer) Green and Bradley Green; thence through Feckenham and Inkberrow, by Muzzy Hill, north of Hoobery Green, Worcesteshire (where it again is called the Salt-way in the Ordnance Map); thence across the Ridge-way to Hanging Well, Bunker's Hill Barn, and Alcester Heath, Warwickshire, to the Rycknield Street, north of Alcester; thence along that street to Bidford; thence along the line of the Buckle Street from Bidford, through Ullington, in the parish of Pebworth; thence between the Honeybournes, through Weston Subedge, over Willersey Hill; thence over the Cotswolds at Middle Hill, where it resumes the name of the Salt-way.

It is stated in the "Salopia Antiqua," that a way called Buckle Street, or Boggilde Street, passes between Church Honeybourne, in Worcestershire, and Cow Honeybourne, in Gloucestershire, and through Western Subedge in the latter county; and that it continued southward, under the name of the Salt-way, over the

This Ridgeway probably was the earliest line of the Rycknield Street. There described as the Haydon-way in the Ordnance Map. Called "Buggilde Stræt" and “ Bucgán Stræt."--see the Charter of Kenred and Offa, dated A. D. 709, and in "Codex Dip.," Nos. 61, 289, 534, 1368.

Cotswolds, along the ridge by the Tower on Broadway Hill*, in Gloucestershire, to Middle Hill, in Worcestershire, from whence it most probably went in nearly a straight line southward through Smallthorn and Condicote, to the Foss-way, either at Bourtonon-the-Water, or Stow-on-the-Wold, all in Gloucestershire; and afterwards to Cirencester, &c. §; or rather, perhaps, it was joined by the Lower Deviation Salt-way at Northleach, and then they went as one road to Coln St. Aldwins, &c., as hereafter stated. From Church Honeybourne (or rather from Ullington) to Alcester, it is called the Icknield Street in the Ordnance Map; but this appears to have been a mistake in that part, from Honeybourne or Ullington, to Bidford, unless the Rycknield Street did run from South Littleton to Ullington, and then to Bidford, instead of going through Middle Littleton, North Littleton, Cleeve Prior, and Marlciff, to Bidford. In Mr. May's "History of Evesham," second edition, p. 364, it is stated that the course of the Buckle Street" is still clearly seen from Bidford to Honeybourne Bridge, through Westonfield, across the new Camden Road, by Saintbury, to the top of Willersey Hill, whence, crossing the London road, east of the Fish, on Broadway Hill, it appears to have joined the Foss-way at, or near Stow."

In the middle of Camp Field, in Seven Wells Farm, Worcestershire, situate on the south-east of Middle Hill **, there are some slight vestiges of a small oblong square camp (lately pointed out to me by Sir Thomas Phillipps). A similar one is visible on the north side, in the adjoining field. The traces of

I rather think there must have been an ancient camp on this commanding spot, the site of which has been destroyed by a land-slip, which, to all appearance, took place there several centuries back.

+ See Chap. IV., concerning Hoar Stones, in Cutsdean, which parish lies

near the line in question, between Middle Hill and Small-thorn.

Or it might have gone by a more circuitous route, through Cutsdean, Temple Guiting, Guiting Power, and Naunton.

§ See "Salopia Antiqua," by the Rev. Charles Henry Hartshorne, Int., p. 12. See "Rycknield Street."

¶Belonging to Lady Louisa Lygon; not to Sir Thomas Phillipps, Bart., as stated in the " Salopia Antiqua."

** The seat of Sir Thomas Phillipps, Bart.

both have been much defaced by the plough.

A mound or vallum runs across the Camp Field, between the two camps. This most probably formed part of the Salt-way.

Sir Richard Colt Hoare, Bart., in his " History of Wiltshire," Vol. ii., p. 43, describes a small camp, similar to the above, on the ridge of a hill, near Banwell, in Somersetshire. He says,―

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Its form proclaims it to be Roman; but I cannot conceive for what it was destined. It measures, in circumference, 230 yards; and the area comprehends nearly three-quarters of an acre."

It seems probable that these small camps were intermediate watch, signal, or guard stations, to protect messengers, &c., in the lines of the roads between the greater camps. There is a considerable camp in the line in question, at Condicote, and also at Bourton-on-the-Water; and within about two miles north-east of Middle Hill Camps, there is a large camp, commonly attributed to the Danes, situated by Farncombe, between Broadway village and Saintbury, on Willersey Hill, in Camp Farm*, Gloucestershire, just upon the border of Worcestershire. About seven miles further on, in the same direction, there is a camp on Meon Hill, in Gloucestershire, near to Upper Quinton, Lower Quinton, and Quinton Field, and midway between the Rycknield Street on the west, and the Fossway on the east. This no doubt was a most important station.

Before leaving Meon Hill, we will say a few words on the derivation of the name. Camden supposed the place called Meon Stoke, in the county of Southampton, "to derive its name from the ancient district of Meanwari, which, together with the Isle of Wight, was given to Ethelwald, king of the West Saxons, at his baptism, by Wulphere, king of the Mercians, who was his god-father‡.”

By the camp there is a great heap of stones, probably a cairn.

Near it there are places called Upper Meon and Lower Meon. The name is sometimes spelled Meen and Mean. There is a hamlet called Meanwood, in the parish of Leeds, Co. York.

Lewis's

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Topographical Dictionary of England," published 1848. There are also East Meon and West Meon, Co. Southampton. See "Codex Dip.," Nos. 314, &c., and 158.

There was a place called the Wilderness of Maon, in the Holy Land; it was a mountainous district, in the most southern

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parts of Judah. Calmet supposes it to be the city of Menoïs, which Eusebius places in the vicinity of Gaza, and the Mænæmi Castrum, which the Theodosian Code places near to Beer-sheba*."

The

But still the question is, from whence the remarkable hill in Gloucestershire took its name. As it was a strong-hold of the Anglo-Saxons, it possibly may have been named by them. word "Meon" signifies the fifth heaven, the dwelling-place, according to the rabbins; but we can scarcely believe that the Anglo-Saxons, even if they named the hill, and that after their conversion to Christianity, took it from the above source ‡, as they were not likely to know anything about rabbinal learning; no such difficulty, however, attaches to their having called a hill, which lies on the Anglo-Saxon boundaries of Smite, by the name of Babel's Hill§."

It is stated in Lewis's "Topographical Dictionary," that "the parish of Quinton is distinguished as the scene of a great battle between the Saxons and Danes; and on the summit of Meen Hill are the remains of a Saxon camp, with double intrenchments, supposed to have been occupied by the West Saxons, at the period of their engagements with the Mercians, at Barrington." It is also stated, that the neigbouring town of "Chipping Camden, a place of very great antiquity, is supposed to have derived its name from an encampment, formed prior to a battle between the Mercians and the West Saxons. In 689, a congress of the Saxon chiefs, confederated for the conquest of Britain, was held here."

In the reign of Charles I., Mr. Robert Dover established

* Dr. Adam Clarke's "Com.," on 25th ver. of Chap. xxiii. of First Book of Sam. + Ibid., on Chap. xii. of 2 Cor., ver. 2.

The word Meon likewise signifies the moon; also, men, a multitude, &c. § See Warndon, p. 295.

|| Various Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and other relics have been found in the vicinity; namely, at Four-Shire Stone, Dorn, Badsey, Church Honeybourne, Offenham, and Cleeve Prior.

Or James I.

Whitsun-week games on the Cotswold Hills, which are described in a book published in London in 1636, intituled, “Annalia Dvbrensia, vpon the yearly celebration of Mr. Robert Dover's Olympic Games upon Cotswold Hills;" wherein one of the authors speaks of the "sweet Meonian quill of Homer." These games, although very much degenerated, are still celebrated, in the shape of a wake, at Chipping Camden, at a spot called Dover's Hill.

The names of fields and places in the line in question, are as follow

:

In ST. PETER'S PARISH, DROITWICH, there are several pieces of land called by the name of Sutnal.

In ST. ANDREW'S, DROITWICH, there are Trimnel's Dole, Camp Hill, and Furlong; Falsam Fields, Sutnall Field, Singer's Hill, Great and Little Singer's Hill, Masgundry Field, Lozelle Field, and Belfrey Lozelles.

HADSOR was anciently called Hadeshore, or Headdes Ofre. In this parish is Cockshoot Hill.

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In HANBURY, near Droitwich, there are Spa Piece, Beauhall Meadow, Big and Little Beauhall, and Kitsall. It was formerly called Heanbiri; and Heanbyrig, in the Saxon Chronicle," anno 675. There are various mentions of Heanbyrig, in the Saxon charters*. Dr. Nash remarks, that Hanbury means the village on the height, or High-town, on account of the situation of the church; and that Roman coins are said to have been found there. It is called Hambyrie, in "Domesday Book." In 836, Wigláf, of Mercia, confirmed the liberties of Hanbury, with all its possessions, including salt-wells and lead-works.

In STOKE (or Stock) and BRADLEY, there are the Salts, Marl Pit Close, Part of Harcourts, Near and Far Sale's Orchard, Puck Croft, Beart Field, and Part of Ronsil Meadow.

There are numerous ancient marl-pits in this county. Pliny says, the Britons manured their grounds with marl.

* Vide "Codex Dip." Nos. 32, 127, 166, and 237.

+ From the Saxon, "ham," home; "vicus," village.

Vide" Codex Dip.," No. 237; and Kemble's "Saxons in England," Vol. ii., p. 70.