and Ridge-end. Ridge-end Copse, and Ockeridge Wood lie on the north side of Wichenford.

SOUTHERN SIDE OF THE COUNTY.

Bredon's Hardwick, in Bredon parish, south of Bredon Hill.

Salm heade with the woman's hut

EASTERN SIDE OF THE COUNTY.

Wickhamford.-For this parish see p. 336.

WICK, Wyke, or Wycke Waryn, is a ridge on the border of the Avon, near Pershore.

LENCH WYKE is a ridge on the border of the Avon, near Evesham.

NORTH SIDE OF THE COUNTY.

NORTHWICK lies on the ridge on the east side of the Severn, near Worcester.

DROITWICH†, or Wych, lies on the sides and bottom of the ridgy banks of the river Salwarp.

WICHBOLD, or Wicelbold, is a manor in Doderhill, by Droitwich, and lies on the banks of the Salwarp.

CHADDLEWICK, Chadelewick, or Chadwick, and Willingwicke, lie on the north-west side of Bromsgrove Lickey.

WICHBURYS Hill is in Hagley parish.

WYTCHALL|| lies between Northfield and Edgbaston.

From a general review of the above-mentioned places, we are inclined to think that the name Wick, or Wich, is derived

Nash, in Vol. ii., p. 458, says, "Mr. Habingdon thinks that Wyke, near Worcester, and Wichenford, were formerly joined together; indeed,' Domesday' and several other records seem to confirm this conjecture.-Tab. ii., Col. b." Perhaps it was called Wichenford from its being detached from the rest of Wyke by Laughern Brook."

V

either from the Saxon word Wic', signifying a station, mansion,

place of security, or secure

6

Vic,'

habitation, from Wician, to inhabit;

or from the Latin, Vicus,' a street or village*." We find that almost all the above-mentioned places are connected with high ridges of ground t, or dorsal elevations, which in ancient times would be considered as the most advantageous and protected places for residence.

* See pp. 310, 347, 358.

+ It is possible that some few places in this kingdom were named Wick or Wich in comparatively modern times (see Rushwyke, p. 360), without any regard to the configuration of the ground; but it is worthy of remark, that almost all the above-mentioned places not only occur on ridges, but are in or near the lines, or supposed lines, of the ancient Ridgeways.-See Rycknield Street.

6

Ymb Wicigean' means, to encamp about. Wicing,' or 'Wiceng,' means a pirate. See "Saxon Chron.," 921 and 879.

Chapter II.

BAMBURY STONE ON BREDON HILL, AND AMBROSIE PETRÆ GENERALLY.

In the first edition of this work, I cursorily referred to a remarkable stone on the border of Kemerton Camp, otherwise Banbury or Bambury Camp, on Bredon Hill, close by the boundary line between Worcestershire and Gloucestershire. The following additional observations on this stone may not be thought unworthy of notice.

It stands within about forty yards of the south-west end of the inner vallum or trench of the camp, and near a tower or prospect house, which was built in modern times upon the summit of the hill. It is situated a little within the entrance of an oblong basin or amphitheatre, near the western focus of the ellipse, and is about twenty yards in circumference, four yards high, and nearly flat at the top. The basin resembles a dry dock, with its entrance upon the verge of the precipice of the hill, and is about two hundred yards in circumference. The stone, at several miles distance, looks something like the hull of a ship coming out of dock. I have no doubt that this basin is artificial, and that the earth and stones excavated were applied towards forming the inner agger of the camp, which is high and wide, and would take more materials in the making than could be obtained out of The stone is a mass of inferior oolite,

the vallum* or trench.

There are also traces of very considerable excavations, in the ground between the outer and inner vallum, at the south-east corner; the materials from which were no doubt used for the above-mentioned purpose.

the same as the rest of the hill, and no doubt was denuded upon the basin being dug, and most probably was preserved for an altar stone. At the distance of about six yards before it, westward, nearer the precipice, there is another stone about eleven yards in circumference, and two yards above the surface; and about sixteen yards further westward, at the precipice, is a third stone, about ten yards in circumference, and two yards high. The former of these two stones was probably disturbed at the time of the excavation, as the stratification is nearly vertical, and the other either appears to have been moved to the very edge of the precipice (down which it seems on the point of rolling into Worcestershire), or the earth has, in the course of ages, fallen away from before it down the precipice, and left it upon the brink*. There is also another stone, behind and to the east of the Bambury stone, which measures about eight yards in circumference. All these stones are nearly in a line with each other, and stand in an easterly and westerly direction; the one on the brink, stands on or near to the site of the ancient granary+.

Laird, in his "Topographical and Historical Description of Worcestershire," describing this stone, says, "Near the Prospect House, is Bramsbury Stone, an immense mass of rock, but of which there is no traditionary account; and which is, most likely, merely a natural production, without any reference to ancient events."

In Derham's

bury Camp§.

66

Physico-Theology" the camp is called Bems

In Nash's plan of the camp it is called Bembury Stone, and in the plan in the second edition of Gough's "Camden," Bunbury stone; but neither of those authors take any further notice of it. In Greenwood's map, dated 1820 and 1821, it is called Bambury Stone, and in the Ordnance Map Banbury Stone.

See p. 78, relative to the land-slips at the part in question. + See pp. 78, 79, 80.

Dr. Nash, in his plan (here given), only noticed the principal stone, and placed it on the brink of the precipice. Neither has

he represented the hollow basin in which the stone stands. Perhaps, therefore, the woodcut here

set forth, which was drawn after a personal inspection in 1841, will give a more clear idea of the matter.

With respect to the word Bambury, it may be observed that not only do the peasantry frequently substitute one consonant for another at the commencement of a word, but that it is a vulgarism of the county to super-add a consonant to words commencing with a vowel ; thus Bambury might easily be the same as Ambury.

Dr. Nash* says, "The common people of this county frequently add the leter N to words that begin with a vowel; thus they say

* Vol. ii. p. 167.