Worcestershire Place Names

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 edition. Excerpt: ... it is commonly called Buckle Street. Over the Cotswolds its course is broken, though traceable and confused with the Saltway. There is another 'Icknield way, ' not Roman, running NE. and SW. from Avebury in Wilts., through Wallingford, Princes Risborough, Dunstable, Hitchin, Baldock, Royston, and Cambridgeshire, into Norfolk. This road in 10 c. charters is called Ycenilde-, Icenhilde-, Icenhilte weg, and Cinges-strate. A tribe of 'Iceni' are said to have inhabited Norfolk, but that has no bearing on this road. The names of all our Roman ways are A. S., or supposed HWICCII--ING 91 to be; but neither A. S. nor any other language appears to throw light on the meaning of Icknield Street (Icenhilde weg). A. S. hild means war, battle, but is only a poetical word, unlikely to form an element in pl. names. On the other hand, Watling Street and Ermine Street appear to be poetical or mythological names. Mr. W. H. Stevenson considers the interpretation 'hopeless.' V. Buckle Street, Hayden Way. Illey, h., in Halesowen. 12 c. Hilleley, Yleley; 1250 Hilleleye; 1304 Ylleleye; 15 c. Filey (frequently), Illey; all Lyt. Ch. An Illeyge in Kent is mentioned in Th. Ch. p. 507, a. 958; the same place is mentioned at p. 523 as at Illanley; Monks Eleigh in Suffolk was Illeyge in 958, Illanlege in 972, and lllege in 990. It cannot be 'Hilly-lea' as 'Hilly' is not a recorded word before the 15 c. I have no doubt the prefix is the A. S. p. n. Flla (gen. Fllan)--YUa's lea (. Ley). The name is rare, and only once recorded as that of a monk at Durham. Shortly before the Conquest, and long after, / and F were commonly confused and interchanged. Impney, h., Impney Mill, 1 m. NE. of Droitwich. 12 c. Imney, 13 c. Fmenege, Imenye, S. R. A. S. masc. p. n. Imma (gen....