Page:Devon & Cornwall Notes & Queries.djvu/165

 114 Devon Notes and Queries, 80. King Alfred and Devonshire (II. p. 4, par. 3). — Although the subject is not free from difficulty, there seems to be ample evidence to prove that Alfred's kingdom comprised not only the whole of Devon, but a part of Cornwall also. The most important document in this connection is Alfred's will, which does not appear to have received the attention it deserves. A careful study of the lists of places contained therein leads one to the conclusion that they are, with very few exceptions, arranged in topographical order. Two lists only relate to Devon, being those of the lands granted by Alfred to his two sons. The places in the first list extend along the northern part of his dominions in a line from west to east; those in the second along the southern part in the opposite direction. The grant to the elder son begins thus : — "First to Edward, my elder son, I give the land at Straet- neat in Triconscir [Stratton in Triggshire] and Heortigtun [Harton, i.e. Hartland], and all the boc-lands that Leofheah holds, and the land at Carumtun [Carhampton, near Mine- head] , and at Cylfantun, and at Burnham, and at Wedmor.'* There seems to be no difficulty about the identification of Stratneat and Carumtun, but Heortigtun has been identified, presumably from the similarity of name only, with one of the two Hardingtons in Somerset. However, there can hardly be any doubt that the place intended is Harton or Hartland, the Hertitone of Domesday Book, for it is in line with Stratton and Carhampton, and was always, like those manors, an important place and the head of its hundred (see Hartland Chronicle, Oct. 1901). It is impossible to identify, with any degree of cer- tainty, the boc-lands or Bucklands held by Leofheah, but, if the order was followed strictly, they also were presumably in Devon. The grant to the younger son extends from Atherington in Sussex to the extreme west of Devon, and ends with the following places in the latter county: — Axmouth, Branscombe, Collumpton, Twyford [Tiverton] , Milburn, Exminster, Southsworth, and Liwton. The only names which present any difficulty in identification are Milburn, Southsworth, and Liwton, which Mr. J. B. Davidson {Trans, Devon. Assoc, 1877, p. 214) identified respectively with Milborne, a farm in the parish of Silver- ton ; Southwood, a farm in the parish of Dawlish ; and Lew Trenchard, on the Lew water. Although it breaks the order.