Page:Essays and studies; by members of the English Association, volume 1.djvu/36

 in the English Ardingley, and that the Wælsingas from whom Walsingham is named are identical with the Wælsingas of Germanic legend.

In the modern forms of many names the syllable -ing has been either lost or altered. Thus Edmonton was originally Eadhelmingtūn, and Alfreton was Ælfrēdingtūn. On the other hand, the number of names containing this formative element was so great that other names which did not originally contain it have had it inserted by analogy. Abbandūn, 'Abba's down,' has become Abingdon; Gislandūn, 'Gisla's down,' is now Islington ; and some of the places originally called Nīwantun (new 'town' or farm) are now Newington.

Some of the Old English names of places tell us what kind of trees grew near, as Acton, from ác, oak, Sephton, from sæppe, fir, and the more intelligible Ashton, Elmton, Thornton, Appleton. Others show what animals were bred at the place, as Swinton from swine, Shipley and Shipton from sheep; others again relate to agriculture, as Waddon, originally Hwǣtedūn, 'wheat-down,' Linacre (Līn-æcer), flax-field. The many Nortons, Suttons, Eastons, Westons, and Middletons, indicate the situation of the several farms forming part of an estate.

More interesting than these names are those—though they are very few—that contain traces of ancient beliefs or superstitions. A small hamlet in South Yorkshire has the oddsounding name of Dwaraden, which is clearly the Old English dweorga denu, valley of the dwarfs. 'The voice of the dwarfs' (dvergmȧl) is a Scandinavian name for the echo, and at Dwaraden a remarkable echo may still be heard. Very few genuine references to heathenism are found in English place-names. Fanciful etymologists have found the name of the god Woden in many names where it does not exist; but it really does occur in Wansdyke and Wednesbury;