Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 10.djvu/545

 10 s. x. DEC. 5,

NOTES AND QUERIES.

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site of London, and of which London Stone is also a relic (' Governance of London,' pp. 77, 81, 83).

I observe that Mr. Kingsford in the admirable collection of notes to his edition of Stow's ' Survey ' (ii. 332) says that my suggestion "lacks confirmation." I quite agree, and I think it may always lack it. But I submit that the philological evidence has not disturbed it ; and before I can admit that the family of Pomeroy gave its name to the place, I should like to have evidence as to the source from which the family derived its name. More likely, I think, according to the history of family names, it is derived from the pre-existing place- name than vice versa. Camden, indeed, notes that " every town, village, or hamlet [in England] hath afforded names to families" (' Remaines concerning Britain,' 1657, p. 113) ; and according to Guppy (' Homes of Family Names,' p. 174), " Pome- roy is an ancient Devonshire surname," and also belongs to Dorsetshire, as one of the " peculiar names mostly confined to this county" (p. 189), both Devonshire and Dorsetshire being important centres of the Roman occupation.

There is, in truth, much more research needed before any one of us can afford to be dogmatic on these obscure and far-off points, and the able and careful criticism of MB. MARKS on my suggestion does not shake my belief that future research will help me rather than him.

LAURENCE GOMME. 24, Dorset Square, N.W.

I have read with interest MR. ALFRED MARKS'S note upon this subject, and think that the balance of evidence is in favour of his contention. There is perhaps a topo- graphical difficulty in the way of accepting the Pomcerium derivation. In Roman cities the pomcerium was a narrow strip of land lying both inside and outside the walls, and Ironmonger Lane can hardly be in- cluded within this definition. The conver- sion of St. Martin Pomary into St. Martin Pomeroy was easy, because the difference between the two words was simply one of spelling. In Magne's ' Nobiliaire de Nor- mandie ' we find that the family of De la Pommeraie, from which the English Pomeroys are said to have descended, still holds a place amongst the noblesse of the province. St. Martin Pomeroy stands, therefore, in an analogous position to St. Nicholas Shambles (S. Nicolaus de Macellis or in Macella) or St. Michael le Querne

(S. Michael ad Bladum), and derives its name from the locus in quo.

I differ from MR. MARKS with regard to the derivation of the early forms Pomer and Pomers from pommier, an apple tree. If the origina documents were examined, it would probably be found that the words were written with the peculiar twist which denotes a contraction, and that Pomer and Pomers should be printed Pomer' (Pomerio) and Pomer's (Pomeriis). But this, after all, is unimportant.

W. F. PRIDEATJX.

May I say a few words a propos of MR. MARKS'S contention that Mr. Gomme is wrong in connecting St. Martin Pomeroy, London, with the Dorchester (Dorset) " Pummery " ? I leave MR. MARKS to maintain his theory of the " apple orchard " origin as he thinks fit ; but having myself, " Consule Planco," paced with Mr. Gomme the grassy slopes, the mounds and ditches of Poundbury" ("an earthwork with a Saxon appellation," as Warne terms it in his 'Ancient Dorset'), I was rather sur- prised that the author of ' The Governance of London ' should " identify this popular name with the more dignified addendum to the saint-name in London, ' Pomroy.' '

It is true that Poundbury is a Dorchester playground ; indeed, I have played many a game of cricket on it myself ; I know also that urchins still call it " Pummery," never " the Pummery " (a distinction mark- ing a difference) ; but I am convinced that this stronghold, with its double vallum and fosse in some places as it may be seen figured in Hutchins has nothing to do with " the ancient Roman system of laying out a city " or " the sacred unbuilt ring of land surrounding a city " (I am quoting Mr. Gomme). No other part of the ceinture of Dorchester, which in my youth was almost entirely unbuilt over, bears such a name, nor one like it ; moreover, the summit of Poundbury must be little short of half a mile from the walls of Durnovaria.

" Pummery " is, then, I believe, a hill fort of pre-Roman times, a stronghold of the Durotriges perhaps their head-quarters before Maiden Castle, the larger and stronger camp a mile or so away, was constructed. The remains found by Mr. Cunnington, when digging in the partly filled-in ditches on the western side, confirm this view.

One point more. When the Wilts and Dorset railway cutting was being made, many stone coffins were found on the south- eastern slope of Poundbury ; and a few