It must be understood by all those who read these charters that this ...

THE SAXON LAND CHARTERS OF WILTSHIRE. I ~J\
even be a contemporary record of the survey made at the
time of the grant.
Survey.
1. Aerest of thare Anlipigan Aee to Maetelmesburg
weste iveardan : ' First from the Oak which stands alone
to the west side of Maethel's Camp.' 1
Certain landmarks in this survey serve as keys to the
elucidation of the whole of it, so much so that the positions
of the less recognizable landmarks may be satisfactorily
determined.
The camp here mentioned is the great camp on Martinsell
Hill in the NE. part of the parish (OMi). As surveys
generally begin at a cardinal angle in a by. it is probable
that the lonely oaktree stood at the extreme NE. corner
of the parish at the middle of the W. side of Clench Common
(OMi).
2. Thonon adune to Ealheardesleage westeweardre:
' Then down to the westerly side of Ealheard's Lea.'
3. Thonon on Maerdenum : ' Then to the Boundary
Deans (valleys).'
I suspect the plural form of denu here is a mistake. The
dean is pretty well marked as that on the E. by. f m. NW.
of Broomsgrove Farm (OMi). The lea of 2 was probably
at the foot of the hillslope about 1 fur. W. of the N. end of
Broomsgrove Wood (OMi)
4. Of, etc. on Maerwylle : ' From Boundary Dean(s)
to the Spring on the Boundary.'
This was probably just N. of the Avon at Milkhouse
Water (OMi).
5. Thonon forth to Η eafodstoeeum 2 : 'Then on to the
Headland Stakes.'
6. Of, etc. to Hundesgeate : ' From the Headstocks to
Dog's Gate.'
7. Of, etc. to Maerthorne : ' From Dog's Gate to the
Thorntree on the Boundary.'
8. Of, etc. to thaere Hylle the is suth on thaere Hyrnan :
1 1 think that there is no doubt that, as
is sometimes the case in surveys, the copyist
has written weste for este. There is the
possibility thit the orientation term in
-an implied that the landmark stood W. of
the by. and not the by. W. of the landmark.
But. though I have tried by induction
from assured instances to find out whether
there was any difference in the meanings of
terms of orientation ending in -e, -an, and
-ne, and, if so, what was the difference,
I have not been able to arrive at any conclusion—probably
because copyists were
careless in transcribing these endings.
2 See p. 178.