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THE SAXON LAND CHARTERS OF WILTSHIRE. I ~J\ The survey is of the same peculiar type as the surveys attached to the Downton charters B.29, K.985, B.391, K.1036, B.690, K.i 108, B.862-3, an d K.698, and also to the Hampshire charter of Abbot's Ann, B.597. Although the text of the surveys attached to these charters runs continuously, the surveys refer to two parcels of land. In the present instance the end of the first section of the survey is well marked by the fact that it is brought back to the spring where it began, and a down, Mox's Down, which is cited in the first section of the survey, is taken as the first landmark of the second. The first part of the survey is of the W. part of the parish as it was before the N. part of it, formerly belonging to Alton Barnes, was attached to Alton Priors. The exact bounds of the land referred to in the second part of the survey are not determinable. It was probably to E. part of the parish at a time when the boundaries were not quite the same as at the present day. Judging from the repetition of the landmark Moxes Dun, it seems, at any rate at that ' point, to have been in contact with the land of the first part of the survey. Survey. 1. Aerest of tham Westmaestan Aewylle the is Bradewlle gehate an gerihta upp to tham Ealdan Herepathe be westan Wodnes beorge : ' First from the Westernmost Spring, which is called Broadwell, straight up to the Old Highway west of Woden's Barrow.' This great spring lies between the villages of Alton Priors and Alton Barnes, about 100 yds. S. of the road running E. and W. through the N. parts of those villages. The Old Highway ran from that point N. up the present by. between Alton Priors and Alton Barnes. The wavy nature of the by. shows that it followed an old track. In the modern map a ridgeway is marked as going up the hill parallel to this by. and about 1 fur. off it (OMi and OM6) ; but such ancient roads, especially when descending slopes, were apt to break into two or more tracks. This Old Highway is part of a great ridgeway which can be traced for many miles. 1 Woden's Barrow is undoubtedly the tumulus now called 1 See Arch. Journ. vol. lxxv, 1918, ' The Ancient Roads of Wilts.' road 14, p. 78.
THE SAXON LAND CHARTERS OF WILTSHIRE. I ~J\ Adam's Grave (OMi) on the down about -f m. N. of the village. It was probably the site of two great battles of the Saxon period. 1 2. Thonne on aenne Stan aet Ceorlacumbes heafde : ' Then to a Stone at the head of Churls' Combe.' This landmark was probably about f m. N. of Woden's Barrow. Churls' Combe is evidently the combe which runs up immed. E. of Walker's Hill (OMi). 3. Thonne on aenne Stan on Woncumb neothe weardne is ufeweard hoi : ' Then to a Stone to Winding Combe (which runs down from it ?), (and the stone is ?) above the hollow.' 2 The winding combe seems to be that which lies N. of Knap Hill (OMi). Its head reaches the W. by. of Alton about i m. S. of the Wansdyke (OMi) ; and there the Stone must have stood. It may be suspected that many of these stones cited as landmarks in the charters were ' standing stones.' 4. Thonne ofer Randune to thaere Ealdan Die on aefen thaer licgeth on othre healfe an litel Crundol : ' Then over Edge Down to the Old Dyke, level with which on the other side lies a little Quarry or Stonepit.' The by. crosses the Wansdyke (OMi), here called the Old Dyke. There is a pit near the dyke (OM6) about 150 yds. W. of where the by. crosses it. This may be the litel Crundol of the charter. Randun seems to be the NE. extension of Milk Hill (OMi). 5. Thonon on thane Gemaenan Gar an be uton thaere Die oth tha thaet hit eft geth in on thaet Riad Geat : ' Then to a Triangular Piece of Ploughland (Gore) in common occupation outside the Dyke (till it comes back ?) to the Red Gate.' The gore must have been at the NW. corner of the parish, about ι-ί-fur. N. of the Wansdyke. Such an expression as eft geth is usually used in reference to a landmark which has occurred before in the survey. But this cannot be so here, as the red gate has not been previously 1 See Arcb. Journ. vol. lxxv, 1918, ' The light of the local topography. I am also Saxon Battlefields of Wilts.'p. 175 and p.194. inclined to think that the copyist has 2 I have translated neothe weardne in the omitted some word or words before is.
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