The "pass of the Ribble," from a topographical and military point of view, may therefore be assumed as very probably the site of the conflict. I have previously referred to the fact that the name Brunanburh, in any corrupted form, is of little value in the present investigation without very strong supporting evidence, simply because so many localities have equal claim to it. The name itself is likewise variously written by the older writers when referring to the battle. It is termed "Bellum Brune," or the "Battle of the Brune," in the _Brut y Tywysogion_, or the "Chronicle of the Princes of Wales," and the "_Annales Cambria_." Henry of Huntingdon calls the locality Brunesburh; and the name is variously written by Geffrei Gaimar as Brunewerche, Brunewerce, and Brunewest. Ethelwerd, a contemporary chronicler, calls the place Brunandune. The author of Egil's saga calls the site Vinheid. Simeon of Durham says the battle was fought near Weondune or Ethrunnanwerch, or Brunnan byrge. William of Malmesbury gives the name Brunsford, and Ingulph says Brunford in Northumbria. Notwithstanding the very important fact that the southern portion of the county of Lancaster suffered so much in the raids of Gilbert de Lacy and his soldiery after the Norman conquest, and the consequent non-productive character of much of the territory at the time of the Domesday survey, which caused very few names of places to be recorded in that valuable historical document, still I think present topographical nomenclature south of the "pass of the Ribble" sufficient to identify the locality from etymological evidence equal or superior in value to that yet advanced in favour of any other site. The word _brunan_ means simply, in modern English, springs, and burh refers to any work of military defence of an artificial character. _Brun_ has been corrupted, according to the conjectures of the authorities which I have previously cited, into _Burn_, _Brom_, _Brum_, _Broom_, _Bran_, _Ban_, _Bourne_, _Brink_, and _Brin_.