First, one must endeavour to separate the tons and the stones—the Saxon settlements or towns and the places named from stones set for boundaries or for marks where manor courts or motes were held. And this is not always easy, since mediæval spelling was vague, and in some cases an original “stone” has become “ton” in later years, or _vice versa_. Generally, a reference to the earliest forms (where such can be found in Saxon or Norman, or even Early English documents) will settle the point. Thus Folkestone is by some identified with the site of the “stone of inscription on the Gallic sea,” mentioned by Nennius, the Saxon geographer. It is Folcesstane in the _Saxon Chronicle_, and Falchestan in Domesday, and therefore no explanation involving ton need be entertained. Keston, again, is Cystaninga, hence in Saxon charters between 862 and 966, as being or having a boundary mark stone. It is Chestan in Domesday. But Chiddingstone should probably lose its final e and derive from a Saxon patronymic, although a modern and grotesque suggestion is that the dolmen there was used as a Chiding or judgment stone by Celtic or Saxon priests. Maidstone, again, should probably be Maidston, being Medwegston in the _Saxon Chronicle_, and almost certainly meaning the town on the Medway; although it is fair to say that an ending in stane is early found. Tilmanstone was earlier Telmeston, and Elmstone was Elmerston, and the earlier spellings of Goodnestone are Goodwinston, Gudewynston, and Goodneston. Stones are much fewer than “tons,” although no doubt the number of such marks (origin of our milestones) was increased by the Romans. Thus the place Stone, two miles west of Faversham and on their great main road Watling Street, is thought to mark the site of their military station of Durolevo, and thus to be named from the distance mark. We must also note that stone bridges were practically unknown to the Saxons, except those the Romans had left, and Stone Cross would not appear as a place-name until after their conversion, while a stone house, except as the castle of a Norman noble, would be of quite late date. As to the Tons, some are named from geographical position, such as Norton (Northtown), near Faversham, and the Suttons (South-town), on the edge of the Weald or south of Dartford; and, whatever may be the case with others, the Milton near Sittingbourne is called Middeltuna in the _Saxon Chronicle_ and in Domesday, since it was reckoned the central town of Kent when Watling Street was far the greatest and most frequented route to be considered, being 42 miles from London and 31 from Dover. Our various Boughtons are “settlements in the wood,” as are also the Woottons. Monkton and the Prestons were settlements of monks and of colleges of priests.