As well as with the _ham_ or the _byrig_ in which he resided, a man's
name is often found among the Anglo-Saxons, connected with the
boundary--whatever that might be--of his property, as in Abbudes mearc,
Abbud's mark or boundary, and Baldrices gemæro, Baldrick's boundary.
Sometimes that boundary might be a hedge, as in Leoferes haga and
Danehardes hegeræw, "Leofer's hedge," and "Danehard's hedge-row."
Sometimes it might be a stone, as in Sweordes stân, sometimes a ridge,
as in Eppan hrycg, "Eppa's ridge," sometimes a ditch or dyke, as in
Tilgares dic and Colomores sîc (North. Eng. syke, wet ditch). A tree was
naturally a common boundary mark, as in Potteles treôw, Alebeardes âc
(oak), Bulemæres thorn, Huttes æsc (ash), Tatmonnes apoldre
(apple-tree). Sometimes, again, a man's name is found associated with
the road or way that led to his abode, as in Wealdenes weg (way),
Sigbrihtes anstige (stig, a footpath), Dunnes stigele (stile). Another
word which seems to have something of the meaning of "stile" is _hlip_,
found in Freobearnes hlyp and in Herewines hlipgat. In Anglo-Saxon,
_hlypa_ signified a stirrup, and a "hlipgat" must, I imagine, have been
a gate furnished with some contrivance for mounting over it. Of a
similar nature might be Alcherdes ford, and Brochardes ford, and also
Geahes ofer, Byrhtes ora, and Æscmann's yre (_ofer_, contr. _ore_, shore
or landing-place). Something more of the rights of water may be
contained in Fealamares brôc (brook), Hykemeres strêm (stream), and
Brihtwoldes wêre (weir); the two latter probably referring to
water-power for a mill. The sense of property only seems to be that
which is found in Cybles weorthig, Æscmere's weorth (land or property),
Tilluces leah (lea), Rumboldes den (_dene_ or valley), Bogeles pearruc
(paddock), Ticnes feld (field). Also in Grottes grâf (grove), Sweors
holt (grove), Pippenes pen (pen or fold), Willeardes hyrst (grove),
Leofsiges geat (gate), Ealdermannes hæc (hatch), and Winagares stapol
(stall, market, perhaps a place for the sale or interchange of produce).
The site of a deserted dwelling served sometimes for a mark, as in
Sceolles eald cotan (Sceolles old cot), and Dearmodes ald tun
(Deormoda's old town, or inclosure, dwelling and appurtenances?).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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