Whittington parish is divided into nine townships, namely,—Whittington to the south; Berghill and Francton (or Frankton) to the east; old Marton (or Martin), Hindford, Henlle, and Ebnall, to the north; and Fernhill and Daywell to the west. In a manuscript description of the parish we find the following derivation of names:— WHITTINGTON, or White Town, from White Castle, in Welsh, _Drewen_. BERGHILL—Welsh, _Byr-Ghill_, or Short Hazles. HINDFORD—,, _Hen-fordd_, or The Old Road. HENLLE—,, _Hen_, old, and _Lle_, Place. DAYWELL—,, _Fynnon du_, or _dydd_. Day Spring (or well). FERNHILL—,, _Fwrn_ and _Oven_, or Hole and Hill. A tradition long prevailed in the village, that it was the birth-place of the renowned Sir Richard Whittington, “thrice Lord Mayor of London town.” It is now, however, generally understood that he was born in the township of Newnes, (not far from Whittington,) about one mile north-west of Ellesmere. Shropshire claims him for her own; and if Whittington really was “a proud Salopian,” the county has a right to be proud of the honour of enrolling among its worthies so distinguished a name. Another vague tradition prevailed, that the well-known metrical tale of “_The Babes in the Wood_” derives its origin from _Babins’ wood_, (commonly called _Babbys’ wood_,) near Whittington. The tradition adds, that the murder of the two children by their cruel uncle was perpetrated at this place. Gough, the historian of Middle, relates particulars of the murder of a child by its uncle, but his account is only from tradition, and therefore mixed up with much error. The version we now give of this murder, derived from an authentic source, shews that the ballad of the _Babes in the __Wood_ could not have been founded upon it. The scene of the nursery rhyme is laid in Norfolk, and all the circumstances it details differ materially from those of the murder at Knockin heath. The version we have is as follows:—