Latin loan-words in Old English place-names

Abstract

An article I published in 1967 on place-names derived from OE wīchām aroused interest among philologists, historians and archaeologists, and it continues to be quoted. This response suggests that the material is of genuine significance; but some of the conclusions drawn in 1967 are now in need of revision. The aim of the present article is to offer some further thoughts about OE wīchām and to draw attention to some other types of place-name which may have a similar historical significance. The place-name elements camp and funta are particularly promising and some names which contain port and ecles deserve consideration. All the names discussed are plotted on fig. 1 (p. 6).