The History of Brighton and Environs; From the Earliest Known Period to the Present Time Together with a Short Historical Description of Towns and Villages of Interest Within Twelve Miles of Brighton (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1871. Excerpt: ... TOWNS AND VILLAGES OF INTEREST IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF BRIGHTON. (CLOSING CHAPTER.) In concluding this work we have thought it not out of place to devote a chapter to towns and villages within twelve miles of Brighton, and we trust our brief historical account of them will interest our readers, --the first claiming our notice is the ancient town of LEWES. Large, populous, of great antiquity, situated about fifty miles from the metropolis, and eight from Brighton. Here is its etymology: --"Lewes has been thought to come from the French Les eaux, the waters; and the latest invention of a meaning for it is Ljod hus--pronounced lodge hus--a landing place: and it is argued therefrom that Lewes was once a seaport, and was settled by Norsemen, as it is a Norse name. Lewes is, however, nothing whatsoever of the kind; it is a pure Celtic name, still pronounced exactly right, and as it must have been two thousand years ago. It is Lie wysg: the river place, or place on the wysg, or uisge, --that is, the Ouse, as the river is still called. There is the fellowname to Lewes in Wales. A little distance above Hay, in Eadnorshire, is Lowes, on the Eiver Wye; Wye is short for Wysg. Uisge, or Wysg, forms part of many of the names of places on the Ouse: Ashcombe is the combe of the stream, or uisge; Isfield, is Uisge, and the AngloSaxon field, or Celtic faes, meaning the same thing. Uckfield is the same. Buxted is Ben ux, or uisge: the place on the river; stead is the Anglo-Saxon for a.place. Hastingford is Uisge or Is; tynn, valley; fford, a way or passage: the river valley crossing. Swanboro is from Uisge and Afon, both meaning a river or stream, and byrrhos, a low meadow, or the Anglo-Saxon burgh. Iford and Itford are both the river crossing. Upper Eise is from Yr uisge, the...