Sir,—With your kind permission I would like to reply to Mr. Watkins’s letter in last week’s Hereford Times, which was in answer to mine of the previous week on the above subject.
In the first place I would like to thank Mr. Watkins for the courteous tone of his letter. As a comparatively young man I naturally felt a little reluctant in questioning the conclusions of a man so much my senior.
Before I start to examine his letter I would appeal to him not to take any criticisms as referring to himself. The subject is extremely interesting and quite impersonal, and all one wishes to do is to endeavour to find prehistoric truth or perhaps one should say, the most reasonable deduction from the data at our disposal. If he would make this quite clear then we might have contributions on the subject from our local experts on Place names and Old Roads, men who would no doubt prefer to say nothing rather than hurt Mr. Watkins’s feelings. I mention this because we all feel very keenly that he has done such excellent service in regard to science, photography and historical research that although one may not agree with all his conclusions, one would hesitate to damp his enthusiasm, or wound his spirit.
Now to come to his letter. I am bound to say at once that it is extremely disappointing. Its outstanding features are: Inaccuracies, illogical reasoning, hasty conclusions, omissions, and side tracking. The first two are shown in the first four paragraphs of his letter. For instance, I did not send him a sheet of suggestions of “place names.” I simply sent a few ideas as to possible derivations of a single place name—“Bobblestock.” I am a lover of this spot and often go up and stand on the reservoir. I knew it to be on the reputed Roman road from Magna Castra towards Lugg Bridge—thence? But I can find no old documentary evidence regarding the name.
Now if Mr. Watkins has some real data why not disclose it? Taking for granted all he says about being on an ancient lay, what is his evidence for the place name Bobblestock being derived from a tree where baubles were sold? I quote from his book verbatim. “I have known it as Bubblestock, but have no doubt it was Baublestock, the tree or stock (we still buy apple stocks in the market) where men who peddled necklaces and other baubles met the buyers.” Remember that Mr. Watkins told us at the lecture, he was talking about a period of about 4,000 years ago. I don’t know what other people think, but my opinion, for what it is worth, is that Mr. Watkins not only made a guess at the derivation of the place name Bobblestock, but that he made a bad guess. If he can refute this by evidence, no one will be better pleased than I.
Then to argue that a correspondence in the press keeps him from real investigation, appears to me to portray a reluctance to face honest and fair constructive criticism. What better means can there be for a discussion of track theories and place names of Herefordshire than in the Hereford Times. As one is naturally reluctant to create a diversion at a lecture, a week’s investigation and reflection is surely conducive to good results.
Then as regards hasty conclusions I put his remarks in respect to the Whetstone in this category. I want it to be clearly understood that on all these points I speak as interested amateur only, and in the case of the Whetstone an added interest, owing perhaps to family connections with the district. Now what are the facts. Mr. Watkins finds a piece of gritstone close to Radnor Castle Tump, which he definitely says is prehistoric. (It may be.) He has also noticed similar stones up the Harley Valley, a little further to the west. He finds that a line can be drawn from New Radnor through Old Radnor and Kington Churches, therefore the Whetstone is a stone where these whetstones were bartered, hence the name.
Let us examine the evidence upon which Mr. Watkins comes to such definite conclusions. In the first place he must be sure that his find is prehistoric; and that these stones are native to the district. I pass no opinion on these points, but would like to hear what our recognised local authorities have to say on the find, and the conclusions drawn from same. Then we have to remember that we are talking about a period 4,000 years ago, and ask ourselves the question, did the natives of the district at such a date have metal-edged tools, knives, etc., that required to be sharpened on a whetstone? It is my opinion that Mr. Watkins must date his lays less ancient to make his theory fit, as I doubt if there were metal tools in use in this part of the country much before the Christian era. (This is subject, of course, to correction from any ascertained facts).
Then again I agree there is a good line through the three churches mentioned, but this is not good evidence about the whetstone as the line does not touch Hergest Ridge, but passes along the valley and touches the present main road in several places, but is never nearer than a mile of the Whetstone. I note that Mrs. Leather in her excellent book on “Folk Lore of Herefordshire,” refers to the story I mentioned last week of the stone rolling down to the brook at the first cock crow, and also quotes Parry in his history of Kington to the effect that tradition says that the stone was used as a Wheat Market in the Regin of Edward III. My conclusion on Mr. Watkins’s assertion of the way the Whetstone got its name is that it is still “not proven.”
Then the omissions are, that he does not refer to the points I put up in relation to the place names of Hogs Mount, The Got, and Bewell Street. It is ridiculous to try and dismiss what I said in relation to the last two, on the ground that they were guesses, as same was based on documentary evidence, including Canon Bannsiter’s book on “Place Names,” Speed’s Map 1610, Price’s and Duncombe’s History and a number of less important references. As regards Hog’s Mount being named such because it was on a salt lay and salt was used for salting hogs, may I ask Mr. Watkins if this is anything but a guess.
The side-tracking I refer to is suggesting to the Boy Scouts to go and explore the Green Street lay. This may be a good thing, but it had nothing to do with the reply to my letter.
I am rather a “sober sides” (this is not a pun), I mean I am inclined to take myself too seriously, and so, whenever possible try to have a laugh. Therefore my joke about the White Lion, Gommond Street, Retail Salt Lay. Judge of my surprise and merriment when I saw last week’s Hereford Times and read Mr. Watkins in essence saying “good boy for finding another lay, go and persevere in tracking it out.” There must be some truth in the old saying “There’s many a true word spoken in jest.” One can’t seem to move a step for these lays, they seem to be laying about in all directions.
I hope Mr. Watkins will deem this letter worthy of his notice, and that he will not consider it a waste of time to reply, and I hope next time he will do himself and the subject more justice.
I should like to know if any of the natives of Kington can supply any other information in respect to the Whetstone.
My conclusions are that Mr. Watkins’s theory about the lays is substantially correct in principle, but that in
some directions his enthusiasm has overrun discretion. I also think it would be safer not to arbitrarily fix ancient
lays at about 4,000 years old, it would appear more reasonable to my mind to say from 1,000 to 5,000, as some may be
pre-Roman and others as late as Saxon. This would make the idea of lays along streets more likely. Then as regards place
names. This seems to me too dangerous a subject on which to dogmatise or come to hasty conclusions. What we want is
ample documentary and physical evidence, then we can at least begin to make tentative suggestions, and on these the more
criticism the better.
SID WRIGHT.
Mansion House, Hereford, April 24, 1922.
Source info: Journal named in cutting.