“EARLY BRITISH TRACKWAYS.”—A lecture given to the Woolhope Naturalists’ Field Club, at Hereford, by Mr. Alfred Watkins, Fellow and Progress Medallist (for 1910) of the Royal Photographic Society and past president (1919) of the Woolhope Club, has been published, with much added matter, five and thirty illustrative photographs, and a couple of pages of maps, under the title of “Early British Trackways, Monts, Mounds, Camps, and Sites” It is published at 4s. 6d. net, by the Watkin’s Meter Company, Hereford, and Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent and Co., Ltd., London. Though dealing chiefly with the Herefordshire country, the author propounds a theory—a discovery, he claims—of wide scope. This admirably printed forty-page volume not only expounds a systematic planning of pre-historic trackways, but throws a flood of light on the evolution of defensive camps, of the sites of Castles and Churches, and on the meaning of place names. It provides a new objective for field-ramblers and scout-masters. “Ley hunting,” says the author (p. 32), “gives a new zest to field rambles, and the knowledge of the straight ley provides new eyes to an eager observer.” The little volume will be of interest and instruction to historical and archeological students. The author adds: “It is a mere framework for a new knowledge that I offer, but I know that it had solid foundations, and that good wholesome field work by others—for it may not be granted to me to do very much more—will fill in many gaps. That is why I write.” (p 34.) How far his theory of “the Ley” (p 12 and 13) would apply to such local Yorkshire place names as Shipley, Bingley, Keighley, Utley, Cononley, Bradley, Ilkley, Otley, Guisely, Headingley, and Barley (Lancashire), etc., we leave for the experts to decide.
Source info: Faded MS note by AW “West Yorkshire Pioneer June …” (day illegible).