Although the fascinating subject of Roman roads has occupied the attention of antiquaries for centuries, the means by which the inhabitants of pre-historic Britain found their way to tribal meetings, and to and from salt deposits, flint pockets, and later the metal-ore, has received comparatively little attention. In “Early British Track-ways” Mr. Alfred Watkins advances a series of interesting deductions from personal observations, supported by proof based on the ordnance map, and a profusion of excellent photographs taken mainly by himself. In brief, he conceives the idea that the ancients laid out for themselves sighting points, which were either natural hill tops or trees, or artificial points such as stones, dykes, or “tumps,” in such a way that each point was visible from the preceding one, thus pointing out the way. He also concludes that many curious place names owe their origin to such points, such as Winslow, Lady Lift, Barl Hill and others; though some of his derivations, as Bosley (cattle ley) are open to question, seeing that in this case the prefix is Roman, while the suffix is presumably of much earlier date; while the word “delay,” which Mr. Watkins considers may have come from de-ley, or to be thrown off the ley (track), is usually considered to have come through the French from the late Latin “dilitare.” Whether his deductions are justified or not remains to be proved, but at all events the book is thoroughly interesting, opening up a new subject well worth close investigation, and will provide food for thought and an additional interest to the country rambler.
Source info: MS note by AW “Salisbury & Winchester Journal”, no date.