[Aubrey here quotes Fuller as to the etymology of the names of
Cricklade and Lechlade. That author, on the authority of Leland, had
asserted in his Church History that the one was originally called
Greek - lade, and the other Latin - lade, from "two schooles, famous
both for eloquence and learning", which existed there anterior to the
Conquest. But, on the report of his "worthy friend Dr. Peter Heylin,"
he afterwards stated in his Worthies that "Cricklade was the place
for the professors of Greek; Lechlade for physick (Leech being an
old English word for a physitian), and Latton, a small village hard
by, the place where Latin was professed." It will be seen by the next
sentence that Aubrey disputes even the amended theory of Fuller, and,
with more probability, derives the names of the towns in question from
words indicating the natural features of the localities.-J. B.]
But, as the saying is, "Bernardus non vidit omnia". Had the learned
Dr. Heylin (that is Hoelin, little Howell) had a little knowledge of
his ancestors' Welsh, he would not have made such a stumble, and so
forced these etymologies; but would easily have found that Cricklad
comes from kerig, stones; and glad, a country; which two words give a
true description of the nature of the country on that side of
Cricklad, which is, as wee term it, a stone-brash. Likewise Lechlade,
from llech, plank-stones, or tile-stones. As for Latton, it may very
well come from laith, which signifies a marsh, and is as much as to
say Marshton, as there is a parish thereby called Marston.
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