Page:Sussex Archaeological Collections, volume 6.djvu/182

"Ashdowne," a name now restricted to a more limited portion, and sometimes, for many miles inland, the forest of "Pevensel," it has taken centuries to clear it; and even now a few scattered and stunted pollard oaks, some of which may be seen not far from the priory, having on them the stamp of remote antiquity, bear testimony to its former existence. The names of villages, too, in this Wealden district, so many of which end in "field," or in the Saxon "legh," give a similar attestation, for they were established in the open spaces which the forest presented; whilst those terminating in "hurst" explain themselves, as marking by their prefixes the particular portions of the wood in the immediate vicinity of which they arose. The termination "den," of such very frequent occurrence in the adjoining weald of Kent, has a like woodland origin; "Den" (in low Latin "Dena") signifying a portion of the forest, though the meaning of the word has not been very exactly ascertained.^[1] In the unwooded parts of the country, naturally better fitted for human habitation, these villages were preceded in point of time by the "burghs" or boroughs, the "tons" or towns, the "dons" or downs, the "hams" or hamlets, and we find accordingly in such parts a much greater prevalence of this latter class of names.

At the western extremity of this extensive forest, close to what was then called the "Park of Pevensey," Gilbert de Aquila, as almost the final act of his family, raised his priory of Michelham. Vestiges of this ancient park may even yet be traced in the earthen embankment, about twenty-five feet wide, and six feet high, by which it was once enclosed, and which still remains entire to a very considerable extent. Beginning at the Upper Dicker it runs westward to Wick Street, and after some interruption resumes its course to the south at Sessingham Bridge^[2] till it reaches Cane Heath; there turning eastward, it